James Madison Preparatory School

As my son prepares to graduate from JMPS, we look back and are so thankful we found this school for our daughter years ago! It has been a fantastic school for all of our children and for completely different reasons. Our oldest was an excellent student but didn't have any challenges and was completely shy. By the end of high school, she was confident and well educated to the point she had over $200,000 in scholarship offers over numerous top tier universities.She is now starting her Junior year as an honor student at PITT. My son has been accepted at 6 universities and has had an incredible experience at JMPS. He is a smart, kind and confident young man. All of my children have enjoyed a multitude of positive experiences by participating in the wide variety of extracurricular activities available to every student. The character expectations are high and create a wonderful environment for all students. Any conflicts are dealt with immediately and they want to communicate better with families. We as parents know we have a choice. We know we have made an excellent choice in choosing JMPS for all five of our children. This would be the best choice you could make for your child !
--Submitted by a parent

The atmosphere is conducive to learning. Students who have a hard time "fitting in" somewhere else usually fit in at James Madison Prep. The behavior and academic standards are high
--Submitted by a parent

Excellent school! I have found that the parents who are disgruntled and leave or the students that leave typically do so because they do not wish to comply with this school's high standard set for behavior. I have known parents that want to argue when their student violate dress code or get into trouble for violation of the code of conduct - I don't understand this as ALL parents and students are informed of this and expected to sign off on the school handbook! And then complain?? This is an awesome school and I'm so happy to be here - they care about me and my education! And they expect me to care too!! Thank you James Madison Staff
--Submitted by a student

We have two sons at James Madison, one who is graduating this year. This school has provided them with an 'old-fashioned' education that focuses on academics, but also has many opportunities for extracurrricular activities. Respect, honesty, and responsibility are just a few of the qualities that are nurtured in the students. This school may not be for those who are more in tune with popular culture, but it has met and WAY exceeded my family's expectations!!!
--Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent charter school. They offer a rigorous academic program that keeps my son busy. They offer many athletic opportunites throughout the year that my son can participate in. You can't have that in a larger, public school. He feels safe there, because they maintain a code of conduct. There have been students who have been expelled. There is a high level of respect for one another at the school, that the staff instills into the incoming 7th graders, and is expected from the students throughout their high school years there. You will not see this respect for others and to the teachers at other high schools. The school has PE as one of the daily classes, and opportunities for anyone to be involved in a musical or play. These are just some of the many unique aspects of this excellent school. You definitely need to attend their musical!
--Submitted by a parent

I m familiar with many charter schools in the valley and haven t found a school this small with so many activities. With about 150 students, this school s extra-curriculars include cross country, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, basketball, track, soccer, softball, and baseball. There are also three school plays throughout the year, fencing club, A/V club, yearbook club, choir, drum line/color guard and strings. Many students participate in many activities at the same time. The school s philosophy is to allow every student to participate no try-outs or cuts. The teachers really care for the students not just for how the students behave in their classes, but for the students overall character development. If you are looking for a school that challenges and shapes, with good character development, this may be the right school for you. The curriculum is rigorous, but it is worth it for those students who can handle it.
--Submitted by a teacher

This venue is meant to be a review of the writer's experience (good and bad) with this school and slamming them is a symptom of what many find wrong with the school. One school doesn't necessarily fit all. The mentality endorsed at JMPS is that you must agree with everything they do as evidenced by signing a parent/child agreement at the beginning of the school year. Whatever happened to doint what was best for your child - even if that meant leaving JMPS? There have been some tremendous losses of very good students at this school. They have left for a variety of reasons - all valid for them. It is not a perfect school and most important - it's not perfect for all students. This parent would be most satisfied if the school was shut down - the scales have tipped and it is doing more harm than good.
--Submitted by a parent

Its so much better than the public schools. The students all feel accepted, they can participate in anything and the academics are great.

This is my son's second year at James Madison Prep. The first year was a bit overwhelming, which had to do with personal events that happened in our family. I am so pleased to say that this year he has learned to overcome a lot of obstacles in his life because of changing things as a family and the support and constant involvement at JMPS. I'm not sure why the other parents that wrote their reviews recently were upset with JMPS. The administration, staff, and student body as a whole are truly awesome! Perhaps, before complaining about certain institutions, we should all examine our jobs at home as parents? A lot of their 'education' starts at home. The school is another venue that either adds or subtracts from the whole experience! My husband and I found the discipline to be more than adequate. Our daughter will be attending next year!
--Submitted by a parent

James Madison is an excellent school for students who enjoy learning and parents who love being involved. We have had kids here for 7 years. We appreciate the high level of academics but also the amazing array of extracurricular activities. Our oldest son is very shy but became very involved in the high-quality plays and musicals which the school presents. This school, although very small, has a fencing club, a robotics team that travels nationally, and many other opportunities. I would add that many of the students here tend to be somewhat sheltered, including many from home-school environments. If that bothers you, this may not be an ideal school for you. James Madison is rather old-fashioned, but that suits us just fine!
--Submitted by a parent