Grove School

My child currently attends the Grove School and I am extremely pleased with all aspects of the program. Staff are incredibly dedicated, patient and committed to the students. Communication between the residential, therapeutic and educational staff is excellent and my child's advisor keeps me apprised of everything that is going on. The owners are very engaged with the students and parents and have created a warm, welcoming environment. Educators tailor the curriculum to each child's unique needs and keep trying new things until they find what works. They have an incredible array of clubs, activities and sports so that every student becomes engaged in extracurriculars that they enjoy. My child has not been easy and has challenged Grove's staff but they have been unwaveringly professional and patient. Most important, my child really likes Grove and feels accepted by classmates and supported by staff.
--Submitted by a parent

Say what you want about The Grove School in Madison Ct. I love that school, I would send my son or daughter there in a heartbeat. I am Grove School Alumni, class of 1983.

My daughter went to Grove for two years and learned absolutely NOTHING! When New York State came to evaluate her classes to determine whether or not the state should be paying for her "education," they actually wrote that she was teaching her classes! That was not comforting for a parent to hear, especially when they are paying close to $90,000 yearly for their child to go to school! GRADES ARE ACTUALLY BASED ON BEHAVIOR, NOT ACADEMICS, (which was terrible for her, given that she was academically talented). The teachers were literally right out of college-- terrible, no-name colleges-- and for the most part were special education teachers that had absolutely no experience out of the classroom (and because they went to easy, and often unaccredited institutions, this proved to be even more disastrous than it sounds).The place was a joke, both academically and therapeutically. It was the worst time of her life, despite the fact that she had a group of friends (not people she would ever have associated with if not for having been there) and supportive parents. The people there literally go on to do nothing with their lives. Do NOT send your child here!
--Submitted by a parent

i went to grove in jan 2010 to october 2010 i loved it unfortunatley i got expelled but i miss going there

The school is a school which has good and bad factors however let s look at the ofsted report, it isn t grate however it is the best in Newark. The staff is friendly, approachable and incredible at teaching and engaging the students. If you want my opinion if you leve without a good GCSE or A level you should look at yourself not the school, don t fool yourself.

No stars for this school. My son left there without his diploma and no relationship was allowed to resolve with his mother, who was not permitted to be part of his treatment. We are still estranged. They greatly hurt any possibility of resolving deep-seated problems. They took the money and ran.
--Submitted by a parent

I was a student at Grove and was in the class of 1970 I see a lot has changed since then,I see they now except women egads in my days that would have been fun,wonder if Jack Davis is still alive he was the director when I was there,I don't think anyone from Grove School ever reads these postings

For parents who are considering sending their troubled teen to a therapeutic boarding school, I would highly recommend reading 'Help at any Cost' by Maia Szalavitz. As the mother of a child who spent 5 years in so called therapeutic boarding schools, including Grove, I regret that I did not know about this book at the time. Szalavitz is a journalist who has written a riveting and troubling book examining the troubled teen industry and how parents are manipulated in sending their children 'away' to become normal. It is unbelievably hard to know what is the best course of action to take with a difficult teenager but I think this book will help you make a more informed decision. Compared to the other school where my daughter had been, I would add that Grove was much better.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to the Grove School, for almost three years as a student. I can now safely say the school is a joke academically, but not as much therapeutically. Don't get me wrong. the therapy there is nothing great, but it did help me to some degree. The school claims to be 'the least therapeutic' but since I left the school, it has gotten more and more strict. The bottom line is, the school is different not for everyone, it was OK for me, and I had a lot a great times while there but, I can not really recommend it. It is a lot better than say a school like Chamberlain, but sadly that is not playing much. If you are looking at there for your child, think strong and hard before you decide to enroll he/she there.

As a former student and a current staff, I always find it interesting when I read negative reviews of the school. The reality is that Grove is not for everybody. One size certainly does not fit all. However, Grove's admissions committee does an excellent and thorough job assessing each and every students that applies. Likewise, not all the students they accept do well, (i'm sure that accounts for the negative reviews) however, most do, I'm an example of that and certainly not the exception. As I have kept in contact with many of my peers from my days as a student, most of whom are happy and healthy. At first glance will Grove's physical plant take your breath away? No, but if you have visited campus lately you would see that is quickly changing. Will Grove stand by their students/families and make every attempt to improve their lives? Yes, without question.