The Children's School

Community = families whose children fit the TCS model minus families and staff that have been removed for questioning TCS s methodologies or do not fit their narrow behavioral expectations (If you are on the second half of the equation above, your experience will be brutal). Diversity =term used to describe the racial makeup of TCS. This term does not imply that there is an acceptance of a wide spectrum of behavior or abilities. Student-c entered learning = a teacher-centered approach to teaching children. Student Confidence =hopefully something that appears after kindergarten when students with crushed self-esteem have been weeded out (typically about 30% of the starting pre-primary class in the first 2 yrs). Excellent Staff = a middle tier group in terms of teaching ability. Independence =student is able to follow teacher directives consistently. If TCS is so great why is the Head of School (of 25 yrs) leaving for Woodward ?
--Submitted by a parent

I have been apart of The Children's School for twelve years. My daughter graduated from TCS and our son is graduating this year. I can't imagine any other school in Atlanta that is as family oriented, and child focused as TCS. Throughout the years the administration has always been accessible and for a parent that's priceless. The children's school offers a stellar academic environment, and your child/children will leave with a confidence that will catapult them to the next level. It has been an amazing experience; not only for my children, but also for my entire family.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a current parent at TCS that is very pleased with the results I have seen in my children. TCS has an environment that allows my children to thrive independently. I love the sense of community and inclusiveness that I feel when I am on campus. One of many things that attracted my family to TCS was the diversity and how the kids are taught to respect and accept the differences in all people. It is amazing to look at the work my kids were doing at the beginning of the year and compare it to the end of the year. The improvement and growth is what shows me that we picked the right school in TCS. I also love that TCS has many ways for parents to be involved on and around campus. Parents are always welcome to come by and donate their time and knowledge in all sorts of ways. We currently have two kids enrolled and are looking forward to our third to start in the next couple of years.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a current parent of a TCS student anxiously awaiting May 31st our last day of horror. TCS is laughable at best. Academics are terribly lacking substance and rigor. If your primary concern for your child is to be a part of the get-along gang then s/he will do exceptionally well doing nothing. If discipline, focus and academic excellence are of importance to you, I suggest you look elsewhere.
--Submitted by a parent

I was extremely disappointed with this school, so say the least. I can only speak for their After-School program (Discovery). But after reading the last review by another parent, I think the root cause is the same. This school rewards compliance more than anything else. Teachers, as well as other administrative staff are not independently motivated toward child's welfare or growth, rather, only focused towards "following a certain pattern" established in the past. My child DREADED going here. It seemed some of the teachers punish a child emotionally by making them feel bad about themselves, for mistakes that any child can make. My child felt increasingly bad about himself, to the extent that even the mention of this school brought tears to his eyes. Allow me to emphasize that since leaving this school about an year ago - my child has shown tremendous improvement in all areas - He is in the GA Challenge program, a budding artist, and most importantly, he loves the new after-school program he goes to. In fact, he would stay there longer if allowed to.
--Submitted by a parent

The Children s School is a wonderful place for children to grow and learn as part of a caring and diverse community. It is evident that kids are meaningfully engaged, appropriately challenged, and enjoying learning and playing together. Learning at TCS encompasses every aspect of their development including academic, social, and emotional. Students are encouraged to reach their individual potential, supported by amazing teachers, and taught in a fun and meaningful way. My children are challenged each day to do quality academic work, develop organizational skills, and engage with others in ways that are caring and respectful. They have incredible opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities such as music, sports, and foreign language as well as meaningful community service projects and amazing outdoor education experiences. I entrust my children to an incredible school that respects children, diversity, and community.
--Submitted by a parent

TCS is a very unique and wonderful school. My daughter has thrived at TCS both socially and academically. TCS has instilled a love of learning in my daughter and has helped her understand the importance of character. The academic environment is rigorous and robust, yet flexible enough to accommodate various styles of learning. We are very happy with the school, TCS' curriculum and its community of students, teachers and parents. In summary, I believe TCS prepares its children for the way the world is going, not the way the world has been.
--Submitted by a parent

The Children's School is a dream. Every day we have been at this school has been better than the day before. Our experience as a family in this community and our daughter's experience as a student keeps getting fuller day by day. We have been in this community for two years and there is not one thing I would change. We chose this school because of the diversity of the student body and the faculty, we love it because of the way my daughter is being taught, how well she is responding and growing academically at an incredibly rapid pace. Within a month of first grade, she was able to read "chapter" books whereas she started the first grade only reading Bob Books. Her problem solving ability and her reasoning astounds us for her age. We could not be more thrilled with the education our daughter is receiving and in which she is a participating member. The respect for the earth, her peers, her teachers, and experiences that she is learning and exhibiting fills me with peace that she is on the right track to becoming a leader and a happy world citizen. We credit TCS with this overwhelming feeling of hope and assuredness we have in our daughter's school experience.
--Submitted by a parent

My son recently graduated from The Children's School. His experience at TCS was wonderful. His teachers and the greater school community helped him grow emotionally, socially AND intellectually. My son benefited from the academic rigor that TCS provided. He was challenged and was very well prepared for middle school. He not only received a strong academic education, he learned to think, reason, analyze and process. TCS strong emphasis on character development has also helped him face the social challenges of middle school. We are very happy he received this opportunity and we would highly recommend The Children s School.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a very nurturing school, but if your academic standards are high I suggest you look elsewhere. I thought I did my homework before enrolling my child. I read all the reviews and talked to a number of people, and in the end decided that the bad reviews were from a few disgruntled parents and should be disregarded. Therefore, in this review I hope to tell parents what I wish someone had told me. Before you enroll your children, visit the classrooms, more than once if possible while instruction is being provided, so that you can get a true picture of TCS academics. It s not for everyone, and I don t think it is for anyone looking for academic rigor. If I had done this I would never have given TCS a second look. Taking the tour is not enough, you have to see them in action. Don t dismiss the negative reviews, because I did and I will regret it from now on.
--Submitted by a parent