Given my beau's family are graduates of Berkley School District, going in with my little one,…read moreexpectations were high. I heard a great deal about the exemplary elementary school experience they had at Burton in Huntington Woods, the strong programs at Norrup, and the fantastic music program at Berkley High School. Considering the lowest degree in the family is a Bachelors and everyone ended up as active citizens gainfully employed in professions they enjoy or love, I'd say the school district met the mark. A generation later, my child has been enrolled in the Berkley School District's "Building Blocks" program since he was twelve weeks old, giving me an excellent view of school system as he advances towards elementary years. Currently we have made it so far as pre-K in the year-round program. The pre-K programs cost about $900 a month for full-time, year-round care, allowing me to avoid worrying about daycare alternatives in the summer, which are few and far between with two working parents and nearly every other relative employed too. Half-day and full-day options are available from 6 weeks to 6 years, and the slate ranges from one day to five a week. Tuition assistance for needy families is readily available and advertised, and I'm fairly sure that kindergarten and pre-K (4-5 year olds) are also free for families under a certain income range. Is it worth it? Every. Damn. Penny. The Building Blocks program at Tyndall uses the HighScope curriculum, a nationally recognized program with measurable benchmarks for all levels, and that combines intellectual and social development with physical activity and age-appropriate goals. All lead teachers must be certified, and they create outstanding lessons that give children lots of time running about outside, playing together, reading, and enjoying group activities or crafts. There's no way I could recreate this on my own without taking an early childhood education program, let's face it. (Never mind I'd go insane with only a 3-year-old for company all day). Their pre-K classrooms are clean, bright, and happy places full of toys and reading centres, science tables, play stations, and more. My little one basically abandons me at the door, says 'Toodleloo,' and off we go. He's got friends made in the infant rooms who remain highly involved in his day to day activities, and new ones integrating happily. Berkley preschools always have events going on -- meet animals, play on drums, have a dance party, learn about dinosaurs. You can tell the caregivers and teachers truly love their kids, and it's not simply a job to them. These are caring, loving people who still keep after their former charges. Success speaks for itself. My child is happy, well-adjusted, and blows his ASC (a standardized measure for how well a child holds up against pediatrically/child educator-approved measures for their age group) scores out of the water. He's never had an issue we, as parents, couldn't work through with a discussion with a teacher on the best supportive strategy to gently encourage good behaviour or pick up another skill with a little practice. My only caveat with the school district is its communication of closed days: you /really/ need to get on the newsletter distribution and read it. I've shown up more than once to find the school inexplicably shut for a professional development day or such, and there was not good signage/reminders. This has improved with time, but I appreciate a handout sent home or whatnot. Pretty small beans compared to the warm, nurturing environment I've had the joy of sharing with my kid, though!

I am a product of this system, namely the high school at this address…read more The most notable thing about the curriculum was a strong emphasis on writing. I remember how easy my classmates found it to excel in college writing classes, while other students struggled, big time. So, if you are looking for a school system to nourish independent thinking, and writing skills (invaluable), you ought to consider Berkley.

Amazing Christian based education…read more Jesus is emphasized, not religion. Worth the financial sacrifice. Sure nothing is perfect, however my kids have come leaps and bounds here.

There are two good things about this school…read more.. Okay, there's probably more than that but there's definitely two that I know of for sure. 1. Ms. Vivian is probably dead and therefore no longer part of their staff. She was evil incarnate when she was working here (I should know, I had her for kindergarten). How the physical abuses got past the administration are beyond me, but this was a different time, and she was horrible. 2. Ms. Cook no longer works here either. She was a redheaded demon. No, seriously. I corrected her on her grammar when I was 12 or so (Mr. Matthews was a good English teacher) and she pretty much tried to shoot me with flaming arrows. Ever since then she would make up random things about me that were totally untrue just to get me in trouble. I hope she's dead too, really. Anyways, there still were plenty of great teachers here in my day; Mr. Matthews, Ms. Green, Ms. Ehardt, etc. But none of them work here now either. I guess since most of this stuff is irrelevant now, it's probably not very helpful. However, if you are considering sending your kids here for the Christian aspect I should tell you, they also did such a good job of teaching me to think independently that I experimented with Pagan beliefs in high school and definitely became an Atheist in college.

