Update: removed my son after a few months when he consistently cried and resisted going. Apparently…read morea "teacher" was yelling at him ...or shaming him for crying at school. I never got a full explanation from the staff. I got the impression that it was the owner.s daughter who was very unprofessional by yelling at a child for some unknown reason. They did not say that he had misbehaved. They required payment of 2 additional weeks which I paid, but it burns me now to think about the whole situation. The owner was not sympathetic to the situation and didn't seem bothered that a child was upset or scared of being at her pre-school. I don't know if they still do it this way, but I found it startlingly that nap time was in a completely dark room.

Please don't send your child to this school. They only care about money and they are neglecting the…read morechildren. My daughter was attending this school from September 2023 to November 2023. My wife would drop her off at 7:30 AM at the school and I would pick her up at 5:00 PM after I get off work, I noticed that her lunch box that my wife made her in the morning would be always full when I pick her up so I asked the teacher why don't you guys help her eat because my daughter won't eat anything if you don't tell her to go eat, the teacher told me that they can't force the kid to eat because it's their school policy, I replied to her saying that you didn't have to force her but hand it to her and tell her she has to eat she told me that there's nothing she can do about it. It seems dangerous to me that you would let a child spend a full day without eating because of some dumb policy. After this incident kept on happening I stopped sending her to school on the 27th of November because of my concerns for her wellbeing. Because of that the school decided to withhold my 2 weeks deposit and charge me an extra week in the month of December and they are threatening to send the extra December week to collections because I will not pay for it. Long story short if your kids don't have a good appetite and need a little encouragement to eat like mine don't send your children there to starve.

My older daughter graduated from the school two years ago and my youngest is about to begin her…read moresecond year. For our family the school has been wonderful. The staff is talented and committed. There is a parent participation component, as with all cooperative programs. This is something that drew me to the program. I was amazed my first year how varied people's situations are - one or both parents working outside the home part or full time, nanny's, grandparents and family friends helping out at pick-up and drop-off, as well as moms and dads working as stay-at-home parents. I didn't carpool, but some families arranged carpools. I often swapped child-care of my youngest daughter (when my oldest was in school) on parent-help days and then would watch another family's younger child when it was their turn. I've benefited from the sense of community at the school, and the chance to have a few hours every month or so to be with my child at school. The best part though is the positive experience my children have had at the school, developing social skills and learning through play.

My youngest attended their toddler program last year, and will be entering the 3-year-old program…read morethis fall. We had a great experience in his first year. It is a cooperative program, so you have to be open to that aspect. I personally loved helping in the classroom and getting to observe my child interacting with his friends. There are some volunteer components -- one work day a year to help maintain the school and grounds and service on one committee -- but they certainly aren't onerous. It's not for everyone, but so far I've found it very manageable as a working parent. The other parents are very supportive and open to switching schedules. I'm new to town, so I've found it a valuable way to meet other people and find a sense of community. The curriculum is play-based, so the focus is more on developing imagination, healthy social interaction, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing how the curriculum develops as my son progresses.

I just got back from one of the final events our son will attend at HSCS as a preschooler, and I…read morefelt compelled to share the great experience with others. Our son attended for 2 years, 1/2 days four to five days per week. We greatly appreciated the schools' approach to introducing the children to school and learning. As our son is an only child, we were especially interested in socialization aspects of school, and they do a really nice job helping children learn to socialize, follow rules, etc. without being too rigid. B. leaves school well-prepared for kindergarten and very much looking forward to it. Our son has several serious food allergies, and we also greatly appreciated the schools' approach to safety on this matter (it is a nut free school and they are very good about managing allergy issues). I especially recommend the school for parents of kids with food allergies. Business info at http://www.yelp.com/biz/hammond-square-childrens-school-woburn#hrid:oU2YXB3x3-2xehAI3O4JqQ

HSCS is a great preschool. My daughter attended this school for 3 full days a week for 3 years…read more My son attended for 1 full day and 2 half days for 2 years. I needed a preschool with extended hours to accommodate my work schedule. The best things about this school are the staff, their developmental, child-centered approach and the flexibility in scheduling. Both of my children have very different personalities and both flourished at this preschool.

