St. John the Evangelist School

We had three children at this school. There are some phenomenal teachers and some others. Principal is entrenched and highly supportive of a certain few. This is a very small community, and the cliques here are horrible, particularly for girls (and some parents are write very nice reviews). If you want a good Catholic education, well, the Sisters have left the building: you might consider public school with a strong parish CCD program instead. And don't forget to go to church! Our kids are in public school now, and while they see more "issues" amongst the kids, the teachers are about the same, the politics are way, way less, and we are a lot safer at pickup time because we are less likely to get mowed over by a wild Lincoln Navigator or Lexus.
—Submitted by a parent

My son loves this school and he enjoys learning much more than he did at his other school.
—Submitted by a parent

St John's is unique gem in the area. The older comments in this review about lack of facilities, etc. are out dated. The school has great technology (smartboards, computer lab, etc), a fenced-in play area for recess, great teachers and a culture that challenges a broad range of student ability to be what they can be. If you are concerned with too much homework then it could be your priorities are different than most parents that are investing in their child's education at St. Johns. The School board is open. There are no barriers to participation, except your willingness . So older comments about the school being run by a small group of individuals from a few years ago is incorrect. I have two children that went through St. John's and a third still in the school. They are prepared fr life. I highly recommend it.
—Submitted by a parent

St. John's is a great school. The teachers work hard to help students, the kids are nice, parents are greatly involved in school life and most importantly the school is safe and the kids have great potential to succeed. Kids are urged to help the public with recycling and donations. At SJS, your child(ren) make great friends and great grades. There are extracurricular activities and students that aren't succeeding get the help they need. Many kids that have graduated have came back and are succesfull in life. St. Johns prepares children for the outside world and makes it less scary. It is by far the best school on the North Shore, let alone Massachusetts.
—Submitted by a student

St. John the Evangelist school is rated one of the finest schools on the north shore. It is one of the few schools that cares for both those who need extra help and those who are ready for academic challenge. In both language arts and Math its students score well above national averages. My child has made excellent friends from good Christian families and I never worry when she asks to go to a friend's house. The teachers and administration are well educted dedicated and caring. My child's education might cost a little more, but it is worth every penny!
—Submitted by a parent

With the school year coming to an end, I wanted to express my gratitude for another great year at St. John's School. I have two children at SJS and feel very fortunate that I am able to send them to a school where they receive an excellent education (academic & spiritual). The faculty and staff at SJS are an extraordinary group of individuals with dedication you won't find elsewhere. SJS has a great curriculum that challenges the students in each grade, but also allows for their own creativity. There are numerous extras at SJS on the academic front as well as extracurricular activities for the students if they so choose. I don't think I could ask for a better school for my children! The tuition is worth every penny. Karen McCarthy and her entire staff and faculty are phenomenal and deserve tremendous praise for making SJS the great school it is!
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children a St. John and can t wait until they graduate. The academics are good, my kids get straight 'A's and test a full grade head of their public school peres. At the same time the environment is completely uncreative and rigid. Great place if you want your children to become academic machines and not question or think for themselves. There is no patience for students requiring help of any kind and many teachers do not know how to stimulate, encourage or engage boys. Don t expect a lot of teachers involvement after school hours. The Principal Karen McCarthy is closed to input.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to this school for 9 years and honestly I don't feel like it was the right thing for me. Transitioning to the public high school was incredibly difficult after St. Johns. I had never been with so many kids before, never experienced changing classes, never left my friends, and it was all so much to handle. I was really, really sad for a few months before I adjusted. The St. John's environment is very cliquey. Some of the teachers are great but some are not. The food is good. There is not really a lot of after school activities. Basketball and cross country are really the only sports. Also, there is no playground for kids at recess, it's just a parking lot. That really bothered me when I was younger. Overall it was probably not the best choice for me.
—Submitted by a former student

Some really dedicated teachers here, some of the best. Some seem burnt out. One classroom for every grade, very good if you like small schools. The alumni comments about money and bullying (below) are right on. Food is small in quantity, limited in selection, not very good in quality. School refers all 'problems' to outside counseling firm -- and the problems stay the same or get worse. Math is very strong, other subjects may vary. No nuns or brothers here -- run 100% by layteachers. If you are looking for a good Catholic education, I would recommend one with women religious (eg, Sisters of Notre Dame) or men religious (eg, Xaverian) running the show or at least involved -- these schools tend not to stray very far from their missions.
—Submitted by a parent

I am an alumni from SJS. Personally, the academics are great, the teachers really did prepare me for high school. However, the school is run by money. That is the only downside that I can remember, well except the fact that bullying is a major problem in the younger grades. The academics are wonderful and the middle school teachers, like Mr. Walsh and Mrs. French, are great.
—Submitted by a former student

This school is Great !! I absolutely love it. Food is great, Teachers of all grades are exellent. Mrs. McCarthy is the best principal. Otherwuise polo shirts and Khakis for a uniform, and school hours are 8:20-2:30. Also, there is a mass every first friday of a month and every Sunday and Saturday. We have a soccerfield, track, ski program aND BAasket ball at Endicott. The kids love it, too. Sign up for it!!!very safe, all kids supervised. We are also doing the Abitibi paper recycling. We earn money if u recycle here. Cant miss this school! Great quality. Catholic school.
—Submitted by a student

Leadership is low (good words, incongruent actions), teacher quality is really good, extracurricular activities low but XCountry/Basketball excellent, parent involvement poor (small circle of parents seem to be running this school), safety and discipline also poor and overall quality is in the middle. Might be a good choice if you want good education and get away from public school issues, but you may be trading your experience for different issues. Lastly, this is listed as a Catholic school, but aside from religion classes and Mass once a month, nothing else seems to be in common with the Faith -- not bad if your child is not Catholic.
—Submitted by a parent

Great School. You always feel that the number one goal is the quality of your children's education.
—Submitted by a parent

STRENGTHS: It has very good teachers in the majority of grades and our children learned fairly well here. Math/reading is strong. WEAKNESSES: Leadership is timid. School is 'parent run' by a select few: parent/student (and sometimes teacher) cliques exist. Discipline is laissez faire. Cleanliness/maintenance POOR. Technology classes are unstructured/weak. Lunch selections/quantity/quality poor. Enrollment has been falling (some not school's fault, some educational reasons, but many because of school issues). In summary, better than some public schools in the area, and if you can swing with the Beverly Farms crowd your child will swim through and get a really good education. Otherwise, recommend looking around: there are plenty of other Catholic schools in the area that have openings.
—Submitted by a parent

Academic integrity, self reliance and responsibility to the community are key features of this school. The students are encouraged to develop intellectually and spiritually. The teachers know their students abilites and help them achive to the highest caliber. The prinicipal is caring, personal and professional.
—Submitted by a parent

The academics are great if you plan on sending your child to a prep high school , but for regular kids going to regular high school, it's too much to handle. Too much is expected of the children and 3 hours of homework is the norm for the middle school. If you want to push your child way, way beyond their comfort zone, then this is the school of choice for you.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at this school and have been impressed with the strong academics, dedication to respect and responsibilty which goes along with strong Cathiloc values. The principal is professional, knows the names of all the children and a great leader. The staff are dedicated and include the following specialists art, reading, music, PE, library, and a full time RN. There is a great family atmosphere and support from the greater community. The extracurriucal activities include, ski club, cross country, basketball and bowling. There is a music insturment program after school and an after school program. Overall I feel fortunate to have my family part of this great school.
—Submitted by Sara, a parent