Baldwin Elementary School has been such a fantastic place for our family. I went to school at…read moreBaldwin personally, and knew exactly where I would send my children when the time came. I have two boys that have had nothing but positive, enriching experiences. Every morning they wake up excited to go to school and every afternoon they can't wait to tell us some of the things they learned or did that day. The staff is so hands on and really make the children and parents feel so comfortable. The office staff answers phones and returns calls promptly, the principal is often seen interacting directly with students, they have Deputy Z to teach about safety and different scenarios, beautiful playground, and so much more. I am so thankful that Baldwin has been such a positive experience for my boys (and even myself) I cannot say enough positive things to describe the impact their program has with my children. I highly recommend Baldwin Elementary to anyone in the area and love that we still have a few more years with them!

Our daughter spent several years thriving at Japhet School. She earned nearly straight A's,…read morecherished her classmates, and fully embraced the community. We believed we were in the right place -- until her mental health began to decline and the school failed to act. In January 2025, her grades dropped noticeably, and her pediatrician, counselor, and prior neuropsychologist all recommended accommodations to support her suspected autism and rapidly progressing anxiety. These recommendations were brought directly to the Head of School and her teacher -- and were met with delay, deflection, and silence. Despite presenting medical documentation, past accommodations, and a collaborative proposal, no meaningful steps were taken -- not even acknowledgment. For months our daughter struggled through 5+ hours of homework per night, experienced escalating distress, and began exhibiting severe trichotillomania. We asked for urgent follow-up, confirmed her suffering, and even laid out specific accommodations recommended by her care team. The school's response? Vague reassurances, inaction, significant delays, and ultimately -- a statement that they were not resourced to help and we therefore were forced to withdraw her with 7 weeks left in the academic year. Her final days at Japhet were devastating for her and me as her parent. Staff completely ignored our emails. Her friends were never told she was leaving. She was sent home with hours of homework knowing it would never be graded and despite confirmed withdrawal due to mental health. There was no closure. No sense of RELIABILITY, HUMILITY, or RESPECT not for her as a learner, nor for us as a family. Japhet often speaks of its 18 character qualities -- initiative, courage, gratitude, justice, respect, reliability, joy, humility, peace, and more. But in our experience, these values were words on a wall, not principles in practice. When our child needed understanding, flexibility, and human connection, zero compassion was shown despite the fact that she was unraveling inside their very own walls. We share this to caution other families of neurodivergent children, especially those with autism +/- PDA profiles. If your child requires flexibility, emotional safety, accommodations or genuine partnership -- be prepared. Our experience was marked by neglect, poor communication, and a striking lack of sensitivity. Japhet may not leave students behind academically -- but emotionally, we were left entirely alone.

I looked at multiple preschools before enrolling my son at Japhet. It wasn't a hard choice once the…read moreadmissions director gave me a tour and informed me about their character building program and showed me projects that kids had done in previous years. My son used to go to a Montessori for two years prior so I was wondering if he would be able to transition well and to my delight, he is thriving and loves his teachers and loves going to school. The school has a unique community feel that makes everyone feel included, informed and well connected. I am so glad I found japhet! If you are looking for Schools in this area (anywhere in pre k to grade 8) I highly, highly recommend that you visit Japhet and see for yourself!

Homeless judge had a temper tantrum and threw a shoe at a person. Not acceptable! He did do some…read moregood dancey twirls though! This was for the play Annie. ‍ Sincerely, Thanks

