Bloomfield

We love this school. The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars is because of actions by the district and legislature (risk of school closure and Act 47). My son is in kindergarten there. The school itself is small, so it creates a tight-knit community around the kids. The teachers all seem very engaged and passionate about what they do. The kindergarten class sizes are appropriately small, greatly facilitating learning. My son is doing fantastically with the fundamentals: learning to read and learning early math skills. The STEAM program is great, teaching early skills in coding for example. I think this program will really set students up for success in an increasingly computer-based and skilled economy. Finally, their behavior system is brilliant and effective. It’s based on positive reinforcement of good behaviors. The kids get “paw tickets” for good behavior and following the rules that they can redeem at the monthly “paw shop” for toys and other fun things. They also get class treats like pizza parties for good attendance. It really creates a system where kids want to behave well and succeed.

My son attended WSP from Little Friends through the 8th Grade. He is now attending the best private academy in the area and excelling across all his subjects. WSP prepared him well--not just in subject matter, but providing him with the tools to continue to learn. Because the grades classroom teachers stay with their classes for several years--they really understand how each student learns and are able to create environments where each child can reach their academic potential. I saw another review mention knitting. Actually, it's an entire handwork program where young children are taught to finger-knit and the handwork techniques increase in difficulty through the grades. This is part of the Waldorf curriculum which utilizes the Head, Heart Hands approach to teaching concepts. My (and my son's) experience has found this approach to be highly effective. I definitely recommend WSP.