The River School

Horace mann is the best school in my opinion my son is so happy with his teachers and he is doing good progress

I'm so sad my kid is currently in 5th grade and can't stay here forever. Both her and her brother have had outstanding teachers that have effectly managed their classrooms and despite the large sizes seem to have gotten to know my kids rather well so that my kids can both learn but also develop socially. The administration is kind and caring, support and special education is amazing and has worked seamlessly in integrating my kid's need for small group/1:1 help while also giving enough classroom time. The community of families is large and organized and the school has many engaging events but also does an incredible job creating opportunities for students to be stewards of their school, through safety patrol, yearbook, farmers market, etc. This is the elementary school of dreams!!! How lucky we are to be one of the pack!

My son loves going to Key - he literally runs up the stairs each morning because he is so excited to learn. Every teacher and administrator with whom I've interacted has been warm, welcoming, and professional - they really care about the kids and the hard work they invest is evident. It's truly a neighborhood school, even in a neighborhood where many families could afford to send their kids elsewhere, and in many ways the heart of the community. We feel lucky to be part of it.

This has to be the absolute worst school my child has ever attended. The facility is outdated and old. There are many young and inexperienced teachers. The quality of education your child will get will be poor. If I could go back in time I would do everything to have my child to attend a different school. Luckily the principal who did nothing to stop bullying is leaving.

My experience as a parent at this school exposed serious issues in how parents are treated.The approach from leadership was unnecessarily adversarial, with communication that was abrupt, dismissive, and at times openly undermining.I also experienced what I believe to be racism and discrimination. The tone, treatment, and lack of respect I encountered were not consistent with fair or equitable engagement, and this cannot be ignored.The principal’s handling of the situation was unprofessional, and the regional head’s involvement was patronizing and dismissive.This is not a school I would trust to treat all parents fairly or with respect.

OLV is a wonderful school and community. We could not be happier as parents and our children are happy and thriving. The small class sizes allow for individualized support. Additionally, the small class sizes allow for the classes to really function as a unit; we see our children interacting with ALL students which really creates a family like enviornment. OLV is a diverse school and while it is Catholic based, it is welcoming to all faiths. My children are not Catholic and we have never felt that this mattered.OLV has a very strong academic program and students are successful. The teachers and principal really make an effort to get to know each individual child. In middle school, the students are really guided into high school and very well prepared for their high school years.OLV really prides itself on encouraging its students to be their best possible selves and being kind and caring members of society. High standards are set, both academically and socially. Within the academic day, students are expected to respect each other and the school. I find OLV students to be very nice to one another and you'll often see younger students interacting with older students and vice versa- it really is just a sweet community of learners and educators working together.Upon selecting OLV my two concerns were only one class per grade and lack of a playground; both of these concerns quickly turned into assets. By having one class per grade, the children really get to know everyone and learn to work together as a whole; this transitions easily into each grade, allowing teachers to focus on more learning and less behavior management. It is common to attend birthday parties with the entire class and/or see children engaging with large groups (versus small clicks). While OLV might lack a traditional playground, recess is structured so that students can participate in organized activities that rotate throughout the year. This "guided" recess time, albeit self selected, IMO allows for students to interact with other students where they might not in a more traditional playground setting. My kids came from a school with a lovely playground and since attending OLV they have not once complained!OLV truly is a special place in every way.

Absolutely mediocre school with mediocre teachers and terrible discipline