This summer, I attended an event on the grounds of Montclair community pre-k. It was an outdoor…read morebarbecue with many vendors. The pre-K staff had a booth set up and I visited it. My daughter happens to be approaching the pre-K age. I WAS (keyword is WAS!) considering Montclair community pre-K as one of our options. I approached the booth and began looking at some of the literature. One of the staff members approached me and immediately said "do you live in Montclair?". I said no. She proceeded to tell me that my child was not eligible for financial aid because we did not live in Montclair. (FYI, I did not ask about financial aid. We DO NOT even need financial aid. I did not get the chance to ask any questions. Her first thought was that we must need financial aid because we don't live in Montclair). I thought to myself OK, not the best way to sell your institution, but whatever. I proceeded to ask some questions regarding the institution (i.e. classroom size, teacher to student ratio, curriculum, etc.) She then AGAIN continued to tell me how my child would not be eligible for financial aid because I did not live in Montclair. I tossed the brochure on the table and walked away. Your institution just lost a potential new student. If this woman spoke to anyone else, whom does not live in Montclair, i'm sure they were turned off by her abrasive and dismissive attitude. You may not want her to continue to be the face of your institution.

This is my son's second year at the Pre-K and I truly love this school. His teacher this year is a…read moremaster teacher that is able to embed academic learning within themed-based units. The students most recently opened a cafe in their classroom where they used math, reading and writing to create and run the cafe. Most importantly, he has consistently learned about empathy and compassion for others, in particular, his classmates. Character development is explicitly taught and experienced in weekly activities. Truly all the staff is incredibly kind and wonderful. I find it shocking that there is another review that felt differently. The directors of the school, not only know my son's name that goes to the school, but also the names of my two smaller children. When you come to the pre-k, it feels like family.

I attended Calhoun from pre-K to 12th grade--to this day it's an excellent study in alternative,…read moreprogressive education. if large classrooms scare the fudge out of you, check out Calhoun for your kids. could be a good fit, and it's a great UWS location.

I am a current middle school parent at Calhoun and am very pleased with the progressive program…read more I'm impressed by the depth of understanding the students attain by learning in small groups. Teachers expect full participation in classroom discussions. My children's classes average 12-14 students so teachers understand each child's level of comprehension: which kids need more challenge or more support. At the culmination of an area of study, middle school students complete projects including a written report, presentation, and art project. These occur throughout the year in Humanities, Science, and Spanish/Mandarin with students either working independently or collaborating with classmates. At the middle school level, children receive a moderate amount of homework and are expected to be more thoughtful and thorough with the assignments. As a result, the students develop a deep understanding of the subject matter.

We have sent our three grandchildren to The Green House Preschool and Kindergarten because it's a…read moretop notch, quality program! We return with each grandchild knowing the level of love, care, safety, dedication, and knowledge all the teachers, assistants, and directors have for all the children in their care! THE GREEN HOUSE PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN IS THE BEST!!!

We love this school! My daughter is currently in her first year there. Her classroom teachers are…read morewonderful educators...they are engaging, energetic, full of love for the students (and it shows!). I really appreciate how they cater to my daughter's strengths and weaknesses and always encourage her to go a step further. As someone who works with young children myself, it was very difficult finding the right preschool but I am so confident that she is in the right place. Aside from her amazing teachers, the administrative staff is also wonderful. Extremely accessible and accommodating (even when I made way too many changes to the schedule), and very friendly. Even the other teachers that we see in passing are always so friendly. It's a small school where you get to know the staff pretty well, unlike some other preschools/daycares that make you feel like you're just one faceless number in a crowd. Would definitely recommend this school. The only con is the location (fort lee) makes it hectic to drop off/pickup because the street turns into a 1 way and it's right across from one of the public schools so it get crowded. Also, the tuition rates are on the high end...but you are definitely getting what you pay for!

Fifth grade school created when the elementary schools ran out of space, all fifth graders…read morecongregate here for middle-school style moving around for some classes and connecting with classmates, getting your locker space, etc. A nice way to connect the kids before the bigger middle school and high school. Parking lot for teachers and staff, one or two visitor spots. Drop off in a line (not the loop, that's for buses).