What can I say, I love Utica community schools! My twins attend the pre-school program at Duncan on…read more26 Mile Rd. 3 days a week, for 3 hours a day and I could be happier with the program. This is not our home school, as our home school doesn't offer a pre-K program but it's just another great school in the Utica district. Their teacher are friendly, patient and have been teaching at Utica for a number of years. Mrs. Pizzamenti and Mrs. Hirschmann and wonderful teachers, I'll be sad to say good bye to them come the end of the school year. I'll be honest, we were late registering our twins last fall, as all the classes will officially filled by the time I sent in the registration paper work. I made a few phone calls and they were very understanding. I was able to pick the time and days I wanted, and keep my twins in the same class together, which was obviously a big deal. I couldn't imagine having them separated their first year of school. To be honest, until they are older, I'll probably request that they be in the same class together. The schools all have a great security system where you have to buzz to get in, and show your ID to the camera. Once in the building you have to stop at the office to sign in. Upon leaving to must also stop at the office to sign out. It can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but I know it's for the protection of all our children so it's completely acceptable. The school is clean and well kept, bathrooms included. I My son not only attends pre-K at Duncan but he also takes speech classes 2 days a week with the speech therapist Mrs. May. Mrs. May is a very knowledgeable speech therapist with 17 years under her belt in the Utica district. She is patient, kind and thorough with her one-on-one work, as much as she is with group work. I highly recommend her if you're looking for a speech therapist counselor. My son has made so much progress in such a short amount of time! I can also vouch for the school lunches provided within the Utica district, they are a good value for your money with fresh and plentiful options. One day I had forgotten to bring a light lunch for the twins, which they eat before my son goes to speech. So we walked down to the lunch room and I purchased a hot lunch for them to split. It just so happened to be "Minion Day" which consisted of popcorn chicken, dipping sauce of choice, a bag of minion cookies, a side salad with a separate cup of fresh cut mixed veggies and ranch, a fresh fruit cup, choice of 3 milks, a banana and a bag of dried edamame. It was a really big lunch for only $2.75. We currently have our 5 kids enrolled in 3 different schools within the Utica district (2 at Beck Centennial elementary, 1 at Shelby Junior High, and 2 at Duncan) and I can honestly say that we love Utica and we wouldn't want our kids at any other district. I feel confident that they are, and will continue to receive the best education possible. I hold the teachers with the upmost respect. They put a LOT of time and effort into all of our kids. They deserve a ton of praise! As a parent, who's experience reaches across 3 different schools within the district I highly recommend the Utica Community schools!

I went to Lutheran High North and had a really positive experience. It's a Christ-centered school…read morewhere faith is taken seriously--not just in class or chapel, but in how people treat each other. That made a big impact on me, and it's something I still value today. Academically, I felt challenged and well-prepared for college. There were strong classes, great teachers, and a good balance of support and expectations. It's not a massive school, which actually made it easier to get involved--sports, clubs, music, student groups--you didn't have to be the best to participate, and that meant a lot. No place is perfect, but LHN is a strong, affordable option for families looking for a high school that combines solid academics, a real sense of community, and a faith-first approach. I'm really glad I went there and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Hands down, Lutheran North beats todays public school environment! The only complaint I believe the…read moreacademic probation for athletes should be higher standard. I would prefer if any student drops below a "C", he/she should only be allowed to participate in practices only. Two "F's" is far to unit as opposed to my standards for my student athlete.

I had a very disappointing experience with this school's admissions process. My child was denied…read moreacceptance, and what was most frustrating was the complete lack of transparency or explanation behind the decision. As a parent, you invest time, effort, and hope into the application process, so receiving a rejection without any meaningful feedback feels dismissive and unprofessional. I understand that private schools can be selective, but clear communication and basic courtesy should still be part of the process. Even a general explanation or guidance would have shown respect for families going through admissions. Based on this experience, I would caution other parents to be prepared for limited communication and to consider whether this aligns with the level of support and openness they expect from a school community.

Eagle Creek is a wonderful school. I went there when I was in middle school, now I send my daughter…read morefor drop in babysitting. I could not be happier. She LOVES it! The classrooms are huge and spacious, the teachers GENUINELY care for the kids they care for, and they spend time doing activities that challenge their brain. This is such an awesome thing for babysitting too, and it's a great price for all of the cool things they do all day. My daughter is always so tired when she comes home, and she cries whenever we pick her up. I'm so happy we get to send her!

My son left a public school during the pandemic to go to Parkway. Over the past year he went from a…read moreC student to A- and we were notified he is on the honor roll this year. He has made a lot of new great friends and participates in baseball basketball and football. There are so many great activities for all the kids. He has developed an amazing relationship with the Pastor. He is actually a happy kid now.

School should not be labeled as a Christian school. They do NOT promote acceptance and are a…read morehorrible role model for any neuro-diverse kid. They make these kiddos feel like they're scum if they do not "fit the mold" save your $750 registration fee and tuition and go to a charter school.