St. Agnes Boys High School

We currently have a fourth and first grader enrolled in the school, and it is our fifth year at the school. It is a wonderful Christian school with loving staff and faculty, a rich curriculum, small class sizes, and one of the only Classical schools in the area. We live in Westchester, but still have our children enrolled at The Geneva School because we strongly believe in their mission and have not found a comparable school in our area.

Despite its location and high fees, Calhoun disappointingly underperforms in crucial areas such as academic rigor, diversity, and extracurricular offerings. The curriculum feels outdated and fails to challenge students intellectually, lacking in modern pedagogical techniques that foster critical thinking and creativity. The school’s student and govern body and suffers from a significant lack of diversity, limiting students' exposure to different cultures and perspectives, crucial for thriving in a globalized society. It’s mostly focused on ‘indoctrinating’ the kids with their ‘preferred political fad, which is concerning given the academics are also poor.Additionally, Calhoun offers no extracurricular activities, denying students opportunities for holistic development and exploration of varied interests outside the traditional classroom setting. This absence of a diverse and engaging extracurricular program further compounds the schools failure to provide a well-rounded, future-ready education. The free museums in walking distance from the school are all the trips my son did in the four years he has been at the schoolTo end on a positive note, there are a few teachers over the years that have ignited my sons curiousity on some academic topics but those rock star teachers unfortunately all left the school

As a parent, I've always found the teachers and administrators available for any concerns and very tuned in to the students. I've seen fantastic academic growth in both my kids, and I love the way the school allows their students to develop as scholars and human beings. Somehow, Calhoun is a very nurturing place while also meeting a very high intellectual standard. They seem to put a great deal of thought into the "why" and "how" of everything they do. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere has allowed my kids to thrive.This is our family's fourth year at Calhoun. Our two kids entered in ninth grade -- one is currently in 10th grade, one in 12th.We are thrilled with Calhoun and continually marvel that it is such a good fit for our two very different kids. They both love going to school. The other day someone asked my son what adjectives he would use to describe Calhoun and the first word out of his mouth: Exciting. I think the variety of choice both curricularly and extracurricularly has something to do with it. When our 10th grader got his schedule for the year, he exclaimed, "Let's Go!" At Calhoun, the school year is broken into quarters, with five courses in each of the four "mods". His first mod he is taking engineering, algebra, chemistry, Mandarin and a history elective about political dissent and design. Our senior is taking Spanish, Advanced Bio, Calculus, Adolescent Psychology (which is mandatory because she acts as a senior peer leader to incoming ninth graders) and an English course on Family in American Drama. In terms of after-school activities, their athletic department reflects the great vibe of the school. Our son does a different sport every trimester, and enjoys them all. The emphasis is on teamwork, personal growth and commitment rather than excellence or competition. The school also builds time into the school day for clubs to meet so that also allows our busy kids to still enjoy a wide variety of exploration and experience: Model UN, Community Outreach, Debate and even quirky ones started by students like the Cheese Club and Bollywood Club.

I have two kids at Manhattan Country School and am very happy with the school. The teachers are wonderful, the administration is available and responsive, and both of my kids love going to school everyday. I appreciate their commitment to progressive education and values of activism, social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, and the farm program. I also think the school is unique in that is truly seems to "walk the walk" in regards to these values. The sense of inclusiveness is palpable, and the sliding scale tuition makes for a uniquely diverse community. The school also has a farm in the Catskills where students begin to visit in their 7-8s (2nd grade) year, with visits increasing in frequency and duration each year. At the Farm, kids learn to tend the gardens and animals, cook together, work in the textile workshop, and solidify their sense of being an interdependent community. My kids are truly excited about going to the farm. The school also has an active parent community.