I love this school for my little one! It feels like an extension of our home instead of feeling…read morelike I was sending her to elementary school early.

Two of our kids have moved through Rockland Montessori Academy for preschool and had excellent…read moreexperiences. The teachers are amazing and so dedicated. The curriculum is fantastic- our kids learned so much! They also get outside everyday and do awesome crafts. The school offers many special classes (our kids' favorite was cooking class, from a real chef!) They really create a community for the families, and have many special traditions and events throughout the year. They also offer a great summer camp program that is very well run and convenient. The leadership team is excellent to work with and they run a tight ship. I wish we could stay there forever! But they have given our kids an excellent social and academic foundation for their elementary years.

this school is good but the after school got a new staff and shes a bitch which my child comes home…read morecrying because shes mean and I doenst make my job easier as a parent.

Nestled in a quiet family neighborhood, St. Joseph School stands proudly having educated children…read morefrom Wakefield and surrounding towns for generations. Visitors are immediately charmed by the school's architecture, well manicured grounds, gleaming floors and ornate woodwork. This same attention to detail is evident throughout the educational experience as well. From pre-kindergarten through grade eight, students are challenged as they are nurtured in an environment that is educationally and spiritually rewarding. A tight-knit community, fostered by a talented faculty and parental involvement, St. Joseph School is rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition.

My daughter has been attending the ASC since she started Kindergarten 4 years ago, and has also…read moreattended the summer program. This year, her younger sister joined her. There is no bus service at our elementary school, so the ASC picks up our girls to bring them to the ASC after school. We have never had an issue with pick-up at the school. The program is well-organized and once arriving at the ASC, the kids have a structured program with plenty of downtime as well as homework assistance and designated time to read. There are days when I pick up my daughters and they don't want to leave because they are enjoying the activity in which they are engaged. The staff are also great - very responsive to any concerns and always professional. Every one of them seems to appreciate the kids and have been sensitive to any special requests. At one point, when my older daughter was being left out of a game and her feelings hurt, one of the directors stepped in and reminded the other kids about being inclusive. Kids are allowed to be kids, but the ASC is also great about teaching important life lessons and setting limits to help them get along and they do it in a constructive and respectful way. ASC is open for a summer program as well, and my older daughter says she doesn't want to go anywhere else for day camp. The summer program includes daily trips to the city pool, twice a week field trips that the kids love and lots of in-house fun. ASC covers school vacations as well, scheduling both fun and enriching activities for the kids. The After School Club is also a great value. Their prices are not the absolute lowest in Woburn, but they are very competitive, particularly considering all that the ASC does with and for the kids. It is definitely worth the peace of mind knowing that my girls are safe, happy and engaged in some great activities. Tuition can be paid either by check or using their online system, which is very convenient.

Meredith M. My…read moredaughter has been going to the ASC for past 3 years. They have someone pick up my daughter at the school and take her to the ASC. I have never had an issue with this. She also has attended the summer program. She loves all the fun activities they have planned for the weeks and the field trips too. As a mom, this place gives me peace of mind knowing she's in a safe environment and being well taken care of. The staff is always caring and kind. They do homework with them if you like. It makes things easier at home for us, getting in the door so late.

