If you're an ambitious student, do not even consider this school. They offer no opportunities for…read morestudents passionate about anything but business or sports. None of the students are interested in academics, and most are more concerned about who's throwing a party on Friday. Absolutely terrible. Most teachers aren't even educated in the subject they teach (e.g. AP Biology teacher has a degree in english and no background in biology).

I am writing this from the perspective of a parent of an applicant to the school, not as a current…read morestudent. So take that into consideration. Also, I don't write this review lightly. I am not one of those helicopter, high society, privileged parents. Not at all. I am a single mother by choice, and my oldest child recently applied to SMA for 6th grade next fall. Initially, we were both extremely impressed with the admissions staff, the student shadow day, the parent tour days, etc. I was especially impressed by the personal touch from the school while we were applying and waiting for a decision - hand signed holiday cards, a hand written note from a teacher, another handwritten note from the shadow student. Specifically, we were shocked at the language used in the teacher and student letters, as they contained encouraging and forward guiding words implying my child could be on campus next fall. We couldn't believe it. These letters made us so hopeful. In addition, the admissions team reached out proactively to schedule a meeting for me with the Head of Learning Services as my child is twice exceptional (high IQ / anxiety). Fast forward to decision day, and my child was not accepted. We were floored given the written communication received throughout the process. My 10 year old was left confused and heartbroken at SMA's process and communication. I followed up with the school after letting the news sit for a few days. My email was NOT to get a decision reversal, and I said I respected the Committee's decision. However, I told them that my child's confusion and disappointment could have been avoided if they had not allowed that kind of written, forward looking communication throughout the process. And, I did not want that happening to a future applicant. I did ultimately get a response, but it was more along the lines of "we're sorry you feel bad about the decision." I will never know what happened in those Admissions Committee meetings, but I can't help but wonder if my child and my family structure just didn't fit with their Catholic mold. My child is not the stereotypical Greenwood Village / Cherry Hills child. My child is not the girly type in appearance or dress and has experienced bullying as a result. Mind you, my child is border line genius, has a wide variety of interests / passions, witty, funny and an overall stellar child. My child is being considered at other schools here in the Denver area. SMA advertises that about 1/2 of its student population isn't Catholic, and I was open that our family isn't overly religious. In addition, I was very open about our family structure of me being a single mother by choice (IVF on my own and no partner / Dad) with two children. Did these items factor into their decision? I will never know. But as my child said, "Jesus wouldn't treat people this way."

Our family has been at Stanley since 2019, and we now have a unique perspective: a Pre-K student, a…read moresixth grader, and a recent Stanley graduate who is a freshman at East High School. Stanley is known for being joyful, warm, and child-centered--and it absolutely is. What can be less visible is how intentional and academically strong the education behind that joy is. Our oldest has been the best evidence for us. He transitioned seamlessly to East, placing into advanced math, English, and Spanish and taking honors-level classes. But Stanley prepared him for much more than coursework. He left understanding how he learns, how to advocate for himself, how to take academic risks, and how to make thoughtful decisions about what he needs to be successful. We're seeing that same development with our sixth grader. His teachers know him deeply as a learner. They have worked to understand how he processes information, scaffolded challenging concepts in reading and math, taught him strategies, and partnered with us to help him reach his potential. He has become a confident self-advocate, both academically and socially. And now, in Pre-K, we're seeing where it begins. Our daughter's teachers are calm, loving, and incredibly skilled with this age group. There is joy and play, but also structure and purposeful, age-appropriate learning. She loves going to school. After watching one child complete Stanley and thrive in high school, choosing Stanley again for our youngest was easy. The joy and academic growth aren't competing priorities at Stanley--they reinforce each other. The result is children who are prepared academically and, just as importantly, know themselves as learners.

Have two daughters that began SBPS since Kinder. Both kids can't wait to go to school in the…read moremorning - that says everything! Their focus on social emotion education is unmatched. The mixed aged classrooms allow students to have mentors and then become leaders. The teachers are just wonderful. I like to say that Stanley is helping my kids grow into joyful, healthy, kind, smart, curious, people. What more can you ask for?!

CCS has been the most amazing education for our kids. The teachers are incredible, the culture is…read moreone that upholds high academic standards according to the true classical model, while also upholding and fully integrating it with the historic Christian faith. We love the 4-day per week model that allows us extra family time. With the small class sizes, fun and engaging lessons, and caring teachers and staff, my children are truly thriving!

We've seen incredible growth in our children both academically and spiritually since joining this…read moreschool. Their confidence, biblical understanding, and love for learning have flourished. The teachers truly care and create a nurturing, Christ-centered environment. We're so grateful for this school and wish they started sooner.

I do not understand the one star review. This is an amazing place! After a lot of research, our…read moreclose friends moved cross country so that their child could attend Havern. They talk non-stop about how grateful they are for this school and how transformative it has been for their child. Their child did not like school and did not play with other kids their age - they were timid and frightened. Now their child loves school and is a social butterfly - finding friends in their age group and beyond. There child has complained that they don't want the school year to end because they want to keep going to Havern every day. We are supporters of the school because the love and dedication given to each child is who attends is easy to see. If a child is having challenges, they respond right away by trying different teaching modalities or a different teacher until they find the right fit for that child. I've never seen that kind of responsiveness from a school. Do not let the lack of reviews here fool you - there is a reason families move from other states, cross country, or drive over an hour each way to go to Havern. I think most families, like our friends, are private and want to protect their child's privacy, which is why there are so few reviews here.

