Last year, & the begining of this, I was getting 'Meals delivered' with cards & notes & everything…read more& I never got to say "Thank You". I just found a card you sent me way back then and now I feel it's more than important and necessary to send this note. I wish I could still get all those truly home-cooked dinners, but everything changes, all the time. Thanks, K Krol

Rose Tree Elementary School is an excellent public school from grades K - 5 in Media, PA. Each…read moreyear they host a Strawberry Festival in May, complete with games, BBQ food and plenty of chocolate covered strawberries. My kid & I attend every year and we just love it. A great school!

Great school, my younger son attended for 1 year. Teachers are excellent and facilities are clean.read more

This school is full of dedicated teachers and administrators.read more

Turn to the Light, of Westtown School. Hands-down, best school culture anywhere.read more

I spent only my freshman year in upper school here, as a day student. My family has sent a lot of…read morerelatives to 'Town, back to Hannah Hunt, 1799 (a founding student). My dad didn't want me joining the cool group at public school, ripped me away from my friends, & plopped me at W-town! It was framed as a punishment, which did not set me up for success. AT THE TIME I WAS THERE, this is how it was (may be different now, years later): - Very diverse student body, all over the world, all over the country, all religions (or lack thereof), several diplomats' kids - No prom b/c it's tacky - Good college advisor program - 600-acre campus is breathtaking! - Lots of tradition, joining a community, sense of continuity through many years - Boarding was mandatory for Juniors & Seniors, but not Freshmen & Sophomores (busses from local school dists transport day students for free) - Mandatory Meeting for Worship every Wed (mandatory on Sun, as well, for boarders) - Mandatory Quakerism classes - Academics taught like college courses (at a small liberal arts school, at least) - Westtown is not brash & obnoxious like many Main Line private schools. It is ranked well nationally, but it's for down-to-earth people, not snobs. It's not very Quakerly to be a snob. - Students have mandatory community service. They have outreach programs, from which you can choose, but it's part of your education to learn how to give to your community. - There were monthly assemblies with various messages, & speakers. Westtown is very politically & socially liberal, so this will always be the tone of their morals & missions. It was definitely preparatory for college with the lectures & talks we got. - Field Trips & outings are more sophisticated, like college - Sports mandatory all year b/c they do not have gym class. Underclassmen had to play 2 team sports out of the 3 seasons, +1 club sport, IF you got in before all the spaces filled up, otherwise, it was 3 team sports. - No football b/c a student had died from it before use of helmets - Stealing among boarders? Yes - Drug culture? Yes - Sneaking to co-ed's dorm for sex? Yes - Bullying? Yes PERSONAL REFLECTIONS Where Westtown benefited me: It is mandatory to have UNPAID campus jobs. Yup, Mom & Dad will pay tens of thou for you to go be a janitor. At the time I went, these jobs included everything from vacuuming classrooms, to doing dishes in the dining room. Humility is part of being a well-rounded, decent human being. W-town will teach it to you. I had a classmate who tried to pay off our advisor to get himself out of his work job. Guess what that got him? The crappiest job available. I had a hard time donning the bright yellow gloves & a rubber apron, & I whined & "ewwwww"-ed my way through it, but the kids who took it in stride, & did a good job, were the ones everyone liked. You learned a lot about how to grow the heck up, & take care of yourself & others at this school. I had a drama class, that made a huge impression on me. My art class introduced me to acid etching when I was a mere 14 years old! We did some amazing projects, with equipment I never would have had access to at public school. Going deeper... I met a lot of really cool people here. The international students were AMAZING people, for the most part. I was fascinated by their worldliness & chutzpah. My two close freshman friends by the end of the year were from Manhattan & Tanzania. I also really related to upperclassmen tennis teammates from China & VA. A great mix of kids! I was exposed to diversity & culture (literature & arts) that I would not have been at public school (although my AP ps education was exceptional), & I am forever grateful. I was on a step squad, & I sucked, but I still know my routine! Where W-town failed me: - Faculty brats in my class were mean & entitled. The daily putdowns (making fun of me for being a priss), were ironic/hypocritical at Quaker school, & a HUGE factor in making me not return. - A number of kids there were expelled from other schools, & had a lot of problems, which some of them took out on others. I had a really bad incident with one of these kids, which was a trauma I had to deal with in years of therapy. - Faculty was hit or miss. Some teachers did not have teaching certs, just majored in that subject. For example, my history teacher was so awesome, I still remember his lectures, but my French teacher was TERRIBLE & had no teaching skills or certs! Also, I could not take two languages in my schedule (but did at ps with no prob). The kids who'd been there a while knew which teachers to request, & got them, while others suffered. ------- In the end, the bad apple faculty & students spoiled things for me, & the trauma event I endured (which I did NOT report to the school), sent my OCD out of control. I returned to ps, for better & worse, but dealt with it. FUN FACT: Famous alums? Bob Marley's daughter attended (you can look up all the famous alums on Wiki).