I am a recent alumnus of Austin Prep, and I will start with the good - the academics are rigorous…read moreand most teachers are passionate and knowledgeable. I came out well-prepared for college and value my education there highly. However, in recent years, there have been many problems with the way the school is run. With the change of administration, the school went from the feeling of "tight-knit, humble private school" to pure business. It is abundantly clear that the school's model has devolved into putting up enough show to get parents to enroll their child, and have enough interest that they can admit more students whenever the glamor wears off on the old parents and they pull their children. The new headmaster has even said before in addresses, "We turned away many students this year, so you should all feel lucky that you're even here right now," in a way that almost sounded like a threat. This vibe permeates the way the school carries itself and treats its student body. From the technology to the dress code to the curriculum, everything is now optimized for them so that they get a kickback on sales, at the inconvenience of the families. Unnecessary changes are made to the schedules and structures of the school based on the image of the school, not the opinions of the families - which are often opposed. Perhaps the scariest change developing in the school is how hateful the atmosphere is becoming. From promoting an anti-LGBT hate group, to utilizing a book that encourages conversion therapy, to turning a blind eye to students harrassing international students based on race, the school is becoming valueless and made me feel unsafe by the end of my career there. The academics are stellar, but you can find a school without these problems. Do not enroll here, please.

My child spent 3 years at Austin Preparatory School (AP) before I decided to withdraw. I am writing…read morethis review in hopes to save someone (or many of you) time and money based on what I encountered at AP. I made a request to withdraw and receive a tuition refund in early July. It was denied due to the timeframe, per contract withdrawal​ must be before April 30th. Unfortunately,​​ events leading to my decision did not occur prior to April, too bad for me I guess. Even though we had spent 3 years at AP, the Headmaster was not interested in refunding any money to me. I had multiple conversations with him, explaining our reasons and issues, he pretty much brushed us off stating it was "too late," noting​ we had to "fulfill our financial obligation". He even said to me that if he refunded everyone that changed their​ mind, he would be opening pandora's box. Apparently many people change their mind about attending this school over the summer, I believe he referred to it as "summer meltdown". My thought was if this many people change their mind, he has a much bigger​ problem on his hands that he isn't addressing. The school Headmaster preaches "community" but does not practice it when push comes​ to shove. The school is a business to him. I understand the business side but even in the strongest of businesses contracts are altered and renegotiated every day. One would think he would be willing to work with a "community member" that had a 3-year​ investment in the school​. I even offered to give up the seat I had reserved and accept a partial refund when the seat was filled by another student, he would have no part in this discussion. Unfortunately​,​ he is judge and jury at AP, not even a Board to answer to as he noted, they send the "issue" back to him to resolve. During the 3 years​ spent at AP I started to notice a pattern. Many kids that I met that went there were bullied in their prior school. I didn't think much of​ it at the time​ but did start asking more and more kids why they were going to that school. Low and behold, kept getting the same answer, bullied at prior school. One may think that this is good, this school "protects" them, not the case. Some of these kids actually became the bullies​. Guess they had first​-hand experience on how to do it. I also notice that MANY kids that attend have parents that teach at the school. Turns out a benefit to teachers is their kids go to school for free. The school has tuition increases EVERY year, without fail. Typically an increase of about $2000.00... setting the current tuition at $21,900.00! Quite the price for high school or middle school.... and remember, teachers kids go for free. This past summer the school did a multi-million​ dollar kitchen/cafeteria/foyer renovation. The tuition increase was $1900.00. This was to cover the cost of lunches for kids, regardless of whether​ or not your kids eat ​lunch, you pay the increase. I wonder if the teachers paid the $1900.00 or are the "paying population" feeding their kids too? The school definitely has some issues including vaping and bullying (even though there is a "no tolerance" policy) Don't think you are going to avoid these issues by leaving the public schools. In my opinion,​ the public schools have a better handle on how to deal with​ this, probably because they acknowledge it is happening. I find the headmaster of the school "talks the talk" to parents, but doesn't deliver. Personally,​ I also find him to be quite arrogant. He often notes similar types of stories in his email updates, something​ about how a parent tells him that their child received an amazing education at AP and now is going to college for less than they paid to go to school at AP due to scholarships (obviously​ they were not a teacher at AP). Watch for yourself and see. To summarize, high-cost​ middle/high school education (almost the cost of a college) without a high-end​ reputation. If you really want a private school do your homework, you can get what AP offers for half the price and hopefully​ find a Headmaster with a conscience.