Keith Country Day School

Keith School seems to be struggling, in many ways. I have been a parent there for many years. I thought the school went well beyond what other schools offer. I now realize that the only real difference is the small class size, in comparison to public schools. There are many dedicated educators at Keith. There are also teachers there who are not accomplished in the classes they teach. These are the teachers who are bringing the school down. Parental involvement is great! Many stay at home Moms are the driving force, and the influence. I believe many of the fund raising events are dwindling. There will always be the affluent who will pick up the slack. The "higher ups" need to begin listening to the parents about problems that have occurred. Ignoring them does not make them go away! And parents do not forget! Our children are our future! We are looking for the best education we can find for our children. It now appears that money cannot buy the best, as some may think! And we, as parents, are realizing we have not been getting our money's worth! Could be why enrollment is now suffering!
—Submitted by a parent

We have two children at Keith school. We have been there for years. We have been very happy. Last year was a little shakey with all the staff changes but they have been changes for the better. Sometimes changes are needed in order to grow an improve. It was sad to see the old head go but the new head of school has accomplished so many great things in a short period of time. I know there are more great plans for the school in the near future. We love it because the children feel safe and at home there. The academics are great, especially when you get into the middle and upper schools. You are encouraged to try so many things: sports, drama, chorus, band, orchestra, Latin, Spanish, scholastic bowl. In middle and upper therea student can have as many as 11 subjects. that is my childfavorite part of school is being able to have every day be different with the 6 day rotsting schedul. There are many clubs to join. The teachers are always available to help the students. The parents are a supportive community. I know that our children will truly be prepared for college and life when they graduated from Keith.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has gone downhill very fast. In this past year they have hired two bad teachers, and fired one of the best heads of school in recent memory. The Board of Trustees runs this school and they run it poorly. They do not manage money well and the make bad decisions. If you asked me a year ago this school would have gotten 5 stars instead of 3. The soccer and volleyball programs are the only good athletics. The parents think this school is so great but it does not live up to the hype. They have a weak Spanish, and English department. The only positive thing going for this school is their history department, and the math department. The school is nearly bankrupt and I guarantee that in 5-7 years this school won't exist. I'm telling you the truth and I am not writing this out of anger because I have been bullied or had a bad experience. I've been at this school for 5 years and now I'm in high school. Some of the things that have happened made me question this school integrity.

Keith continues to be an outstanding school and a gem in the community. In addition to providing excellent academics, the school teaches lessons in character, leadership, and service to others. I have been extremely happy with my children's experiences at Keith. We are not a wealthy family, but the school helps us by providing financial help. If you value excellent education in a safe, caring environment where teachers are truly dedicated, look into Keith Country Day School!
—Submitted by a parent

I have been going to this school for my whole life and I love it. I am still going to keith and its my 1st year in 6th grade and its wonderful in middle school! Not one person at our school is rude or mean.

We have four children who have attended schools all over the country. The only school that met the needs of all our children (gifted & special needs) was Keith. Our children really misses the dedication of the teachers & the great college preparation they received while at Keith. If you want a great college prep school education for your children and live within commuting distance of this school-send them to Keith. We were sad to leave this great school to move out of state.

The time and attention of the faculty and the concern and interest of the parents make me feel very confidant in our choice for our young son.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to Keith from 1st-8th grade and thought it was excellent. I went to Boylan Catholic High School for high school because I wanted more of a social life than Keith offered, however I tend to regret that decision now. Keith gets a bad reputation from a lot of people in Rockford and the area, but the education is phenomenal. And the prep for college is by far the best in the city. They will prepare you for a good college, and more importantly, make sure you get into one. If I still lived in Rockford I would certainly send me kids here.

Keith Is above average due to the excellent curriculum that they offer. Each student has classes formed around their abilities to accommodate their performance. But the students are cruel to each other, psychologically they treat each other terribly and in realistic terms the bullying here is more severe then any other school I have attended. Do not send you boy or girl here is they are prone to have any problems, like ADD, ADHD, Tourettes, etc. They will be crucified, and the staff does nothing about it. Sad truth, Keith is terrible. and their athletics program is terrible, they have at the most 4 or 5 sports to do, all way underfunded. Just do not send your kid here unless they are VERY sociable.

