St. Daniel the Prophet School

A horrible school. This IS NOT the Harvard of elementary schools! Please! Some teachers need to retire - been there way too long. The past pricipal was incompetent and a good thing he retired. A horrible school!

I have attended St. Daniel since kindergarten. I am graduating in 2012 and have recieved a wonderful school experience. Most of the teachers are very good, although before we got a new principal this past school year, the teachers that were hired werent very good, for example, for my 6th grade year in 2010, there was a teacher who was fired a few months into the school year for behavor towards students and he didnt have a degree. The new teachers in 2011 were extremly good in their teachings, although not all would agree. The teachers in the junior high are all very good and i have learned so much. For everyone that complains about the academics, its not all the teachers faults. You get out what you put in as a student. After all, st. Daiels is known as the Harvard of grad schools.I have recieved a wonderful education so far and i most definetly expect a wonderful education again for my last year.

People always complain about St. Dan's, but the reality is there isn't much to complain about. The school is great. Sure, there were a few teachers who were below average, but for those who say SDP is terrible, it has been known as the "Harvard of Chicago Grammar schools." The school is great through and through. Haters just be hatin'.

You have got to be kidding. I attended St. Daniel's because this was my father's decision. Oh well, maybe it was a good thing. As an individual I have moved on and gained the knowledge it takes to be a person, make my own decisions, and be a free thinker. As I grew, I saw how small minded and ignorant the community of St. Daniel's is and the less than average education that was provided. Whew. I have expanded my life, grew, and became my own person, which includes taking on the pagan/atheistic/realistic views on life. If I was lead by this group, and not my own wisdom, I would be in deep today. The public schools are far more advanced and their students have gotten farther in life. Why don't you keep your minds off the religion and teach some real life basics.

I am graduating St. Dan's this year. I absolutley loved it. I never thought that there would be such a great school like St. Dans. The kids are very friendly, and the teachers are kind and very intelligent. St. Dans has a brand new gym that is wonderful, and the students use it everyday. Inever thought my time here would go so fast, I don't want to go. I could say that the last day of school everyone was crying. Nobody wants to leave a school like this. Thank you St. Dan's for the best 9 years of my life.
—Submitted by a student

I am a past student of St. Daniel the Prophet, and I have to say, it might have been the worst experience of my life. I don't even want to put one star to rate it. If you are reading these reviews and looking for a school to send your child/children to, do not send them here.
—Submitted by a student

St. Daniel is a great school. I've been going here for nine years and I don't want leave. The students here are so much fun, and the teachers are strict and yet always helpful and nice. We have church every friday and we have student of the month witch is so must fun. We also miss Fr. Malcom he was great and he loved the children. Sports are amazing, our school is first place school in sports and in academics. Good Luck class of 2009!! Go WWildcatss
—Submitted by a student

I have had two children graduate from St. Dan's and I believe the education they have received there is second to none. The MAJORITY of the teachers are enthuisiastic and even passionate about their work. (Although there are a few who are probably ready to turn in their lesson plans and work at McDonald's) The office personnel is courteous, professional and always helpful. The principal (when he is there) seems to care about the school although I do not feel that he gets the job done. We definitely need a stronger presence in the building. As for the clergy, we were blessed to have Father Malcolm with us as a pastor, leader, and religion teacher for all these years. How sad that he has been transferred after all of his hard work!
—Submitted by a parent

My son has been at St. Daniel for 4 years and I will say that the class rooms are too crowded. 30 students per class is not beneficial. My son has struggled a great deal academically because of the workload and lack of teacher to student interaction. The teachers don't know if half the class is even understanding the instruction. St. Daniel is considering a tutoring program and I hope they come through with this very soon. I am glad that they finally are taking into consideration that most of the children are struggling. I have to say that the sports programs are wonderful, the gym is finally complete and the students are really enjoying it. My son loves St. Daniel and gets along well with everyone there, he has many friends and is content. My only wish is that they do not overcrowd the classrooms as they do.
—Submitted by a parent

