33 Intrepid Cir #304
Marblehead, MA 01945

Excellent, caring and focused teachers. Kind and polite student body. Outstanding fine arts program. Wonderful, supportive experience. Academic standards are demanding, but creativity is encouraged and rewarded. A well rounded approach to educating children which encourages their own unique talents to flourish.

MHS is a school in which students are challenged to achieve at their highest possible level. Whether a child studies at the honors level or receives special education in a separate classroom, he or she is being instructed by teachers who are masters in their disciplines and who truly care about the whole child. Teachers collaborate in and out of school to ensure they are providing the most relevant and useful educations for their students. Despite that, parents sometimes place unreasonable demands on the faculty; some parents and school committee members take it upon themselves to berate and shame teachers whose policies they do not agree with. It is not uncommon for parents to demand meetings with administration to complain that their child earned a B instead of an A. Teachers are accused of favoritism when parents disagree with a teacher's assessment. Some students, like their parents, bring this sense of entitlement into the school, trash-talking and brazenly disrespecting teachers. On the whole though, the students are kind and want to succeed. The majority of parents are supportive; those who have their own agendas, though, make a diligent teacher's life very distressing.

Our oldest son will be in 4th grade at the Village School next year (it's 4-6th grades) and I was blown away at the Open House! The principal was very poised, knowledgeable, welcoming and displayed a great respect and warmth towards the faculty, counselors and head of the PTO who were presenting. Student tour guides were very knowledgeable and talkative, telling us about their experiences and answering questions - I was SO impressed! The robot room fascinated me as did the art room. The same son, a hockey/baseball/lacrosse player, came home so excited at the decision he had to make whether to be in band, orchestra, chorus or a combination of all three for next year at the Village School!We are excited to be a part of this community next year!

The principal and VP have not principles. They only care about themselves, and they do NOTHING to inspire hope and success. They are dormant to the problems that exist at the school, especially given that it is an interim "place" between lower middle school and the HS. The faculty are generally good, but some are pompous; some are no where to be seen; and some are awesome. Quite an unfortunate mix. If any faculty member complains, s/he gets reprimanded for telling the truth. Yes, I agree; this is NOT a school ... it is a prison for the good and a haven for the bad.