Lauree P Gearity Elementary School

Our experience at Hathaway Brown fell short of expectations, especially given the high tuition. Most teachers were average, with only one standout educator. In contrast, at a much more affordable private school we previously attended, nearly all teachers were exceptional.I was also surprised by the lack of professionalism in the appearance and demeanor of some staff—something I wouldn’t expect from a school with this reputation and cost.Additionally, aspects of the parent community raised concerns about values and integrity, which impacted our overall impression of the environment.While there are bright spots, we did not feel the experience justified the price.

We have been entirely thrilled with our daughter's experience at Laurel. Like most private schools in the area, Laurel offers rigorous academics, outstanding extracurricular programs (including signature programs), superb staff members, competitive athletics, etc. Some will compare the older building with the newer glassy building of HB, Hawken, and Gilmour and assume Laurel is less. I was very proud of my daughter as she looked at the other schools and said, "Mom, there is so much more to a school than glitz and glamour. I'm more concerned about character." (she was 14!) Laurel's staff is concerned with our girls' social and emotional health. The Laurel's Center for the Research on Girls is nationally recognized under the direction Drs. Lisa Damour and Tori Cordiano which is excellent. Also critical is how parents learn to support their girls through the LCRG. My daughter entered 9th grade with some confidence issues, and her advisor and staff immediately began working to build her self-esteem. We expected the typical cliques and competition from high school girls and have found none of it, even two years later. Sure, girls have their friend groups, but my daughter said there is none of the cliquiness or mean girl attitudes. I can say the same for the parents who have not had the snobbiness I witnessed at other private schools. When we looked at schools, students and parents (mothers) from another school would often frown and smirk when we told them we were looking at Laurel. We never got those reactions from Laurel's mothers or students when we told them the schools where we were looking. Again, my wise daughter said, "Mom, you can tell a lot about a place when their members look down on peers (i.e., other schools)." Some have made "nurturing" a bad word in rigorous high school settings. A significant plus is that Laurel competes well with other private schools and still offers that nurturing. They care about the women leaders they are developing. As a former corporate executive, who now consults, I understand what is required of women leaders, and Laurel prepares their students to excel in those roles, with confidence.