Chapel Woods

PRESis a wonderful and safe school filled with caring and impactful teachers. If you have the time, I recommend volunteering to be the room parent. Most of all I love how involved the PTSA is. All three of my children have flourished here.

Wonderful and nurturing environment that delivers intellectual and social experiences that keep my kids engaged in learning. Highly recommend.

What was once a good school has been completely ruined by an administration that is allergic to collaboration and transparency.

Our family experience at the GCS Upper School was not positive although it took us some time to realize the school is going down hill. For the past few years due to financial difficulties the school has significantly lowered admission standards to bring up enrollment numbers and this had an immediate effect on the quality of academic instruction. We also observed inflation of the grades to satisfy the incoming families and keep the pretense of rigorous program. The AP class offerings are lacking variety compared to public high schools because the Upper school teachers are loaded to teach three to four courses and the new hiring is limited due to school’s financial constraints. Classes they offer won’t prepare for ACT/SAT as the school assumes you will hire private tutors to do that. We also heard feedback from other parents who went all the way to graduation that college counselors at the school are no good.There is a systemic issue with the GCS Upper school management. Most teachers and administration staff have their own children enrolled at a discount so when your child has an issue with a teacher or another student, you most likely will be facing another parent with own financial interest and administrative power over your children rather than an impartial third party that can objectively resolve a conflict. Some teachers and administrators have exhibited what I can only describe as clinically psychopathic behaviors such as lying, manipulating, pressuring students and parents to serve their own interests. On top of that the administration closely monitors students’ social activity within the school and on social media and uses intimidation and disciplinary actions against anyone posting about incidents at the school such vaping, sexualized behavior or just expressing their honest views about school life. At the same time open bullying at all-school assembly in presence of teachers and parents goes uninterrupted and unpunished. And all that costs nearly 40k a year. For our children it wasn’t worth it.