My daughter attends one of the Discovery schools. Some of the things that she loves are:…read more- Teachers faculty and staff. Some of them really do a great job of trying to inspire the kids to learn, teach them discipline, and show care at the same time. - Co-curricular classes such as computer, library, art, etc. Although my daughter does well academically, she has a very creative side and enjoys getting to express that through these classes. - Students. My daughter has a great group of friends that she has been with since starting school here. They hang out on weekends and support each other in/out of school. As a parent, I feel that the school is generally safe, the staff is communicative, and supportive of the students/ families they serve. I am a strong believer in good free schools (since we pay our tax dollars for them) in our communities, and Discovery schools are great examples of them.

Before I share my review of the Dr. John Ochsner Discovery School (DJOD), let me share my…read morequalifications as a reviewer. I am a lifelong, professional educator having taught 44 years ranging from middle school to graduate school. I have a Ph.D. in education and am currently a high school teacher who also teaches 3-4 graduate education courses each year for LSU; and I serve on the Board of Directors of an "A-rated," metro-New Orleans PK-8 charter school. So, my review comes from a professional perspective. When my child's admission lottery number finally got us into DJOD, I was ecstatic! I truly believed DJOD would be a superior educational environment than the neighborhood public middle school. I could not have been more wrong!! DJOD was a huge disappointment and I totally regret pursing this educational opportunity for my child. Why? Over several years, I found the teachers to be inferior to the neighborhood school in their classroom teaching. My child's learning atrophied as too many of the teachers don't teach, rather they pointed their students to the internet and let online teach. Prior to beginning at DJOD, my child tested at grade-level or higher. Sadly, at the end of our time at DJOD, my child tested below grade-level. Worst of all, the teachers don't challenge the gifted and don't challenge early finishers. Prior to DJOD, both were managed quite well at the neighborhood school and I believe contributed much to strong academic progress and LEAP2025 mastery and advanced scores. At DJOD, the teachers appeared clueless with the gifted and early finishers. On top of all this, I personally experienced the lack of ethics of the school's administrators. DJOD's value form the acronym HEART and you hear and see HEART all over the school and from teachers / administrators mouths. Yet, while DJOD talks the talk of having HEART, I can attest personally they unfortunately cannot walk their talk. Their actions toward parents and students are HEARTLESS and unethical. In fact, I have concluded students and parents rank well behind everything especially their public face and brand. That's number one! How DJOD looks to the public. The prevailing administration attitude (all the way to the top) is: "DJOD is a choice; choose elsewhere, if you're not happy." Of course, through their lottery and waitlist, this translates to: "we don't care about you because we have plenty to replace you." How's that for HEART? Next, DJOD is a feminine culture and boys struggle to find their place in this feminine culture. Even worst, DJOD has no male role models for the boys. (Check out the DJOD directory and you'll see the lead administrators are female and there's only ONE male teacher.) So, in the end, as a professional educator (and, yes, as a parent), I have a very poor review of DJOD and strongly recommend you enter the school with eyes wide open - or better, stay away! When you pull back the curtain, it's not the school their leaders want you to see. Don't fall for the facade and double-talk. Good luck!

I credit St Augustine's marching band and Jon Batiste for showcasing what an amazing school St…read moreAugustine is. An all boys Catholic high school in New Orlean's 7th ward that was founded in 1951 as a place for excellence. The school's Marching 100 Band is a city treasure and shows up in parades and in Batiste's song "We Are."

Not what it used to be…read more Growing up in the community at large; "St Aug/The Aug" was the placed that ALLLLLL the "aspiring to be young professional African Am Men" strived to go. The parents of said young men also had it in their minds this was the "place to be" for young African American Men. Well that "reputation" has since expired. I've had the not so fortunate pleasure of witnessing 1st hand the reputation & standards of the school spiral out of control. The most recent changing of the guards (administration) is the #1 reason for said displeasure. Additionally, the mismanagement of classrooms, lack of proper student teacher parent communication, unavailability of required supplies... Only adds to the failing reputation. Just not at all what it used to be... I'm saddened to know "St Aug/The Aug" as of late.

When in town we stop in and swim at the pool with other adult swimmers. The swim group is known as…read moreNu Wave Swim Club. Coach Marshal has been there for 22 years and welcomes drop in swimmers for a small fee. The entry is via the sliding glass door - which may not be apparent. The pool Is mature but the water is good. The locker rooms are marginal. I am told by Jamie that the girls locker room does not have operable showers. The boys room does.

From the owner: Isidore Newman School, established in 1903, offers a range of academic and enrichment programs. It…read moreis a coeducational, independent school that enrolls more than 950 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school employs a staff of over 130 people and spreads across an area of nearly 10 acres. It features a swimming pool, athletic complex and science laboratories. Isidore Newman School offers guidance counseling and student support services. The school provides classes in English, science, mathematics and finer arts. It operates early childhood and adult education programs, as well as the Dads Club. Isidore Newman School provides opportunities for sports activities that include basketball and football.

18 contiguous acres of innovative learning in a bustling community which embraces and fuels the…read morearts! Serving infants through commencement!

The most well rounded educational institution in the city!!!read more

John M Donald ran a shipping and receiving business out of Baltimore…read more In 1845 he shut his business down (where he employed slaves) and moved his business to NOLA. Before he left Baltimore, he freed all of his slaves and gave them money to start their lives. Then he opened a success port business in NOLA . He brought 100 acres of the 1600 acre park and donated it to the City Park Foundation. Before he died, he freed all of his New Orleans slaves, and also gave them money to start a life with. He build homes for the poor and pretty much gave them away. When he died, he had given money to start public schools in New Orleans and Baltimore. Prior to hurricane Katrina there were 42 John McDonald schools. He was a very generous man and gave away most of his life's savings.

An elementary/ jr. high school is a tough thing to review, but I am sticking with a high four-star…read morereview of ISL, specifically the Camp St campus, based on my admittedly limited experience therewith. The price (free!) can't be beat for an immersion education, and any kid in the state can apply for K or grade 1. Language requirements take effect for admission to grade 2 and above. ISL offers a Spanish and a French program, and my child's knowledge of Spanish, based on just a year and a half, is astouding. She can speak and understand conversational Spanish (and delights in eavesdropping on people speaking Spanish!), when nobody in our families have even so much as studied it in school. It is obvious what a child learns in just a year here. Moreover, there are regular reports sent home to parents to inform how a child is progressing, both academically and behaviorally. For K classes, there are two recesses, music, computers, art, P.E., and circus arts, on top of traditional classroom time. In first grade they don't get circus arts, but it resumes in later years, and they don't get the second recess. The library is coded by dots as to whether a book is in English, Spanish, and/or French, and the librarian speaks all the languages and is amazing with the kids. The kids go to the library once a week to check out new books, and it's open after school too so parents can go check out extra books with their kids. Regular reading time is heavily promoted at ISL. The school lunches are mostly healthy, and children are encouraged to bring healthy foods for snack times too. When my daughter trades her pineapple juice for another child's apple juice, so be it. I'm glad she's got healthy choices for the swap. :) There is a before care program and are two different after care programs, along with track clubs and an off-campus rugby group. The buidling may not be the most state of the art, but the lessons are truly fantastic.

After posting my review, I was contacted by the school and some points of clarity demonstrated…read morebelow (shows you how I much I know!): "At this time, ISL does not have a high school component. The International High School of New Orleans is not affiliated with ISL, so the reference to the "newly formed high school" is misleading. Also, for admission, perspective students go through a developmental observation, after they place in the lottery...I don't want people to be intimidated by the phrase "test in" since we do not do intelligence or IQ based testing for admission."