Athletics. You you kidding? In 2006 the volleyball team and cross country team won conference titles, with the volleyball team winning the regional. In 2007 the cross country and golf team won the conference and the volleyball team took second in the state while winning a regional and sectional title. In 2008 the cross country and golf teams repeated. In 2009 the girls tennis team won the sectionals and the boys soccer team took third in the state winning a conference, regional and sectional title along the way. There is a not another small school in the state with the athletic success that Keith has had in the past years. The coaching staff consists of several former professional athletes and division 1 players. The academics continues to be at the highest level. Several of the recent grads have gone on to compete in college. Do your homework before writing your review.
—Submitted by a parent

I am in high school at Keith and i think you all diserve the truth. many things are not enforeced as many of the other reviews have stated. the few people that see keith as the only thing that could compare to the hand of God himself are boastful because of a personal experience. as a whole i have seen very few people that can say 100% or even 50% that they believe it is the best school. parents are raving about this school constantly, but the truth is... they do not attend the school. it may have been the best when they attended, but in its present state, it does not even have air conditioning. its closely delapidated state makes it one of my least favorite places to be for 8 hours a day. The family atmosphere is the only thing i can approve here as great at keith.
—Submitted by a student

Keith School is a fantastic college prep school. The teachers are excellent and the small class size contributes to a close-knit student body. With few exceptions, the students are self motivated and very responsible, allowing leniency in policy. It is generally accepted in the community that, academically, this is by far the best school around. If you are looking for a sports school - don't come here. Sports can be enjoyed by all here but this is not the driving force for these mostly academic students.
—Submitted by a parent

i am a student attending keith right now. i am going into high school next year and i dont know what to do. I have a FEW good friends. the reason why i say few is because the classes are sooooooo small it is impossible. i have known these same people from kindergarten. i don't really want to go to Keith next year becuase it is too small. i would like to have a real high school experience. the teachers at Keith are great. But, if you are looking for a disciplinary school, it is not one bit keith. Keith is a school where you can do anything you want and easily, easily get out of it. the athletics are very undeveloped. the spanish department is semi-acceptional. the french department is great. the music is great. drama outstanding. mathematics are very good. science is kind of poor. social studies is good.
—Submitted by a student

Best School there is. Keith is one of the most Prestigious schools in the USA and if you want your child to get into a great college this is the school to go to. It prepares them for new challenges and levels of learning.
—Submitted by a parent

I definitely recommend this school to any family. I am so pleased with the education my 2 children are getting. When my daughter started 1st grade she was one of the only kids who could not read and her teacher worked with her extra hard and got her a special reading coach to get her caught up and within 3 months she was reading at a 3rd grade level. All of the parents and faculty are extremely kind and genuinely care about your child. The teachers do an excellent job of keeping you informed of your childs behavior and academics. I have never had any problems with any teacher and nor has my children. Also there is a great deal of ethnic diversity if you are thinking your child might not fit in.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family is thrilled with education our son is getting at Keith. Small classes, individual attention for both parents and students, FANTASTIC teachers that are responsive to any request and a lot less red tape you find at other schools. The business office is very good at keeping our family informed and the environment is like a second family to us. Definitely worth it!
—Submitted by a parent

I do not recommend Keith School for certain kids. At parents teacher comference the teacher told me my daughter has'nt been doing well for two weeks. We are talking about an AB student. Yet this teacher never picked up the phone to call me, or email me. In speaking to my daughter's teacher I could see an individual who could careless weather she learned or not. When this teacher told me my daughter wan't doing most of her work in class. I asked her what was she doing. Her responds 'I don't know'. I had reservations about Keith from the very begining. The astophere is cold as ice. Lower school head master will walk right by and not speak. Sometimes we as minorities want the best for our children and we think certain schools will give us that high quality education. Remember not all teachers want to teach every kid.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a pretty good school, but the students can be very mean to one another. When visitors come, often times the students will automatically decided whether they like them or not, and their fate is sealed. There seem to be two different groups of people-- the smart ones, who come because they want a good education, and the outright obnoxious people who talk and complain every second and to get out of doing homework. On the other hand, the teachers are GREAT. For the most part, they are very involved and kind. If you want to come to this school, visit first. See if you fit in with any group of people. If you don't, certain students will not make your time happy...
—Submitted by a student

I am not happy with the performance of the school, I know keith is known to be for above average students, but lately I am seeing that the science textbooks are too elementary and the students are not as hardworking compared to other schools
—Submitted by a parent

Highest quality. Great teaching. Small classes.
—Submitted by a parent