St. Stanislaus Kostka Grade School

In my day, children often attended their neighborhood school, either public or private. This is certainly not the case in present time. A lot of my family and friends with children shopped around sort of speak to find the best place to enroll their children. I followed their lead. I searched for a school for about a year before deciding on St. Stan's. At St. Stan's I found EVERYTHING I wanted. A challenging academic environment, a welcoming community, a great principal and teachers, after school choices, diversity, etc. My daughter loves her school and is excelling in all her classes. I
--Submitted by a parent

We searched intensely for a PK3 program & managed to get on a few "wait lists" for CPS. We decided to go the private route & did many tours over many months. St. Stan's won us over! The principal genuinely showed her dedication even during the tour. The fact that you do not have to be a parishioner of the church to attend the school is a HUGE plus for us. We are Catholic, however, not practicing and did not want to commit to a parish at that time. Now that we are here, we are so happy. More importantly our preschooler is HAPPY! She LOVES her preschool teacher/aide and LOVES her new friends. We like the diversity of the class and all the parents are so friendly and involved; we really seem to work as a team to organize play dates & keep each other in the loop as to what is going on. The basis of the teaching is Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People which was our bible at work & teaching the kids to make "good choices" has worked so well. The after school care program is great too. We are truly blessed to have discovered St. Stan's & would recommend highly to everyone.
--Submitted by a parent

As a Dad, I love being involved in our children's education. I find the pre-school teachers and aides encourage our input. They are all highly skilled and approachable. The Principal is amazing, working tirelessy to improve the quality of experience for both children, families and staff. Office staff are outstanding too, always willing to answer questions. Our children have excelled since starting at St Stan's and ENJOY school. Aftercare Programming is very convenient if needed. Highly recommend this school. Appreciate St Stans making tutition affordable with multiple child discounts.
--Submitted by a parent

I could not agree more with the previous review - the school truly is a "hidden gem" in the city. I am extremely grateful to have my daughter enrolled at St. Stan's. There is a tremendous sense of community at this school-- it is an extremely collaborative environment of diverse parents, teachers, and staff working together to do what is best for the children. It is very important to me that my child be in an environment where the two of us feel comfortable - and St. Stan's fits the bill. My experience with the preschool and after-school programs has been wonderful. My child is very happy and has advanced academically, socially and spiritually since she started there. And as a parent, I feel as though my input and involvement is always welcomed and valued.
--Submitted by a parent

Our experience of St Stan's has been tremendous. I am surprised to read the review listed below making reference to the Principal, Miss Hill. This is a woman who works day and night to serve the St Stan's community. She is a dynamic and compassionate leader who even greets children, by name at the school door! I also LOVE our children's pre-school teachers and assistants. They are the epitomy of teaching excellence, going above and beyond. Most importantly, the teaching staff we have met are warm & kind.They display unrelenting commitment & know how to bring out the best in their students. Our children love the variety of educational learning activities combined with arts / music creative expression, sensory exploration and social / imaginary play. The spiritual component is about teaching values which we love. Each child is empowered to make "good choices" and understand the positive results.St Stan's has a brand new library with a full-time Librarian.Exciting times. I have spoken to many delighted families who don't contribute parent reviews as they feel St Stan's is a "hidden jewel" and want to keep it that way! Take a tour & see how happy & well-behaved the kids are.
--Submitted by a parent

St. Stan's used to be a good school. Unfortunately the new administration has made changes that have been detrimental to the school. The current principal isn't a people person and her priority is fundraising rather than improving the failing curriculum. She never answers her phone nor does she reply to emails. There is no school spirit at St. Stans and the sense of community is lacking. Many of the students are below average and the principal doesn't provide the parents with the children's academic progress relative to state standards. Tuition and other miscellaneous fees have gone up but there haven't been any visible improvements. Everyone is charged a $200 book fee but the children in the upper grades have no text books - they get xerox copies of the texts.
--Submitted by a parent

St. Stans is a fantastic school. The new principal has made an enormous impact. I love the expectations. The children are getting a quality education but most of all the standards being set with all the new programs are wonderful. It is a very friendly atmosphere for everyone. Keep up the good work!
--Submitted by a parent

Great Job St. Stan's! I feel my children are getting a quality education in a safe environment. Very much like the changes and improvements made by the new principal. Yes... the tuition went up, but what hasn't - it is justified.
--Submitted by a parent

Most of the teachers are really good, but will subtly express unhappiness with the new principal and how they are treated. There is a great deal of focus on the younger children, while the older ones tend to be ignored. The new principal has eliminated with many of the programs that made the school unique and as parents, we find it difficult to justify the ever increasing cost of tuition. Bullying is not dealt with promptly, nor effectively. The many Title 1 students, especially those in the upper grades, dilute and detract from the learning experiences of the children that can speak and read English. There are several children in the upper grades that can barely read at all, in spite of the availability of help. It is not a school that fosters friendship or student creativity, as it did in previous years. Art class is spent listlessly trolling the Internet.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to St. Stan's as a child. And, I am proud that my son is now a student. The new principal has made a fantastic impact at St. Stan's- new curriculum, after-school activities, etc. I would not be surprised if there is a waiting list for St. Stan's within the next year.
--Submitted by a parent