Princeton Child Development Institute

Very good school, my children love it here, especially the special education teachers, very, very good!

This school has received the Federal Recognition of Blue Ribbon School For 2023. This is a great achievement and only 6 elementary schools have received this honor in NJ. You can google and see yourself. It is the best. Great schools rating is way off - please correct this school’s rating.

My son is keep improving. Teachers are doing a great job.

We will be taking our child to a school that will better prepare our child for high school. We are new this year and are extremely disappointed with how the report cards are produced. The teachers just blurt out whatever is on their minds and are unaware that these reports will be carefully scrutinized by high schools. They are sloppily written and don't take into account the entire term, hyperfocusing on the last two weeks or so leading up to the writing of the report card. The problem is that the teachers don't keep a systematic grading system, so they make comments inspired by how they're feeling at the moment they are writing the reports. It's ok not to have grades, but there should be a fair system for creating report cards that doesn't doom students for high school entry. No wonder high school placements are so horrific!

I pulled my four-year-old son from the Pre-4 class at St. Ann's and know others who have pulled their children from the school, as well. My son was belittled, at *four years old* for not being able to read and write yet. He spent his time in pre-school doing worksheets instead of playing. He began telling me he did not want to go back to school, and it is no wonder. The teacher was incredibly rude and condescending to my son's grandmother, criticizing my son *in front of him.* After pulling my son from the school, all of my requests to meet with the principal were ignored. St. Ann's also kept the remainder of my tuition for the rest of the year, despite the fact that I was forced to pull him from the school because of their teacher. Do not send your preschooler to this school!!

Our daughter had just turned 3 when she started this school. After only three days, she was immediately limited to half-day attendance without prior notice, which felt developmentally inappropriate for a child adjusting to a new environment. She was doing well in all activities except potty.By the second week, she could use the school potty. By October, she was consistently potty trained at home and in public but remained reluctant to use the school’s potty. Despite very few accidents, the school suspended her for a full week during Halloween week, causing her to miss school events, including the Halloween parade. Our request for her to participate or return early was declined. On her first day back, she had no accidents, but when we asked the school to give her more patience, they replied they had “already been very patient since September.” She was still considered in violation, with no guarantee her attendance would not be limited again.The potty training policy was not shared when we signed the contract and was only provided shortly before school started, after we proactively asked.This exclusion caused our child to miss educational opportunities and made her adjustment more difficult. After a week at home, she became noticeably more shy and quiet in public, showing how the suspension affected her social confidence. The school’s inflexible policy enforcement, changing rules, and lack of support highlight a gap in understanding early childhood development. Widely accepted early childhood guidelines emphasize developmentally appropriate, supportive, and child-centered approaches for toileting, transitions, and social-emotional growth.For families considering this school, especially with younger preschoolers, it is important to ask about toileting policies, transition support, and flexibility for developmental adjustment. Based on our experience, this school may not provide the consistency, understanding, and support young children need to thrive.

Bad school, even worse administrators - they sued hurricane victims for unpaid tuition fees for an entire year when their child didn’t spend one day at school.

My son joined Princeton Day School this year in the 7th grade and we have been very happy with his experience at the school so far! I was blown away by how welcoming the students and faculty are to new students and I was very impressed with the diversity of the school community. My son previously attended an international IB school overseas and one of our biggest concerns in finding his "right fit" school was diversity and global perspective. PDS has truly exceeded our expectations in this area. The academics are challenging and the teaching staff supportive. The quality of athletic coaching and the wide range of sports choices are excellent. My son considered several Princeton-area private middle schools and it was a difficult decision, but after his first week of school we confidently knew he made the right decision For students looking for a supportive, challenging, and global middle school education, PDS is a great choice.