Catherine Cook School

We moved our daughter to CCS from another program and couldn't be happier. My child loves going to school and has learned so much. It still amazes me when I drop her off that every staff member in the school knows my daughter's name - from the head of school to the maintenance staff. There is a real sense of community, responsibility, social justice, and accountability. The learning goes way beyond mere academics. I am thrilled with our experience at CCS!
—Submitted by a parent

yes, you will be paying a steep tuition like all private schools, and a gazillion additional fees for lunches, field trips, early and late drop off ( 20 $/ hour ! ) gym clothes etc..as well as constant solicitation for yearly donations. in exchange, you get small class sizes ( 15 / teachers ), caring teachers, clean school. although it is getting a little cramped. then there is the technology, with computers for kids...but don't all kids have computers anyways nowadays, iphones etc.. ? and has it been shown that computers increases test scores ? not so. at the end of 6 -7 th grade, like most downtown parents, get ready to pay additional tutors ( 100 $/ hour ) to support your kid for the dreaded competition of SE and other tests for HS. Most of 8 th graders had outside tutoring at CCS, yes. did all kids got in WP, WY or Northside ? not so either. actually, some nearby public schools kids ( LP elementary for ex ) got more kids than ever in WP with near perfect scores ! at the rate college tuition are rising, I am not convinced that paying such hefty fees for private schools are worth it. And look at CPS stats: for 2012, 75 % of kids in SE were from public middle schools.
—Submitted by a parent

Our child transferred to the school in 6th grade and has done remarkably well from both an academic and a social standpoint. She is happy and has lots of friends and her standardardized test scores went up markedly within two years, (from average to high 90s for math, for example) which is quite remarkable and we attribute it to the excellent teachers and focused attention on her and her learning style. We also enjoy the school community, finding the parents friendly and involved. We are very happy with our decision!
—Submitted by a parent

Catherine Cook School has become one of the top schools in the city, and we are proud to have our daughter enrolled there. She started preschool in 2009, and we have been very pleased with our child's education and teachers. Here's what we love: the staff and administration run the school using sound principles that make sense to well educated parents, the academics are outstanding, graduates go on to top-tier high schools, parents are very involved, and the school's mission, vision, and values are not only aligned with our own--they are being carried out with concrete actions in the school. Kids there are happy and polite, as are the staff. Everyone from the maintenance staff to the Head of School and everyone in between expresses genuine joy in greeting our child each day. Parent concerns are taken seriously, with prompt meetings at the highest level necessary. The Everyday Math program, Writer's Workshop, Handwriting without Tears, integrated technology program, foreign language starting in SK, and all the other academic and artistic programs are truly the best we could hope to offer our kids.
—Submitted by a parent

I have noticed that most of these less than stellar reviews are from 2007. In the four years since, Catherine Cook School has established itself as one of the leading independent schools in the city. Our oldest daughter started CCS in 2008 and our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The faculty is top notch and the school stands out in its meaningful integration of technology in the classrooms. The curriculum is rigorous enough but the arts are also emphasized. The visual arts program there is amazing and when you walk into the school, you immediately sense that it is an incredibly art-rich environment. The class sizes are small (about 20 kids to 2 teachers in a class) so teachers are able to individualize instruction and help kids work to their potential. Dr. Roberts and the division heads are all leaders and innovators in their fields. We feel so lucky to be at CCS. It's a wonderful community of people and our kids couldn't be happier at school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at CCS and have been pleased with each teacher my kids have had for the last five years. The school is growing through the strong leadership of the head principle Dr Roberts. The teacher retention rate has improved and the school families are awesome. My children thrive at this school and technology is ahead of other schools.
—Submitted by a parent

Catherine Cook has a great group of parents, and administrators who have spent a lot of time thinking about the direction of the school. However, the administration spends a bit too much time focused on abstraction and not enough time on execution. Often you have the sense of being in the middle of an experiment that may or may not turn out as planned. There are some discipline issues, in large measure because admission is done when the applicants are too young to assess properly. The school should admit students no earlier than JK, like most private schools in the city.
—Submitted by a parent

The first day I toured Catherine Cook I knew that it was the school for us. The children are a happy, happy bunch. This school fosters creativity which is reflected in the children's art posted throughout the halls. My child has had wonderful teachers. She has made life long friends and so have we. You will never met a more dedicated group of parents and staff.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been extremely happy at Catherine Cook. I think there have been some growing pains in recent years, but these have put the school in a great position with an amazing technology program, sports program, and teacher retention has never been better. Tuition increases 2 years ago were steep, but were applied 100% towards teacher salaries and I can't think of a better use. The families are caring, and involved with a very active Parent Association. There is a sense of warmth that makes my daughter look forward to school every day with excitement.
—Submitted by a parent

