Barrie School

As an Upper School parent, I'm pleased to see several significant new developmenst at Barrie: - A significant increase in enrollment next year. - A new endowment for Financial Aid. - Two new Upper School classdroom buildings employing cutting edge green architecture that are getting rave reviews. - The prospect of an entirely new Lower School Campus followed by more buildings for the Upper School. (A Special Exception has been filed with the County.) - A commitment to reorganize athletics to work better for a small school. - A spectacularly sucessful student written and student directed Spring Musical. My daughter is in 10th grade and we feel very pleased with the education, supportive environment, and experiences she is getting. It's been a busy year for the school and a very good one. Go Barrie!!
--Submitted by a parent

Commenting on two schools based on a visit? My kids have attended both Barrie and SSFS. You can t compare the two schools. SSFS is by far superior to Barrie on every issue that the previous reviewer raised. You can t compare a school that has ~15 students/grade (Barrie) to a school that has 45-55/grade (SSFS). . I ve had kids enrolled in multiple schools and there was more bullying at Barrie than any other school. The teachers just don t address the issue.

Barrie School is an excellent school for all children of many different backgrounds and all ages. My son has been there since he was 2 years old, my experience has been nothing but wonderful. He is in first grade now and he enjoys the wonderful campus, the horses in school, the teacher and his friends and his education. We are determined to keep him there til college. The new headmaster is a masterful leader and a great communicator who makes the school even better than it has been. The teachers have been there for a long time and have incredible experience. I rate Barrie school one of the top. I got into the school by a child counselor friends advice where she said, If you want cream of the crop you send your son to Barrie. I agree, I agree.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been at the Barrie School for the past 4 years and loves it. He thrives in the small supportive environment. The Middle School program set him up for success in High School. We have been impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the teachers. The new Head of School is moving Barrie in the right direction. The academic program is challenging and engaging. The Extended School Week program is fantastic.
--Submitted by a parent

I have two children at Barrie - one is starting high school and one is in Pre-K. Both levels offer tremendous hands-on experiences. The teachers really attend to the needs of each, individual child. They have loved and nurtured my children, and my high-schooler, who started as a Pre-K as truly thrived at Barrie.
--Submitted by a parent

Both my daughters attended Barrie from elementary school through high school graduation, and they have thrived in college as a result of the education they received there. When faced with a choice between the public g/t program and Barrie, we chose Barrie because we wanted them to be challenged and engaged, not overwhelmed and overworked. We never regretted the choice. The teachers at Barrie are amazing, and their hands-on philosophy of teaching ensures that kids stay interested and invested in what they re learning. When Barrie 4th graders learn about how mountains are formed, they hike up a mountain. When middle schoolers study buoyancy, they race cardboard boats across the swimming pool. When 9th Graders study cells, they make edible cells, where each part is represented by a food product. Beautiful campus. Great student-teacher relationships.
--Submitted by a parent

I have 2 sons who attend Barrie and the school has been an excellent place for both of them. They both started school as Montessori students at 3 years old. One son is a 4th grader and is a serious student in class. He is also athletic, kind, active and fun loving. At Barrie all of these traits are valued. He loves math and is able to excel at a perfect rate for him. My older son is an 8th grader. Barrie's Montessori program officially ends in the Middle School (6th grade). Barrie's Middle School was the perfect place for him to transition from the Montessori program. In middle school he has become more independent and responsible. Barrie has helped him discover new interests like mythology and drumming. He is a conscientious student that finds the perfect blend of enjoying life and getting his work done. Barrie has great teachers that love teaching and are excited about teaching kids from 2 years old to 12th grade. Barrie has a great Head of School always willing to listen to parents and work on ways to improve the whole Barrie experience. Barrie is an excellent academic institution that is diverse, safe, healthy, encouraging and enriching.
--Submitted by a parent

Barrie was the best choice for all three of my children. The school s philosophical approach to educating its children of all learning styles. Unlike some of the other comments I ve seen about the school, you don t have to be a ceratin type of child to flourish here and small class sizes prevent students from getting lost in the shuffle. If anything, the older students feel like they can t hide from their teachers. The students, themselves, have to learn to get along with one another because they have to be in such a close-knit community. Kids who need more time to attain a skill have the time to do so, and students who are ready to advance are supported to the highest levels of achievement. This is not your typical private school. If you want challenging education and a highly supportive community, Barrie is great! More than just teaching to the test (or prep for college), Barrie supports children in all aspects of their life.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been at Barrie School for 3 years and I love the program! The Montessori program is such a wonderful enviornment for children to become self motivated, curious and caring. It not only encourages the child to learn but also become respectful and kind to their classmates as well as adults. These traits are often lacking in todays society. These traits continue up through Barrie's high school students. The campus is beautiful and Barrie has a wonderul equestrian program and riding team. Barrie even uses the horses and ponies for classroom lessons which really engages the students.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is only good for children who are self-directed learners. The class sizes in the primary and elementary are huge which allows the children to not receive consistent instruction. The children are allowed a lot of choice in deciding what they will work on, particularly in the primary, which means that they may have a math lesson every now and then. Please do not send your child to this school if they have any learning disabilities or challenges because the administration/counselors are not helpful, encouraging, or receptive to different learning styles.
--Submitted by a parent