Do not send your child here! The school and staff are pretty on the outside, but are rotten on the…read moreinside. They say all the right things, but what teaching goes on is something else. I watched unhappy parents taking their children out of the school in the middle of the school year. Beware!

Thank you Saint Katharine Drexel for providing an outstanding education to my pre-schooler. He is…read morealready reading. You treat us like family.

Authentically Catholic, academically solid. I can't recommend this school more. I wish every…read moreCatholic school was this amazing.

The best thing we did was leave! The good teachers have been run out and some there aren't…read moreprofessional and shouldn't be around kids. The art and computer teachers are mean, yell at the kids. Some homeroom are also mean and put the kids down. The administration will back the teacher even when inappropriate things have been said to kids. They get state funding but won't comply with state education laws. It's 2025 not the 50s. Since leaving my child has flourished. I only wish we had done it sooner. Look elsewhere. The parents are cliche, nouveau riche, private school parents who judge and don't take the time to actually get to others. So much for being accepting Catholics.

Very disappointed with the preschool. The experience we had with the preschool was not…read morerepresentative of the Catholic ethics that STM stands for. Director Mary is not a friendly or caring person at all. She criticized my 2 year old son's art and he was compared with his other classmates, director and teachers not supporting my son through his potty training. Unfortunately, we won't be considering STM for our children going forward because of how things were abruptly switched up on us. Do not recommend this preschool.

Great school with dedicated teachers and staff. Classical education format and lots of…read moreextracurricular programs. Small enough to feel close and comfortable, big enough to offer extra courses.

At the same time, I would appreciate giving them a little time and patience to adjust. They have…read moreonly been in kindergarten for a few days, initially on a half-day schedule, and they have just started full days this week. This is a big transition for them, and they are still learning the routines, expectations, and boundaries of a new classroom. Regarding the hugging, I understand that they may be showing affection and seeking comfort as they adjust. Of course, I am happy to talk with them about appropriate boundaries and when it is okay to hug someone. I just hope we can allow them some time to learn and adapt rather than viewing these behaviors too quickly as a serious problem. I am absolutely willing to work together with you and support the twins in following classroom expectations. I would appreciate approaching this as a learning and adjustment period, especially so early in the school year. I want us to work as a team and give them the opportunity to settle in and succeed. Thank you for your understanding and for working with them. But the person complain that the kids have a hand in their mouth they don't feel comfortable. It's a big transition. I don't understand why it is already give me a hard time and my kids.

Our child is absolutely THRIVING at Mackintosh and has become a more confident person since…read morestarting at Mack over a year ago. Like many kids, my son was apprehensive about changing schools, but within a month he realized that he was where he belonged, and now he tries to spend every extra minute he can at school attending before or after school clubs. The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is an excellent basis for in-depth education and exploration, but the true strength of Mackintosh is the amazing teaching faculty and staff. All of the teachers seem to love their jobs and their students and with the low student/teacher ratios, the teachers truly know the kids and how to elicit their best thinking and work. Like all learners, gifted students have strengths and weaknesses, and the teachers are able to offer broad enrichment to support a student's strengths as well as support and scaffolding for a student's challenge areas. They are able to support a learner who may be three years ahead in math, but who finds writing a struggle. The teachers are willing to differentiate instruction and assignments and meet students where they are and gently push them to grow and believe in their abilities. Some more things that I love about the school: amazing grade-level theatrical performances, multi-day nature-based field trips for the older grades, outside lunch as weather allows, and a well-rounded curriculum that includes PE every day, plus either performing or visual arts every day and a period every day that is split between Spanish some days and design others. I wish more kids could experience a Mackintosh education. I saw some comments about bullying. I am not personally aware of any bullying at the school, and I haven't had any parents share any bullying experiences with me. Also, I haven't experienced any "cliques" among the parents. Everyone seems very nice and genuine. If you have a gifted learner who would benefit from a warm, enriching, education, we strongly recommend that you consider Mackintosh Academy.

My daughter went to Mackintosh. I believe Mackintosh was instrumental in her development. They…read morereally work hard on teaching students the why, the how, and they emphasize on "critical thinking" , evaluating arguments, and analyzing information (areas other schools don't have time or resources for) We also were lucky the school created a "heritage Spanish" class for a few kids like my daughter who were raised bilingual. Maria Cardona was in charge of creating from scratch the curriculum for a handful of kids for a few years. My daughter improved in her writing and reading comprehension a lot. The topics covered during all those years touched on many areas so I'm very appreciative of Maria Cardona's creative curriculum and patience throughout those years. We also had very good experiences with all classes, from advanced math, to art, and everything in between. I'm sure that will be key for my daughter's high school and college future