We left another school to come to CCS, and we have not been disappointed. The teachers are excellent, the community is outstanding.
—Submitted by a parent

I used to work for Dr. Roberts when he was the Headmaster at Topeka Collegiate. I was a member of the faculty. All I can say is that even the teachers that didn't seem to care for him wish that he was back. Everybody misses him very much. He cares about education and about children. Nobody at TCS would disagree with that. He is a wonderful and fair person. In my opinion our current head of school at TCS can't compare to Dr. Roberts at all. We miss you Michael.
—Submitted by a teacher

I'm a former parent (seems to be a lot of us). Pre-school/Kindergarten is great but beyond that the value is questionable over nearby public schools. I understand test scores are not much better. My kid is now in public school in the same neighborhood and I find it just as warm, nuturing, caring, wonderful, etc. as CCS.
—Submitted by a parent

I am the parent of two former students at CCS. We moved to the suburbs when we were unable to keep up with rising tuition costs. I was very concerned about enrolling my children in public school. I've found is that they have actually made gains. Both were behind their grade level in certain subjects. It was especially shocking as they received excellect scores at CCS consistently from year to year. I agree with other parents in this forum that CCS has kind, caring teachers - but I think that their quality and credentials are inconsistent. I don't agree that the CCS community is nurturing and involved. There is a small group of parents who are involved in a positive manner. CCS parents should demand a cohesive program and responsive leadership willing to answer for their decisions.
—Submitted by a parent

We have finally given up on this school after 3 years. We hear the kindergarten program is good, but we joined the school in grade 1. We had high hopes when the school hired a 'permanent head of school' after many changes in leadership. However, while tuition has increased dramatically, the quality of the program has not. It is a warm, nurturing school with caring teachers and many positions have been added (and paid for) in the last two years - but nothing really improves and the new head seems completely disinterested. Parents who think the students at CCS are well educated should demand the results of test scores to get the real picture. For the money, a few years ago, CCS was a value. Now, what you pay for is a lot of expensive personnel and a grandiose gymnasium but only an average and very limited program.
—Submitted by a parent

From the moment my son walked into the school, he loved it and felt comfortable. The teachers are wonderful...available any time and are really involved in each child. Tuition is getting expensive, but it is still cheaper than other private schools nearby. School is working to keep teacher turnover down. All schools have issues, but this school is a great community of parents who are very active and involved in helping the school move forward into the future to become even better. This is the best time to be a part of the school.
—Submitted by a parent

A great place to send a child. The teachers all really care about the success of each child.
—Submitted by a parent

I too found this site while researching new schools for my child. My kid did fall through the cracks. Communication (other than mass email) is poor at CCS. The school has too many things going on that have nothing to do with education. It seems like every week an appeal for financial donations goes out. They market themselves as a place that develops your child's individual talents. That is a big stretch.
—Submitted by a parent

I stumbled across this site looking for another school for my child. I am a Catherine Cook parent and my son has been at the school for over three years. The school has not met the expectations that we had at our acceptance. We were impressed by the school's community and it's drive to create a school that would rival those nearby. However, in this families eyes this ideal has not been achieved. Also, while the curriculum may be challenging for some my child has not experienced this same push to excellence. As a parent I have been disappointed by the schools politics and have not felt an atmosphere of learning as expected. I think, as the school's enrollment numbers have increased the quality of the school's program has gone down.
—Submitted by a parent

CCS is a wonderful, warm place to send your child. As a parent it is heartwarming to see just how caring and dedicated The teachers are about the interests of your child. The teachers are always available to sit down and talk. The communication is amazing. No child ever 'Falls through the cracks' at CCS. The school is on top of everything. (However That does have the potential to be a double edged sword). The school has grown dramatically in resent years, but that is principally due to fewer children leaving in the higher grades. That is good news. The strongest part of the school are the kids. My son has made wonderful friends. Truth be told, so have my wife and myself. CCS has a great parent body. Larry Lubell 5th grade
—Submitted by a parent

I echo the last comment. The school has recently appointed a head (number 5 within 6 years) and he pales to create a platform for the school. He is invisible at events and is only heard via the school newsletter. The middle school has severe discipline problems. Class sizes are no longer small. No bang for your buck here. The preschool is still the only highpoint.
—Submitted by a parent