To all the kids who feel different. To the outcasts. To the kids who hate school and would rather…read morebe doing literally anything else: this review is for you. I was an elite member of CH-CH's boarding program a zillion years ago, so I feel qualified to tell all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Academics: Honestly? Pretty easy. Show up to class, remain conscious, do your homework, hand it in on time, and congratulations--you're probably getting an A. They did give students opportunities to explore their strengths, though, and I remember the teachers being pretty socially aware, which was genuinely cool. Extracurriculars: Drama counted as a team sport, which was fantastic for those of us who had absolutely no intention of becoming varsity athletes. You were required to either play a sport or do drama, so if you hated both...good luck! It looks like they offer more options now, which is probably for the best. Boarding: Not bad! The metal bunk beds were approximately as comfortable as sleeping in a shopping cart, and there is something inherently weird about your teachers seeing you in pajamas. But if home isn't your favorite place to be, boarding gives you somewhere else to exist for a while. Upperclassmen could do study hall in their rooms, and the weekend trips were worth taking advantage of. Social life: When I was there, the student body was basically extremely talented artists who smoked weed. The vibe was very chill. It seems like the culture has changed since then, but it's still high school, so obviously there are cliques and drama. And this school is SMALL. If you drop a pencil at 2:00, the entire student body will have developed a working theory about it by 2:15. So why two stars? Unfortunately, CH-CH was also the kind of place where you needed to be very careful about who you trusted. The culture blurred the line between teachers and students being friendly and teachers and students being friends, and those are not the same thing. Boundaries matter, especially when adults are working with teenagers. And please don't arrive expecting mental health treatment. Teachers are teachers, not therapists. Yet somehow, that did not always prevent people from offering opinions about students' mental health as though they were handing out extra-credit assignments. Also: staff gossip. My God. Sometimes I think the adults had more tea than the students did. And finally, the cafeteria. Avoid. There are enough challenges in adolescence without voluntarily adding that food to the list. Do I recommend CH-CH? Yes and no. For a kid who has always felt like the weird one, finding a school full of other weird, creative kids can do wonders for your self-esteem. There were parts of being there that I genuinely valued. Just remember: you're allowed to like your teachers without making them your friends.

This is an amazing and unique school. The school is very inclusive, my son has been incredibly…read moresupported, and he has transformed from an academically disengaged student to one who is happy, interested, and successful. The faculty and administration are caring and genuine. The student body are positive and create a warm, tightly knit community. I was on the fence about public vs private school and have two older kids who did well in our public system. For my youngest, this school has been a game changer and was one of my best parenting decisions.

I'm currently a senior at CSW, and I have been here for all of my four years of high school. With…read morethat being said, I can confidently say that choosing CSW was the right choice for me. I am a first generation woman of color, and I grew up in a small town in Texas. Boarding at CSW was a very dramatic change for me, but it has also given me opportunities that I would have never imagined experiencing. I have had nothing but the most supportive and passionate teachers who are completely dedicated to my success. I have been given opportunities to travel and experience the world alongside my peers, and those memories are something that come once in a lifetime. I have made lifelong friends, and I watched our community grow alongside me. CSW has some of the most welcoming and passionate students, and that's because of the staff and faculty that mentor us.

I like it. The teachers and faculty are very kind and the majority have been very proficient in…read morewhat they teach and CSW is a school constantly trying to be better.

I went to high school here. I can't give it the full 5 stars since I have no idea what the school…read moreis currently like, but I heard that the bio teacher became the principal and everything totally changed. I have fond memories of attending school here and all the trouble that I would get into! They had a great budding music and theater program. I can only hope that is still so. Thumbs up to Trinity for a great 4 years!!

I attended Fessenden class of '98. It was a different place then and my hope is that the rampant…read morephysical and sexual abuse that I encountered has come to an end. After 19 years of silence I finally reported the abuse to authorities. Based on my forensic interview the DA determined my statements were "highly credible." Unfortunately the case didn't go to trial. The school offered me 100k to shut up. Fessenden then released statements to the Boston Globe in favor of the sitting administrator having been "cleared" of my allegations. How can an administrator be cleared and reinstated following a SETTLEMENT?

i am a graduate of fessenden.the school wasgreat.the teachers were proffesional.i enjoyed the…read moreclasses and sports.was a very great time in my chjldhood.i wpuld recomend the school very much.

The teachers at this school are sexist, dishonest, racist, not inclusive, homophobic, and they 100…read morepercent do not respect the students opinions. There are rodents and insects in the building. The cafeteria is not cleaned properly and is not well taken care of. The students have complained a numerous amount of times, yet the faculty has done nothing about it. The passing periods are way too short, they give the students only 2 minutes to get to their next class. What if they have their first class on the first floor, and their next class on the third floor. Not to mention the "hallway rush", the school has not been good in directing the student in the hallway. Students have been shoved, stepped on, hit with water bottles and/or hands, overall the hallways are very dangerous. This school does not take good care of their students, and they are not serious about the students safety and health. They are careless when in closed corners, however they act completely different around other schools/visitors. However, not everything is bad. Most of the school advisers and staff are caring and kind. The school also hosts fun activities such as Art Club, Chorus, Orchestra, Band, and other clubs/classes. But, making the students feel safe and protected should be everyones job, not just a few staff members. In conclusion, if you want your child to have fun and feel safe at school, I recommend you look into it more before choosing this school.

