Irving Park

My experience with Bateman Elementary School was extremely disappointing. I found there to be a lack of communication, inadequate supervision, and concerns about the level of staff support available to students and families. I also felt that security and adult supervision on school premises were not where they should be.One of the most frustrating parts of my experience was trying to get help from the administration. I felt that my concerns were not taken seriously and that the principal, Georgia Davos Vetas, and assistant principal, Kate Kloepper James, were unapproachable and unwilling to provide the support and communication I expected from school leadership.As a parent, I believe every family deserves a school that communicates openly, responds to concerns, and prioritizes student safety and supervision. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I hope the school's leadership takes these concerns seriously and works to improve communication, staffing, and the overall support provided to students and families.

Our experience was poor. Teaching was not challenging enough for my kids and while the majority of teachers were nice, my kids were bored and didn’t grow as much as they should have. Leadership made concerning remarks about how it should be easier to suspend or expel students, which is concerning in itself. There were few behavior situations that were not handled well by the leadership and started to get into retaliatory behavior. Overall did not feel welcoming, inclusive, or open to improvement.

My kid was being bullied on multiple occasions, I asked for meetings and all they ever did was guilt me and tell me that there’s “nothing we can do about it”. I was threatened by parents and my kid got threatened as well, do not come to this school if you want safety, or education. They don’t even help the students grow in wha they’re supposed to learn! They let the kids do whatever they want! Teachers don’t care about your kids. Don’t go here!!

Murphy School is great! My daughter has attended since Kindergarten, and she loves the supportive and caring community there. The school adopts and teaches evidence-based curricula, supports its teachers, and provides opportunities to students like extracurricular activities in theater, music, and athletics. Murphy School is a gem!

Have absolutely loved Disney 2 for both my children! We have found the teachers and administration to be highly invested in each child's different needs. We love the communication, which is weekly from each classroom, but also includes administrators and more one-to-one information. Everyone seems very engaged and attentive in making sure our children are learning AND encouraging learning to be fun. We also love the parent involvement at D2. There are so many great opportunities and it’s just such a warm and welcoming environment. Great community. Great focus on personalized learning. Great communication.

I am so grateful we found Gateway Montessori! It is truly a gem, and one of the only AMI accredited schools in the city, which means the children receive high quality, authentic Montessori education from rigorously trained educators. The classrooms are beautiful spaces filled with light and natural materials. My child is in Community (15months-3 years) but I have observed all levels and everywhere the children are self-driven and engaged with deep work. Children are often working beyond the standard level academically because of the genius of the Montessori materials, as well as the individualized nature of the pedagogy. While academics are strong the teachers educate the “whole child” which means lots of hands-on learning that engage all their senses. The children learn social skills and manners through grace and courtesy lessons. They enjoy a hot lunch, eaten family style, and set the table with real plates, silverware, glasses and cloth napkins. They practice table manners and polite conversation during this time. The general school community is warm and familial. Teachers know all the students and families are engaged and friendly. The student population is diverse in many ways, and teachers support and respect the identities of all students. The school works to keep the tuition affordable so that the school might truly reflect our local neighborhoods. Finally, I appreciate that there is no use of screens in the younger levels, as this is becoming so prevalent in other schools. Montessori is often hard to visualize without seeing it so sign up for a tour of the school!