Hi granddaughter goes to Capitol Hill Day School. She is getting a wonderful education and is…read moremaking a lot of friends. I like that they're so creative in their education and that they're casual in their dress. The students are rewarded for good behavior. I'm very happy that she is there.

Our daughter has been at CHDS for two years and we love the community, the school's stable…read moreleadership, and the pedagogy. It's a little sad that a very small number of parents have taken to Yelp to air grievances, because in our experience the vast majority of parents - and students - are thrilled to be at the school. The idea that CHDS does not take bullying seriously is just plain wrong, as is the idea that the school does not listen to feedback. The truth is, the Head of School is wonderfully accessible (we know this from personal experience) and has a reputation as one of DC's best and longest-serving educational leaders. The teachers are devoted, respond quickly to questions and concerns, and focus on student-centered, inquiry-based learning. The parents get along with each other and build friendships outside of class. The field trips teach soft skills and critical thinking far more rapidly than everyday classroom learning. The building is beautiful, the student body is diverse, the faculty turnover is low, the communication robust, and the destinations for graduates impressive. Most important, our daughter comes home from school happy each day.

This is a great institution. We have friends with a son who attends here. We have visited the…read morecampus for events over the years. The playing field has transformed over the years. It looks very nice. I miss being able to walk straight through the property while going home since the gates are all locked now, but I like seeing the pretty field as I walk by. The staff members are nice.

Number 1 choice for high school even before prep. Gonzaga beats all schools. What they have done…read morefor their community is incredible. God bleeds purple!

If you're trying to come to this school any year after fifth grade, don't even bother trying. The…read moreschool is extremely fast paced and if you were not going to an accelerated school before, you're going to suffer. By the time you're caught up, everyone will be miles ahead of you. Your mental state will go down the drain and it will feel like you're just a robot living on autopilot. Most of the teachers cannot teach and you will be stuck relying on yourself and maybe tutors to teach you. The expectations are extremely high and take credit for the students that do well, but leave the ones that aren't in the dust. You're stuck taking quizzes for each class practically every week and most of the kids don't have basic manners or know how to communicate.

Our son has had an excellent experience at BASIS DC. He began in 5th grade, which for most is…read morecrucial for success, due to the rigorous, college prep curriculum. He is now halfway through 7th grade. The academic plan is thoughtful and we are so pleased with the building of real knowledge and understanding. The first year was very challenging, mainly because the tempo is much more demanding than most schools. He was nervous about starting 6th grade and more testing, but the plan builds and he did well. He has daily homework, but not an amount that prevents him from his sports and scouts. It is not a typical public school building, but they make it work and our son enjoys the teachers and students. That said, our thought is to assess year by year if it is too much for our son. We know that if we move or it makes sense to change schools, he certainly will be ahead and not behind academically.

Two Rivers PCS, My…read morechild's first and last year. One would've thought after the new principal came onboard it would've got better, it got worse. First, Two Rivers starts at 8:15, and after 8:30 a student is considered late. You get15-minutes grace, but you'll sit on Benning Road for an half-hour just trying to get through the very busy, high- construction, congested intersection where all the schools in the area start at the same time. Two Rivers staff could do a better job with either starting school earlier, or having their staff to stand on 4th Street that will aid in a smoother traffic flow. There's one way in and one way out, and in the event of an emergency, time would definitely be a factor of life or death. Second, Ms. Chelsea, the new principal. Where do I begin? She has never formally introduced herself to the school-body. She's rarely at the school on-time, never accountable or available. She has failed many parents and is a disservice to the school. She's new to being a principal and it's more than evident that she was hired off familiarity. She probably was great in her other position at Two Rivers, but that's certainly not the case at Young. Maybe because she had two small children who knows, but she's way above her head in this position and the Two Rivers Community will suffer, because she'll never have enough integrity to own the fact that it's too much. Instead the school/students will fail. Third, the schools report card system. It's very subjective and holds no merit to the student or what's needed to excel with the standards of area public charter schools. It's evident that something is wrong, check out Two Rivers Report Card. No real preparation towards achieving in Science, Math, and Reading. What the teachers don't undertake, when their students fail, so do they! Fourth, the school is very racist! The schools grading system is in a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest. Very rare do children of color ever score 4-5s while for children of other races it's a norm. During showcases, the African-American children receive small parts while other children receive larger. Fifth, the school use Wednesday's for teacher-development days. It not only causes a very expensive after-school bill for parents. The teachers have not used the time wisely to improve themselves or students to become academic achievers. Basically, Wednesday's has become just another day and nothing has changed! In Two Rivers you'll get diversity, but that's it! Send your child(ren) to a school that'll challenge them academically and learning is fun. A school that'll challenge them to want to know/learn more because it's that exciting. A principal who will always go above and beyond to service the students, parents, and staff. A principal that is dedicated and accountable. All parents wants what is best for their children and their schools should mirror that! The same as parents should enjoy all of the comforts of being home, they should have this the same hidden nugget of cultural treasure within their school.

I visited my friend who is a teacher there and I was really impressed. Working in a middle school…read moremyself, I noticed some of the differences right away. Two Rivers, is a smaller than usual middle school that services a very diverse student population. The fact that they are smaller is a great benefit to the child as a whole. The teachers are very in tune with what's going on with each child there. They work in a "family-like" environment where the old adage of "it takes a village to raise a child" holds truth. The staff seemed very much in sync and appeared to be glad to be working there unlike other schools I have visited before. The building itself lends itself to be inviting and comfortable. From the types of desks they use to the color of the wall, this entire building stimulates you to want to learn. The walls are painted with a very warm blue so soothing and calming. each classroom has a teacher and a teacher helper which makes the student-to-teacher ratio very small. I took a tour and was impressed by the aesthetics such as the partial glass walls! But overall, everyone was very inviting and nice as I walked through the halls with my friend giving me a tour. From what my friend tells me everyone works very hard to get to know each child at a personal level and everyone is concerned about the child's well being. I would recommend parents who are looking for schools in the area to visit and maybe ask for a small guided tour to see the building. As someone who works in a middle school with about 1,100 students, I believe smaller settings are crucial especially at the middle school level and if you are looking for that then you need to go check out Two Rivers.