School is boring in general but this school is fun, but the reason I'm giving 3 stars is because…read moreit's only fun depending on if you get good luck when they make your schedule.

Minuteman has been such an amazing place for my son's high school education. He loves the hands-on…read morelearning, the opportunities for co-op, the football coaches, everything. He especially likes the alternating weeks of academics and shop class. It gives him a break from being academically focused all the time. Highly recommend their learning environment, and he receives extra support as needed.

I graduated from Minuteman many years ago and it gave me a great foundation, I was in the…read moreHealthcare shop. My first job out of high school was a well-paying healthcare job. It prepared me for what I would become and now I work for a major global healthcare company. When I was there, there was a Mcdonald's in the school. The Academics were stronger. And we had a really good soccer and basketball team. Seems like it has had quite the downfall since then. The school was huge and clean, I don't know what happened. I came from outside the district and they gave me a chance. If they hadn't my life would be very different now, I can't say I would be this successful. Minuteman please open up your school choice program again, save the kids from the inner city and give them a chance!!!

Waldorf School of Lexington(WSL) is a wondeful play-based education where children learn soft…read moreskills, i.e. problem solving and team work, in addition to the hard skills. The supportive staff works to develop the individual child and creates a loving environment for children to thrive. Our family is very pleased with the educational experience our child has at WSL.

Our children went to the early childhood program at this school (nursery and kindergarten) and it…read morewas a wonderful experience. We moved to a different state, otherwise they would still be at this school. The teachers that our kids had were caring and warm; kids got to do a lot of free play with other children and work on their social skills that way; the program also involved a lot of movement and outdoor time, which is so important to young children. Even in the short few years that we were there, I could see how being at the school made our kids more creative and gave them great social skills. Our kids still miss their old school.

When we were considering Lesley Ellis for preschool, we asked around on the playground, and just…read moreabout every parent we talked to told us, "It's excellent! The only negative is the cost." That matched our experience perfectly. The tuition is steep - though financial aid is available! - but everything else was fantastic, and we were consistently impressed with the teachers, curriculum, field trips, awareness of kids as individuals, interaction with administration, and more. My mom worked for decades in early childhood education, and (as an interested and involved grandparent) was also very impressed. They welcomed/encouraged heavy parent involvement, from "come into the classroom to talk about something you're knowledgeable/passionate about" to occasional parent-meetups-over-coffee in the morning and more. But I was never, ever made to feel guilty about not being able to participate heavily, which was the norm once we had our second kid. (Who also went to LES for preschool, once old enough.) We can't speak to their K-8 experience, but for preschool/pre-K/TK they were fantastic.

Lesley Ellis is an independent school from pre-school to grade 6, but expanding soon to 8th. Our…read moredaughter is in her third year there and we have been delighted with the program. The teachers are an outstanding group and attuned to the needs of each individual student. The administration is truly exceptional as they create an environment where parents, children and the school come together to form a nurturing and vibrant community.

We switched our eldest to Fayerweather at the start of 3rd grade seeking a school where the…read morelearning would be significantly challenging, values-rooted, and joyful. We wanted a place where our inquisitive kid could really stretch her edges and feel comfortable taking academic risks (and sometimes making mistakes). Now 12, she has a deep sense of who she is and what matters to her - and this strong sense of self has allowed her to take risks (academically and socially) and push herself as a learner and community member. She understands that justice and community are the essential foundations for learning and social impact. Our younger child (now 7) started at FSS in kindergarten and we have found that, while quite different from his older sibling, he is just as seen, valued, and supported. He has gotten incredible guidance navigating his intensity and high energy, and he is academically challenged in just the right ways - he works on meaningful problems and his sense of accomplishment is significant. Fayerweather has helped him have a voice and language for his feelings, his challenges, and his successes. The loving support and developmentally appropriate and thoughtful curriculum have allowed him to discover his best self and build the skills and agency to choose his actions wisely. FSS is all we hoped, for both kids.

We just started school at Fayerweather this fall, and my 1st grader and 6th grader cannot get over…read morehow friendly the school community is. My son came home from school after his second week of being a new kid (a middle schooler, no less -- in the 6th grade) and said "mom I give it 5 stars!!! Everyone is SO nice, teachers and kids, and I love it!!!." Now that we are four months in, happily his review remains. He also says that his homeroom and math teacher is "literally THE best math teacher" he's ever had. I'm continually impressed with how in touch with my son's learning style the teachers are, and he's growing leaps and bounds. My 6 year old daughter, who is usually shy, is coming out of her shell socially and is really starting to take to reading (which she has avoided prior to Fayerweather). Her teachers are incredible and so in tune with her and helping her to grow where she is ready to, and there is such insight into the social emotional ecosystem of the classroom. Fayerweather has the academics *and* the community we'd hoped for -- the school has a joyful, healthy, connected vibe and is inclusive and diverse to boot. We couldn't be happier.