<p>I am interested in getting feedback on private K-8 or K-12 schools in the Boston area, and what are good schools for students who love learning and are ready for advanced learning opportunities. Particularly interested in Sage School (for gifted students) in Foxboro, BB&N (lower school), and Park Street School (downtown Boston).</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I’ve only heard stories of the Sage School, and what I have heard is very mixed. I believe it works well for many bright/moderately gifted kids, but the school hasn’t been as flexible as some parents would like for kids who are highly to profoundly gifted. </p>
<p>hth!</p>
<p>Thanks very much! Do you happen to know if the reports were “mixed” because the quality of the education was poor, or “mixed” because the school was not serving the full range of gifted students? Also, do you happen to know whether a lot of families leave because they are dissatisfied?</p>
<p>Just to be clear- my family doesn’t live close enough to have ever considered Sage, so I haven’t paid close attention to issues there. What I have picked up over the years is that several families with very advanced kids felt it wasn’t a good fit for their children. I don’t have specific examples to share, unfortunately, and of course, YMMV. </p>
<p>Administration and teaching staff changes can alter a school dramatically, and I have no idea if there was a single problem administrator or if the general climate was not to do differentiate inside the school.</p>
<p>I have the impression that the Sage School specializes in gifted students. Admission to good private day schools in the Boston area is very, very competitive. </p>
<p>If you are in the Foxboro area, there is a local public charter school which might be an alternative. Grades 6-12, the Advanced Math & Science Academy. Priority is given to students in their four charter towns, Marlborough, Hudson, Maynard and Clinton. [Admission[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Milton Academy sponsors Saturday programs for gifted students: [url=<a href=“http://www.milton.edu/k8/activities/satcourse.cfm]The”>http://www.milton.edu/k8/activities/satcourse.cfm]The</a> Saturday Course](<a href=“http://www.amsacs.org/join_us/admission.html]Admission[/url”>http://www.amsacs.org/join_us/admission.html).</p>
<p>The Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education might be a good source to consult: [Massachusetts</a> Association for Gifted Education](<a href=“http://www.massgifted.org/MAGE/Welcome.html]Massachusetts”>http://www.massgifted.org/MAGE/Welcome.html). They meet at the Sage School.</p>
<p>For Sage - which grade? Their classes are small and actually quite advanced. For example, the 5th graders are taking pre-algebra. They end at 8th grade though while BBN goes all the way into high school. That being said, the 8th graders from Sage have been accepted into Winsor, Andover, Milton Academy, RL, Nobles, etc. for 9th grade.</p>
<p>@ZoeBoston,
It depends on where you live in Boston. I know a bit about Boston area schools, so you can send me a PM if you have some questions.</p>
<p>I would not recommend BB&N. I know someone there who’s very unhappy. I’ve heard bad things about this school. Please don’t send your kid to BB&N.</p>
<p>I would recommend the Pike School in Andover, MA. This is the middle school I wish I went to. This school seems amazing. They are pretty expensive though, but I think they have FA available. Check them out here:[The</a> Pike School : Home](<a href=“http://www.pikeschool.org/]The”>http://www.pikeschool.org/)</p>
<p>If your interested in an all boys school, I’d recommend the Fenn School in Concord, MA. They have really good academics and sports. Check them out here:[Fenn</a> School – Massachusetts Private School, Boys School, Prep School, Middle, MA, Day, Elementary School, 4-9th Grade.](<a href=“Page Not Found - 404 Error | The Fenn School, MA”>http://www.fenn.org/)</p>
<p>Again, PM me if you have questions. Sorry if my post was kind of short.</p>
<p>ifax108: My son is going to BB&N next year for 7th grade and picked BB&N over Nobles for a variety reasons, many due to the experiences present students and past graduates. Those who have negative comments about BB&N are usually those who felt that the upper school was incredibly demanding - in both academics and athletics - and could not cope with the pressure. BB&N is undoubtly an extremely competitive school, especially the middle and upper schools. It is certainly not a school for everyone, but to simply advise someone outright not to send their child there based solely on hearsay is very irresponsible.</p>
<p>ZoeBoston: A family member of mine started at BB&N as a beginner and went there until the sixth grade. He went on to Eaglebrook, St. Paul’s School, and UPenn. BB&N remains his favorite school. Both the lower and middle school have very nurturing and supportive environments. Many that I know who started at BB&N at various entry points have nothing but fond memories of the school and are incredibly successful and happy adults. Present students who are friends of my son love BB&N. Those I know who had graduated from BB&N felt amply ready for college and beyond. Other outstanding lower schools in the Boston area include the Park School (Brookline), the Chestnut Hill School (Brookline), and the Shady Hill School (Cambridge).</p>
<p>Roxbury Latin–definitely look at it.</p>