Love it here. If you get Mr. d your so cooleo: I absolutely recommend this school to people who are…read moreopen to learning. This school is 5 stars

Do not recommend…read more For the tuition paid the school would be expected to offer 1) a more structured curriculum 2) better facility for the students 3) and lastly ,be a reliable resource to parents and students. The school has been unexpectedly closed MULTIPLE days during this 2023-24 school year due to facilities issues. The students and parents are notified with less than 24hrs that the school is simply closed, not once but multiple times. There's is no make-up of the curriculum missed, no reimbursement of after-school paid classes. While our daughter had lovely teachers and received a beautiful care from the school's Nurse Ms Cathy, the administration is not a match. Despite the challenges listed above and lack of resolution/ commitment, the school submitted a 11% increase of the tuition for the next year.

While looking for options for my child, we looked into this school and were interviewed by them. My…read morechild was selected, but we decided to go with Stevens for various reasons: 1. If you look at the inspection report of this school on the nj.gov website, there are several basic safety concerns cited there which worried me 2. The staff and teachers we met could not clearly articulate the school's philosophy in terms of teaching- it is neither progressive, nor traditional, nor part of a system like the Montessori. 3. The classes lack completely in diversity in an unexpected manner. About 90% of the students in the class that we visited were of South Asian or Asian decent. This is not a racist comment, because my child is half Indian and I would have the same concern if the class was 90% white or 90% Hispanic. In a country like ours, every child needs to be exposed to as much diversity as possible at an early level.

Grace is an amazing school. It's a small school with a big heart! All the teachers and staff are…read moretruly dedicated and care about their students. My girls are honestly excited to go to school each day. They work to optimize my children's learning and it shows in all they do. My 4th grader wrote an essay in cursive and makes presentations! Her math skills have grown significantly as well. My 1st grader loves the hands on approach to science and is doing very well. They offer many opportunities for extracurricular activities and I can't express how much I love this school. I pray for more enrollment it's worth it!!!

I honestly can't say enough good things about the teachers here. Ms Krissia and Ms Ayana have been…read moreamazing with my son Bryson, who's in the Twaddler room and Ms Elizabeth and Ms Kimberly have been so wonderful with my daughter Camila, who started in the infant room. A special thank you to Miss Krissia. From the very beginning, she's made such a positive impact on Bryson. She's so kind, patient, and caring, and you can tell she truly loves what she does. It means so much to me knowing my son feels safe, happy, and loved when he's with her. Ms Kimberly, and Ms Elizabeth have also been incredible with Camila . They treat my children with so much love and care, and that gives me so much peace of mind every day. As a parent, there's nothing more reassuring than dropping your kids off knowing they're with people who genuinely care about them. I'm so thankful for everything these teachers do, and I truly appreciate the love, patience, and dedication they show every single day. We Enrolled them back in April and have noticed such a positive impact in them and for that my family is so grateful for all of you. I may also be forgetting a few names but everyone I've encountered have been amazing with me and my family

The quality of teachers is amazing. They really put value in the academic and caretaking of the…read morechildren here. Ms Adaweli has been a teacher here for years and has impeccable ways of helping any child with writing , and reading , and most importantly behavior. My daughter has improved with her help and I am very happy to have her in this private daycare.

Pluses: Awesome teachers, small class sizes, fun events, everyday they give us a sheet saying how…read moremany (and what kind) of diapers were changed, what he ate, what he drank, and anything else we need to know. Ann, the director is simply amazing, very responsive, just good people. Rose and Mary, who handle my son's class are great, loving teachers. Minuses: Cost (But i'd be complaining about that no matter what, lol), was a long waiting list to get in Bottom line, I feel comfortable leaving my son (13 month old) there. Plus, He loves it!

I lucked out and enrolled when it was first opened so the waiting list coincides with exactly when…read moremy then 6mo old was ready. The facilities are clean, bright, and well maintained. Good adult:kids ratio.Rose and Mary (of the baby room) are ROCK STARS and we love them. Our current teachers would send the parents pictures via emails regularly (totally above and beyond being professional) which totally brightens up my day. A lot of the staff (even some teachers from other classes) would greet my little one by name and I feel like they really care. I'm a bit surprised to hear about negative first impression, maybe the time of the visit was during peak drop-off/pick-up time and understandably hectic. Some of the staff speak with accents and may sound harsher than intended. Overall I trust my child is safe and well cared for, which makes returning to work full time much easier than I anticipated.