While most of the teachers do a great job and truly care for the children in theiro charge, there are a couple that deserve to be shown their walking papers as they simply do a poor job of teaching and/or communicating and working with the parents. The principal is the first individual that should go. He is unresponsive to letters and calls, and is generally a poor administrator compared to Anke Shute who preceded him. Although the school claims to have an anti-bullying policy, I have rarely seen an instance where those that perpetrate this behavior are punished. I also believe that the school places much too great an emphasis on their sports programs at the expense of academic progress.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing school. As a former student, I would say that this school over-prepared me for high school, and Fenwick High School at that. Great pastor in Fr. Malcom. He has done so much for this community in his years at this school. The principal knows what he is doing, and is a fun guy to be around, being a former student of his. The teachers work at a fast pace, but this is one of the premier grade schools around Chicago-land and the workload shouldn't be taken lightly. It's not much when you think about it, 10- 15 minutes a day in each subject and your tuition money will be well spent. This school has made many graduates top high school students and is money well spent.
—Submitted by a student

My son has been at St Daniel's for 3 years and I'm disapponted with the school. THe administration seems to favor certain children and ignore most. If your parents are not active in the school (Mom and Dad both work) then the child is not treated as well. The school is a supposed 'no bully zone' but when my child gets teased and I bring it to the office's attention nothing is done. They would rather point out what my son has done. They also punish the children if the parent forgets something. For example if a special pizza day form is not handed in and no lunch is broght that day they would rather have the child go hungry then to give the child a lunch and have to he parent pay later. I don't feel this school has the children's best intrests at heart. Also rude mean office personel.
—Submitted by a parent

I personally think this school is over crowd teachers are so overloaded and overwhelmed. Unfortunately I had to take my daughter out of St Dan's because the teachers were not giving her the attention she needed when she did transfer out the principal did not even question why she was being transferred out no concern and she had been there since kindergarden. I should have taken her out alot sooner because she is now in 8th grade and doing fantastic at her new school even on the honor roll.
—Submitted by a parent

As a current eighth grade student, I have been enrolled at St. Daniels since kindergarden. The fast paced curriculem has helped me vastly increase my academic knowledge. For all of the parents that have complaints about the class sizes, and the amount of homework as well as the difficulty of the curicculem, your child either has to keep up or fall behind. I know that St.Daniels has prepared me for my future academic career and has taught me the principals that I need to suceed in life.
—Submitted by a student

My daughter is a very smart, polite and lovely young lady because of good parenting and the teachers and staff at St. Daniels. Also lets not forget the priests they are friendly and helpfull.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at the Junior High level have absolutely no concern for their students. They never have time for any parental concerns. Requests for meetings are continually declined. The teachers are 'too busy' to even answer by notes. Even meeting with the Pastor with concerns over students have no effect. After being in the school and particpating for years, I am now just counting the time until I am through with St. Daniels.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is very well kept and the office staff is organized and helpfull. I like the way the religion aspect mixed right in with everything else. Lots of activities for the children and the parents were helpfull to one another. What I didn't like was the class size, 1 teacher 30 students. The amount of homework that my son had in 1st and 2nd grade was out of hand. I had to teach him everything at home. The amount of students made it impossible for a slow teacher to keep up. Bottom line for me the teacher your child gets has alot to do with the experience your child will have. 2nd grade was great, my sons teacher Miss Novak, was a dream. My child blossomed.
—Submitted by Mariam Sprong, a parent

This is my son's second year at St. Dan's. He really likes it and the children here are very friendly. There is a strict 'No Bully' toleration.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has been at Saint Daniel for the past five yearts, and I am very pleased with the level of eduation he has received. The teachers truly believe in giving their best for the children, the administration is exemplary, and there is a great level of parent involvement in this school. Extracurricular activities abound, especially in the area of sports. Foreign language instruction (Spanish) is given from grade 5 on, and the school has a very active musical program.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter graduated from St. Daniels in June 2004 with high honors. She enjoyed this school so much she refused to miss even a day of school for a winter get-a-way. St. Daniels prepared her so well she was accepted into Nazareth Academy/LaGrange, IL. She currently is taking physics her freshmen year, honors accerated spanish and currently maintaining honor roll while involved in two sports. St. Daniels gave her the best education to prepare for high school. She misses that church is not part of her cirriculum as it was in grammer school. Spanish language at St. Daniels was very beneficial. I am disappointed that the school does not have a gym which effects the outcome of the vaious sport teams at St. Daniels. My son is currently in third grade and is doing well. Great teacher/parent communication.
—Submitted by a parent