<p>BB&N is actually a very good school, but of course, no school can make every kid happy. I agree with ifax on the Pike School. I applied there and was accepted, but I decided to go somewhere else. It was a tough decision and I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed that school if I had decided to go there. Their academic program is amazing. </p>
<p>Roxbury Latin is probably ranked the highest out of all the day schools in Boston, in my opinion.</p>
<p>One more time folks, it should NOT be the rank or the name, but the fit for the child…</p>
<p>How do Pike School and Fay School compare to each other in Academics and Sports? What is unique about each of these schools?</p>
<p>Fay- junior boarding school. Excellent academics. I don’t think you can wrong with Fay.</p>
<p>Pike-a day school. Even better academics. IMO is the bets middle school in Boston. I wish I went there. They seem to have a very intellectual environment there, and a great relationship with Phillips Andover. They don’t have as good high school placement, though.</p>
<p>I have heard fantastic things about Pike but it’s not a feasible day school choice for those living in the metro Boston area. Andover is quite a drive from the 95/128 and 90 route, especially in rush hour traffic!</p>
<p>Irishmom1998:</p>
<p>Thanks for your input on Sage School. This would be for early and middle elementary. I am wondering whether it would be better to go with Sage for K-8 and then apply for 9th, OR to go with BB&N all the way through (from lower school through graduation).</p>
<p>–ZoeBoston</p>
<p>If your child’s entering elementary school, he (or she) will change drastically by 8th grade. </p>
<p>The Sage School has a list of recent acceptances online: [Sage</a> School: Secondary School Placement](<a href=“http://www.sageschool.org/curriculum-and-academics/secondary-school-placement.aspx]Sage”>http://www.sageschool.org/curriculum-and-academics/secondary-school-placement.aspx). They don’t list BB&N, but that could be due to traffic patterns in the greater Boston area. If you want your child to be a day student, it helps if you live within a reasonable distance. </p>
<p>The Boston high schools on the list are Boston College High School, Boston University Academy, the Commonwealth School, and Winsor school.</p>
<p>I strongly recommend Sage. I would say that math is probably the selling point of Sage (note an 8th grader who is 5th in the nation for the countdown round for MathCounts, which was televised on ESPN). All classes end at least the Geometry level, Algebra 2 for the more advanced, and possibly a little into Pre-Calculus if they are finished with Algebra 2.</p>
<p>Humanities (a culmination of history, social studies, English, reading) is also particularly strong. The Junior Division (grades 3-5) lays a strong foundation for the Middle School. There are many essays each year, and grammar is studied for all three years, very much in-depth. Latin stems are also studied as well. At the end of each year, all Middle School students read a Shakespeare play.</p>
<p>Sage is also undergoing many extensions to the curriculum and facilities. The Windsor Wing, a wing to house the arts(visual, performing, music, and PE) was built three years ago. During last summer, new SmartBoards were installed into many Junior and Middle School classrooms. During the school year, each Middle School student was outfitted to a Sage e-mail and access to things such as Google Docs through Sage.</p>
<p>PM me for anymore questions :)</p>
<p>My S &D both attended Sage (my S started at 4 when it was three rented classrooms in a different old Foxboro school building). Both left because it does NOT assist profoundly or highly gifted kids (my S and D respectively). I had almost biweekly conversations with the Head who would promise things would get better but they never did. When I finally confronted her (she has since left for Miss Porter’s School–shows you how much she knows or cares about gifted education) she said that they can’t make any money catering for the profoundly and highly gifted–that they were for moderately gifted kids. We transferred the kids to the British School of Boston where they had a fine experience (actually it was the Head at the British School who recommended that my son compete for a scholarship at Eton (!)–and when he won was delighted to see him go…) My D left before they started a high school division–which uses the IB–and is at Exeter. </p>
<p>On the other hand my youngest (S) wasn’t very happy at British School (just not the right fit) and is having a tremendous time at Meadowbrook in their top level classes–and is very challenged. Meadowbrook may be the most rigorous elementary school in the Boston area–although I loved the education my older two received at the British School.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you, ZoeBoston. I would say that it’s hard to plan all the way through! Kids and their needs can change a great deal. Lower schools are not always the same as upper schools. (And, there are few K-12 options anyway).
Start early - the application process is difficult and deadlines are in the midwinter. Visit lots of schools, and drive to them at rush hour so you know what the commute will really be like.
Sage and BB&N are very different culturally - moving from one to the other might not work well. Sage does work well for moderately gifted kids, and may be better for highly gifted than some other options. Some private schools are not very flexible.</p>
<p>Ditto the positive comments on Meadowbrook. Our daughter went there for middle school, and had a fantastic academic experience. Very well set up for high school.</p>