Upper West Side

Nepotism. French get all priorities. Admin has staff members intimidated. Teachers retire early and all stressed out. Don't work here nothing is enough.

We have had a fabulous experience with our daughter at PS 87. She is in third grade now and has loved her teachers every year.In 1st grade she was able to receive some extra supports in reading, and in 2nd grade it was math. She is above grade level in both subjects now.The Afterschool program is also great overall - she's been able to do cooking, chess, computers, engineering, archery and more and comes home from school every day excited about the new activities.The social cohesion has also been a bonus - I have a great relationship with other parents in the class and we regularly schedule playdates and class activities on the weekends. We've had not issues with bullying or other serious issues in the classroom.Highly recommend!

Beit Rabban has been such an incredible place for our family. As artists, we value creativity, curiosity, and a sense of community, and we see those things woven into our daughter’s experience every day. Not only is she learning Hebrew and Jewish tradition, but she's also learning how to ask thoughtful questions, care about the people around her, and approach the world with imagination and confidence. The teachers bring so much warmth and intention to what they do, and it shows in how happy she is to go to school each morning. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of a community that nurtures both the hearts and minds of its students, and we hope to have the opportunity to send our younger son there as well when he is older.

Our family moved from Park Slope (where there are plenty of highly regarded schools) to the Upper West Side specifically so that our son could start Kindergarten at the Geneva School of Manhattan. Geneva School is unique in being the only Preschool through Twelfth Grade classical Christian school in New York City. In a nutshell, this means that God is at the center of the curriculum through an integrated focus on Truth, Goodness, and Beauty across all subjects. As a result, our son is highly engaged with this schoolwork because it is presented in a way that sparks his wonder. For example, the visual nature of Singapore Math appeals to his intuition, and this is usually the favorite part of his homework. He is learning to read through good books and poetry, and he is also developing his penmanship with a goal of eventually being able to write beautifully in cursive. He is beginning to learn the beauty of the French language, and he is also immersed in beauty every week through the study of music theory and piano at the Geneva Conservatory of Music. Our son is also being encouraged to develop virtuous habits at school, and we are delighted that Geneva School is an extension of the education that begins at home.With God at the center, Geneva School is an oasis where ordinary acts are done with extraordinary love. As new parents, we were welcomed with open arms. During our son’s first week of Kindergarten, the Head of School would sometimes walk him into the building at drop-off to help him feel more comfortable with his new beginnings. The Head of the Lower School also checked in with me and my wife a week later to find out how our son was adjusting to his new class. These are just a couple of examples of the many kind gestures that we didn’t expect but were grateful to receive from the school in our first weeks.As new members of this community, we are increasingly convinced that Geneva School is one of the most successful ecumenical endeavors in New York City. The Geneva School community includes Christian families from across the mystical body of Christ, united around the One through whom we are one (John 17:21-23). Geneva School has been an answer to prayer for our family and we very much look forward to both of our children growing in faith, scholarship, and virtue in this school over the years ahead!