Dwight School

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

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!

I have never felt more ostracized in a school like this. As someone who struggled with mental health (school was aware), I did not receive any help. Although the school values diversity, the kids here make so many racist “jokes”. Getting an answer to a question could literally take 20 minutes, and most teachers really do not care about the well being of the students. Or, they will give us a survey to see how well we are doing and no changes will be made. Honestly, stay safe from this school, it ruined my middle school years.

We have two high-energy boys - one in the nursery program and the other in elementary school. What strikes me every time I see the kids at this school, in every situation, is how nice they are to each other, respectful to their teachers, staff, and parents, and genuinely excited about learning. The nursery (through K) and elementary schools are nurturing environments. The teachers know the kids well and they get the support they need. Our elementary classes were each set up with a 14-16 kids, a head teacher, an assistant teacher, and a learning/reading specialist shared among two classes. Teachers go out of their way to bring whatever is needed to the classroom to support individual students and help parents connect with external resources when recommended. The after school program in elementary is robust, especially for a school of this size. They offer early care, after care (homework helper) and optional enrichment classes (these programs are not included in tuition). The nursery school (through K) is at a different location from elementary/middle school, so this can be an inconvenience if you have multiple children at these different ages, but they are close enough to be manageable on a single commute.

I attended Geneva for 14 years, starting in Junior Kindergarten and recently graduating as a high school senior. Being part of the first high school class, there were many opportunities to explore, which made the journey all the more exciting. The school's small size allows for a close relationship with faculty, who are always open to offer both academic and personal support. The small classroom size turns the students into a family; they love, argue, and resolve like one. Geneva has a high focus on academics and implementing student interests, though some classes, extracurriculars, and activities were limited for the high school, but because the high school is relatively new, I have confidence Geneva will find a good balance in the coming years. Having moved between several different buildings across Manhattan, Geneva has shown resilience in marking its place, and with the recent momentum and support in applications and the overall community, I am so excited to see where it goes.