We moved from Center City out to suburbia for one big reason - our kid was getting older and we had…read morealready paid for three EXPENSIVE years of (super high quality) Quaker Private school. While we love the old school in Philly, her new school, Indian Lane, is FANTASTIC as public schools go. Built maybe 30-40 years ago it was designed as a "Junior High" (AKA Middle School), so it's bigger than most elementary school. Great facilities - but first and foremost superb teachers, counselors and administration. Can't say enough good things about the prinicpal, our kids teachers, the music, art, physical education and after-school programs (After School is a separate organiztion). The Bobcat is the School Mascot and each child takes the Bobcats Pledge: Be respectful and responsible Offer a helping hand Be a friend to everyone Care about feelings Accept differences Tell an adult Stand up for what is right It is working. This along with the "responsive classroom" (Teachers use a chime to get kids to be quiet - they never yell at the kids) is building a community of caring, kind, attentive, engaged children. For a public school - this is one of the BEST.

All I can say is this is a wonderful structured school. That is not only small and cozy for kids…read morewho are anxious around big crowds. But also individualized for kids who need extra help with assignments and projects. The students are well behaved and the staff is wonderful and kind to the students. The school is clean and offers many opportunities for the students who attend.

Based on my experiences with a HS student, it is troubling that there is no consistency within the…read morestaff to promote understanding and implementation of consistent resolutions. We also experienced inappropriate interactions toward individuals within the student body from the Head of School due to a lack of detailed knowledge of students. There is also no accountability demonstrated by Woodlynde administration for inappropriate teacher interaction, nor are there attempts to resolve such differences when situations are heightened. Overall, although the school was helpful in some academic ways our experience was a school that did not honor all their principles consistently or fairly.

The Philadelphia area has an incredible variety of great schools--both public and private--so it…read moreoften comes down to "fit"--for your child/children and for your family. My husband and I toured and researched many schools in the area when our kids were first starting school and in the end, we decided Shipley was the perfect fit for us and for our children. I'll also add that as they have grown & evolved as learners (and they are very different kids), the fit still feels right for both. We were looking for a strong academic program, but our family believes that education is not just about test scores. Preparing our children for success in life is about values, self-confidence, friendships, and respect ....as well as excellent academics. We found that educational mission at Shipley. Also, as our kids have gotten older (now in middle & high school), I appreciate the "positive peer culture" that exists at Shipley. As they begin to look more to their classmates & teammates for cues about how to behave and what choices to make, I am grateful that their circles of friends take school seriously and care about the community they are part of. It is truly the teachers and coaches and other adults in the community that make Shipley so special. Yes, there are great facilities (as there are at most of the schools in this area) but it is the faculty that sets Shipley apart. They truly know my kids--their strengths, their weaknesses, ways to motivate them, where to support them, and when to push them outside of their comfort zone... They also embrace and celebrate the many different ways children learn. The teachers are just fabulous--they are proactive and engaged in student life and they respond to each child's needs--at whatever point they are in their academic and social development. The curriculum is responsive to the needs of the students while the academic vision is always pushing the envelope. Shipley does not have one model of a "successful graduate" that they are teaching towards - rather the teachers strive to find each student's unique gifts and talents and then help them become the best versions of themselves, in a holistic way. I really like that about Shipley, and I see my kids (who are so different from each other) developing along their own tracks and finding success and confidence in doing so.

