Hillside Elementary School

Hillside is the most amazing school! We love it here. We moved to Livingston 5 years ago and even though we live in a different part of town, we got lucky to get this school. Both my kids are really thriving in the school environment both academically and socially and I feel very secure knowing that they are in good hands. I would say that the principal, Mr Gramata and the wonderful teachers are truly amazing! The school embraces diversity and inclusiveness and we have an amazing PTA that does so much for the kids and the families. Character Education is a significant part of the curriculum that shapes the kids attitudes and perspectives. We are fortunate that our school teaches kids good values right from the start.

Spent one year here with our child in Kindergarten. The teacher was wonderful. But the school faces the same pressures that lots of schools in similar (high-property-value) towns do - too much pressure to 'achieve' in the early grades, in preparation for standardized testing later, since school rankings are based on these kind of numerical metrics, and home prices are tied to school rankings. So the kids spend too much time on academics and too little time playing and exploring and developing other aspects of their lives. In my opinion, kindergartners shouldn't be bringing home repetitive worksheets as homework. There is time enough when they are older for that kind of thing. The school claims to provide character education and 'social emotional' skills, but it felt rather rote and cosmetic - as opposed to really interwoven in to the curriculum. And the kids got to spend a surprisingly little amount of time outside. If you're looking for the "K-12 to prestigious university" pipeline, this is likely a good place to send your kids. But if you're looking for a more well-rounded education, especially for young kids, sadly, you'll likely need to look to independent/private schools.

Excellent school. Staff and teachers are great.

Hillside is a wonderful school and community. The principal and teachers are some of the best I've ever encountered. They care about each and every student and are dedicated to the success of each child. The focus on education, community and character are what make Hillside such a wonderful environment.