Gladwyne School

Former student. Horrible teachers, horrible staff. I have so much trauma from horrible way I was treated by staff there.

The culture of The Haverford School is toxic. The words on their walls, like friendship, justice, and character, are nothing more than comments on walls. Their stated virtues are absent from the culture and student experience. I can say with confidence, sourced from my personal experiences at Haverford, that the administration of the Haverford Middle School makes decisions that permit a culture of bullying and racism. I witnessed a dynamic of these two cultures working together where racism begets bullying, thereby creating more racism. Organizations deserve what they accept, and the Haverford School administration accepts bullying and racism based on their actions. I even received an email from the Head of the Middle School explaining how the bullying works at Haverford, thereby using the bullying dynamic to justify his decision. At one point, I asked multiple school administrators how many times can an 8th grader use a racial epithet before they are expelled. The administrators provide no answer. Based on their administrative decisions from the 2022-2023 school year, the answer to that question at the Haverford Middle School is more than once. There appears to be a history of tolerating this behavior, according to numerous others who have shared their story on this website.The Haverford Middle School demonstrates the leadership gap by saying one thing and doing another. The Head of the Middle School manipulates discussions to justify his desired outcomes. On one occasion, I asked the Head of the Middle School a question and allowed him to speak to my son about it. In that discussion with my son, he twisted the facts and renegotiated an outcome that contradicted my original request, then sent an email misrepresenting my son's opinion. I find this type of behavior grossly lacking in self-awareness and also very focused on doing what is in the best interest of the school, not the student. To say that the Head of the Middle School is asleep at the wheel is not an understatement, and that dynamic also played out in the athletic arena. When the Head of the Middle School asked me what I expected from their athletic program, my answer was simple. I expect the same experience in the field that I expect in the classroom. Challenge the kids and support their growth. My son was neither challenged nor supported to grow athletically.

The quality of education at this school is exceptional, thanks to dedicated teachers who go above and beyond. The English and History departments, in particular, have inspiring educators whose commitment exceeded my expectations.Elective classes are unique and engaging, sparking intellectual curiosity and encouraging exploration.The new Head of School has been a positive addition, bringing clear leadership and a strong vision for the future.The community feels safe and supportive, though with only about 60 students per grade, experiences may vary. Additionally, the school does not offer AP classes, which may be a consideration for those planning to attend certain colleges or graduate early. They don't have big orchestra, or marching band so if you want to have those activities at school, unfortunately this is not the school you want. ( there are some high level youth orchestra in Philly, so you can always play outside of school. ) While I wasn't initially drawn to an all-girls school, I now understand its appeal. Because there are so many leadership opportunities, it has helped my daughters grow into confident, critical thinkers. As far as I know, I have never heard of any serious bullying or anything and the community is very wholesome. But I know some kids are stressed out with academics, EC activities, or social etc, but I guess that's inevitable in any schools.

It has been one disappointment after another for us at this daycare. Not only is the place dirty through and through but the teachers simply do not care, have no empathy, warmth or compassion towards the kids. We experienced several issues of neglect and no real protocol to deal with concerns raised. It is shocking that they are able to charge the high rates they do with such a poor service, not to mention constant staff turnover. With so many other great options in the Main Line, we would recommend staying well away.