Ms 245 The Computer School

This is a wonderful school with a great community - especially at the K level. Our son is in his second year at PS009 and loves the school. In fact the school is the only reason we are still living in NY. My son has made amazing friends and has learned so much not just about academics but also about social responsibility and the importance of kindness. Both his K and 1 teachers have been extraordinary and demonstrate that they sincerely care about the children. Unfortunately Mayor Adams has determined education is not a priority in NYC so our class sizes have become rather large (28 in my son's 1st grade class), but fortunately the teachers are qualified to handle these larger class sizes and the school provide small group instruction at least twice a week for every child.

We have had a fabulous experience with our daughter at PS 87. She is in third grade now and has loved her teachers every year.In 1st grade she was able to receive some extra supports in reading, and in 2nd grade it was math. She is above grade level in both subjects now.The Afterschool program is also great overall - she's been able to do cooking, chess, computers, engineering, archery and more and comes home from school every day excited about the new activities.The social cohesion has also been a bonus - I have a great relationship with other parents in the class and we regularly schedule playdates and class activities on the weekends. We've had not issues with bullying or other serious issues in the classroom.Highly recommend!

I have been at Calhoun for almost 11 years. The teachers are great. They care a lot about whether the students understand the material rather than just whether they pass. Since Calhoun is so small, the community is very close and care for each other. On the other hand, Calhoun's diversity needs to improve, not only in the student body but also in the curriculum. The athletic program could be improved, especially for girls' sports. Overall, Calhoun's culture encourages students to be involved in numerous extracurriculars and work hard in classes and towards grades.

As a parent, I've always found the teachers and administrators available for any concerns and very tuned in to the students. I've seen fantastic academic growth in both my kids, and I love the way the school allows their students to develop as scholars and human beings. Somehow, Calhoun is a very nurturing place while also meeting a very high intellectual standard. They seem to put a great deal of thought into the "why" and "how" of everything they do. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere has allowed my kids to thrive.This is our family's fourth year at Calhoun. Our two kids entered in ninth grade -- one is currently in 10th grade, one in 12th.We are thrilled with Calhoun and continually marvel that it is such a good fit for our two very different kids. They both love going to school. The other day someone asked my son what adjectives he would use to describe Calhoun and the first word out of his mouth: Exciting. I think the variety of choice both curricularly and extracurricularly has something to do with it. When our 10th grader got his schedule for the year, he exclaimed, "Let's Go!" At Calhoun, the school year is broken into quarters, with five courses in each of the four "mods". His first mod he is taking engineering, algebra, chemistry, Mandarin and a history elective about political dissent and design. Our senior is taking Spanish, Advanced Bio, Calculus, Adolescent Psychology (which is mandatory because she acts as a senior peer leader to incoming ninth graders) and an English course on Family in American Drama. In terms of after-school activities, their athletic department reflects the great vibe of the school. Our son does a different sport every trimester, and enjoys them all. The emphasis is on teamwork, personal growth and commitment rather than excellence or competition. The school also builds time into the school day for clubs to meet so that also allows our busy kids to still enjoy a wide variety of exploration and experience: Model UN, Community Outreach, Debate and even quirky ones started by students like the Cheese Club and Bollywood Club.

The School of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS) is a hidden gem in the Manhattan’s private schools panorama. We transitioned to the school during Covid, from another private school, and found professional, welcoming, caring and nurturing staff who focus on preparing the students well academically, while ensuring they also grow personally and emotionally, with strong ethical values and academic achievements. The ELA program is very strong and encourages the growth of young readers, promoting independent reading throughout the school week either at school, in class or in the new libraries at both campuses and at home. The math, science and robotics programs are excellent and the new labs in both campuses complement them very well. All of this combined with art, music and theater programs help the students discover what their passion is and become rounded young adults. The improved lower campus and the new Barry upper campus, with its unique and focused upper school experience which prepares students well for high school and beyond, provide good premises for the students, which include secure outdoor space that can be enjoyed daily, weather permitting. A good variety of after school activities to choose from, as well as a summer program, are extremely popular among students and families. SBS also has a strong and committed PTA that, among other things, helps, with its constant successful fundraising efforts, to continuously improve the two campuses and the quality of the students’ and teachers’ lives at school. The Alumni group is active, and facilitates the alumni community to keep in touch with the school and the Next Gen of SBS alumni. Thank you SBS for your positive impact on our child and our family! We are glad to see the school, its faculty, students and the SBS community is growing and constantly striving to improve!

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.