I graduated from The Shipley School in 2013 and my four years there as a student were the most…read morememorable and growth stimulating years of my life. When people think of Shipley they have assumptions of the demographics of the community. I admit I did. I myself come from the inner-city and a middle class income, and was nervous entering. Nevertheless, I never felt different. Shipley is a welcoming community, one that accepts everyone, that grants chances to those chances aren't usually given, Shipley is a community here to help prepare its students for the future. There is support beyond measure from the teachers, administration, students, families, everyone, because we are one. Before Shipley I didn't know what it meant to be selfless, however once put into the community I learned the meaning and I begin to embody it in everyday life. Growing up in the city and going to school there it was like a being a crab in the barrel, no matter how close you were to the top, someone pulled you down. I was never taught to uplift others. Instead I focused on myself and my own success. Shipley showed me to be successful I need a team and to uplift others because their success is just as important as mine. As I finish college and begin to truly embark on this journey of life I am nothing but grateful for Shipley building the foundation of the young woman I am today. I have defied statistics and because of the risks they encouraged me to take. I have gained a confidence that can never be broken. I will never again think of myself as a crab in the barrel. I am an individual who matters. Most importantly I know I am never alone in this world and I will forever use the teams I build over time to create success of everyone involved.

The entire staff here is amazing, from the administration to the teachers. My daughter is in Ms…read more Flanagan's Pre-K class, and the other day she literally told me, "Dad, I love school." I'm a teacher myself, and I can see how much thought and planning Ms. Flanagan puts into her teaching. She communicates constantly and I can tell that my daughter loves and feels safe with her. My daughter is four, and the other night we were sitting down at the kitchen table writing her list of favorite Christmas songs and saying words in Spanish. I feel so blessed that my daughter is able to learn here every day!

We've had the joy of sending both our children to this school--our daughter last year(Pre-K 2) and…read morenow our son (Pre-K) and the experience has been nothing short of incredible. My son wakes up excited to go every single morning, which speaks volumes about how nurturing, engaging, and supportive the environment is. The teachers are truly involved and attentive, and the academic curriculum is exceptional--it truly prepares your child for the next level with confidence. I'm especially grateful for the individualized support and regular updates we receive about our child's progress. We couldn't be happier with our experience here!

Both of my kids LOVED SRV Mini Camp last year!! We are signing up again! It was their first…read moreexperience away from home and the teachers were great! They came home exhausted every day and can't wait to go again! Arts and Crafts, Free Play, Swimming, Exploring... They loved every minute!!

My five-year old son had an amazing time at School in Rose Valley's mini summer camp this past…read moreweek: He made new friends who covered him in hugs as he left, met kind and patient teachers, and thrived in the warm, welcoming environment (daily swims in the school pool helped!). I don't think I ever imagined that any school experience could be described as magical, but that's the word that kept popping into my head everyday at drop off and pick up. A week in the woods was a perfect change of pace for my little city kid. He swam in the campus pools each day, played games like tag and basketball, built with legos, dew pictures, built toy boats to use in the pool, and ate snacks provide by the school as well as the lunch we packed. He also had the chance to feed the school's sheep and chickens. By the end of the week, he was begging to return again in the future, so we'll definitely be looking into attending a camp again in the future.

The Haverford School is one of the premier educational organizations anywhere, providing its…read morestudents with a top notch education and emphasizing the importance of being a strong writer.

Class of '95 here…read more What can I say about this place? A decade plus removed from it, I don't keep in touch with many of the people, though not for their own fault or mine. I value the education I got here tremendously - from Mr Duffany's excruciating but valuable sentence diagram the the late Señor Laserna's Spanish, which lasts with me still. I loved rowing crew and Doc Kinney's art class/introspective therapy sessions, could have done without some of the cookie-cutter jackasses and senses of entitlement. But all in all it was a good school for the area, one I think of with mostly fond memories, and I wish only the best for this place.