Hopkins Academy

Great teachers, caring principal, nurturing and academically strong environment. I had the options of sending my kids to Amherst, but we love this school.

Hatfield Elementary offers a unique learning experience for students because they are so small. Students really get the attention they need and the individual instruction because the classes are only 12 students-ish. It feels more like a private school. Choiced-in students are welcomed and NEEDed in order for the school to stay open. I have one child who went k-6 and another still there. School is air conditioned, AMAZING school nurse, separate preschool playground, outdoor classroom, super fun Spooktacular event every year. Children are active and always seem engaged. Before school movement program, aftercare offered. Super active Library just a short walk in front of the school.

bridge street was on average horrible because the teachers mostly don't care about your problems, like once my friend was having a freak out because of one of his disabilitys and when I tried to help they forcefully evacuated me and didn't let me do anything. adding on to that they moved us to the library and after the incident my friend told me that it made him feel even more stressed and left out and that it took him more effort to calm down because of it. Also they don't provide enough special care teachers and move on with their lesson way to fast and that gives the students with ADHD and Dyslexia a harder time focusing on the lesson and gives them a disitvantege on the school work.

Where to start - we home schooled our children - two until college (one just graduated and the other is on track graduate a year early). For a variety of reasons - we could not continue with our youngest and sought a private school for her entering 9th grade. Biggest mistake of our parental lives thus far was enrolling her at Hartsbrook. Unequivocally. A few examples: they hired a Spanish teacher that year (last year 9/2024 start). He had no experience teaching but could speak Spanish. Wow - so when she left (keeping in mind that she had never had any Spanish before last year) her transcript indicated she had completed Spanish 2 and a very solid argument is that she never really had Spanish 1. Enter Dina - high school leader (I use that term very loosely). She acknowledge our concerns re Spanish and indicated they were quietly search for a replacement - they did hire another Spanish teacher BUT wait for it - the first guy is still there! He now teaches Spanish to the younger classes….ok another example - they have a school trip before classes start (at least for the 9th grade). My daughter was 1/5 of the ninth grade class. Without any discussion, they felt it appropriate to have her sleep I. The same room as her 4 other classmates (one of which is a male) - never told us. Want more? We had concerns that were not addressed - Dina is a child. Example - after we announced our departure for reason (including but not limited to the above) - she went out of her way to tell my daughters two friends - in front of my daughter and only acknowledging the two other kids that the 10th grade would have more kids (again only 5 in class). My daughter is going to a public school now. He has been accepted into the honors society and is actually learning. Hartsbrook should not have a high school, Hartsbrook is a day camp. Dina is a terrible leader and clearly does not like men - even said in a meeting, “ I even work with republicans” - hilarious how little emotional intellect going on there. Run from sending your children here.

Our son has had a fantastic two years in the Montessori School of Northampton Middle School class and has truly moved from surviving to thriving. His growth and engagement have taken giant leaps forward in the past year. All this, during a pandemic!I want to particularly emphasize how important the start of the year immersion camping trip and the end of year trip to the Florida keys were to our son. He returned from a week camping in the Florida keys glowing and a feeling of strong connection to his classmates. He's had an exceptional experience at MSN and I highly recommend the school.

Sending our kids to the Montessori School of Northampton is the best choice we ever made as parents! It's worth every penny to us because it is setting our kids on a trajectory for personal fulfillment, creativity and academic success. But, even more importantly, our kids are able to experience freedom, choice, acceptance and be an active participant in their education every day. They come home internally satisfied with their accomplishments and look forward to going to school each day.