Advent School

I completely agree with the parent below regarding the anti-bullying policy. My child has experienced a clear case of bullying. Unfortunately, Advent has handled the matter quite poorly - often making excuses for the bully or accusing the victim of doing something to agitate the bully. While I respect that Advent investigates these matters before rushing to judgement, there needs to be clear policy which describes bullying in details and the consequences of such acts. Besides the anti-bullying or lack thereof, Advent has been a great place for my child - providing a creative and non-traditional learning environment where children learn so much more than an A-B-C curriculum. However, I don't believe that Advent caters to all types of learners - have seen some children who are really advance, but not challenged and some children who find the basics challenging, but don't receive enough support. However, I think that it's very important for the parents to acknowledge their child's abilities and either discuss with Advent or switch schools. All in all, Advent is a pretty good school - if you're looking for diversity and "out of the box" learning, it's the place for your child.
—Submitted by a parent

The school may say it has an not tolerance policy about bullying, cyber or otherwise, but they have been generally slow to act on consequences or handle situations effectively in this realm. There are open discussions and class gatherings weekly, but resolutions is not often timely. It is a cozy creative place best suited for precocious girls and quiet boys. It makes great use of resources the city of Boston has to offer such as the Esplanade, museum of Science and the various art museums. My children's classes are truly diverse- from socio-economic levels to ethnicity and same gender parents.This school can be accommodating , but is not able to or fully committed to supporting all types of learners. Most teachers love what they do and participate with gusto. There are too many board members for a school this size. The Reggio-Emilio approach really only applies to the ECC grade. Yoga has been enjoyed by my kids and for the most part they do well here.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm a 6th grader at the Advent School right now and i have to say that it is a great place! The normal class size is about 20 which I think is great size because, then everybody knows everyone. Also, I feel i have a very good connection with my teachers and am not afraid to ask questions. Another great thing about Advent is the anti-bullying policy. The school doesn't tolerate any kind of bullying and cyber-bullying. Getting back to having a small class, I have been able to raise my hand more often since I have been becoming more confident at the Advent School. The small class also means I get to feel more connected to my classmates then having a very large one.

The Advent School is an amazing place. The staff/teachers have made my daughter feel so loved and comfortable. The teachers make the parents and children feel so welcomed. Parents are invited into the class and it is nice to see what my daughter is learning. In addition, we receive daily blogs/updates from the classroom teachers. Class sizes are small. Advent is like a family, and the teachers really care deeply about the social and academic growth of the children. Since September, my daughter has learned more than I could imagine. She is in the ECC (Pre-Kindergarten) and starting to read. Her vocabulary has improved and she is always interested in learning new words. I love how her teachers direct new themes based on the children's interest. I also really like how they explore the local area (Esplande, Public Garden). In addition, the specialist classes are fantastic (yoga, PE, Music,Art, Science, Library). My daughter is receiving a well rounded high quality education. It is a special place, and I am thrilled to have my daughter at Advent. I would highly recommend it to parents!!!
—Submitted by a parent

We love this school. Our children are receiving a top education not only in the academic realm but in understanding how to be contributing citizens. They learn so much more than basic math or reading. Free from standardized testing they spend their time delving into thematic studies where they explore in depth subjects like Ancient Egypt or the Amazon forest. Here they embrace the wonder of learning, making connections and understanding many perspectives. The upper grades thematic presentations are so inspiring. The leadership is experienced, insightful and innovative. One parent, a neuropsychologist, told me that this school's leadership understood more about how children learn years before the research caught up! Their approach to finding the right school for the graduating sixth grade is thoughful and tailored to what is right for your child. It is so reassuring to know that they really care about their next move. Finally, the Advent School is a second home for our children. The staff really care about the students, you only have to walk around during the day to see this in action. Seeing our children's happiness makes us so grateful to be in this community.
—Submitted by a parent

I respecfully disagree with the statement that "Reggio Emilia is just a marketing gimmick". It's widely recognized as a highly effective model of early childhood education. Educators from all over the country come to the Advent School to learn how to implement such a program. Is it for every kid? No, some need more structure. Some are not as self-motivated and need more drilling in "the basics". But for most children, this school is amazing. No, they don't sit them down all day long and drill on rote learning. They engage the children and get them to discover things for themselves and in doing so, internalize the knowledge and learn to apply it to other areas of study. My child gets individualized homework assignments, tailored to his particular level. He was challenged and enthused about school from the very beginning. I couldn't recommend The Advent school more highly. And the notion that only the wealthy parents get the attention is way off base. If anything, they bend over backwards to get a broad range of parents to participate in setting the direction of the school.
—Submitted by a parent

Advent has been a second home to us. We are a new family in Advent's Early Childhood Center. We found everything that we were looking for... progressive education, amazing teachers, small class size, diversity and involved families. If this is the kind of education you want for your child and the kind of community you want for your family, Advent is the place!!
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a student in the ECC class at Advent. The beginning of the year, starting a new school, has been a smooth transition. Mainly because of her amazing teachers and small class size. Advent is such a welcoming community and my daughter "loves" school. I am thrilled with the daily email journals that the teachers send home. I feel so connected to the classroom and the journals allow me to talk to my daughter about her school day. Teachers truly care about the students' academic and social development. I was also very impressed that Advent had Parent/Teacher conference the second week of school. This allowed the teachers and parents to learn more about each other and it was a great opportunity to discuss your individual child. My daughter has only been at the school a few weeks and I am extremely pleased with her academic development. I am an educator, and I am pleased with the curriculum. In addition, Advent offers so many amazing enrichment class. Each week, my daughter attends Yoga, Music, Art, PE and Science. Finally, the after school program is amazing!! They offer "courses" (art, Spanish, music, dance) this extends the learning until 5pm.
—Submitted by a parent

My child also did not thrive at this school. Teachers do not teach the basics. There is no math program at all. Our child attended from ECC - first grade and was greatly behind when we transferred out. If your child is not a natural reader and needs guidance..this is not the school for you. We were so excited when we were accepted to attend this school and found ourselves underwhelmed year after year.
—Submitted by a parent

I completely echo the comments dated on 10-21-2010. And couldn't agree more. Our children's academic benchmarks slipped from over 80 percentile to less than 50 percentile in the one year they attended. We have since increased extracurricular activities and changed school. As a result, both our children have returned to their academic excellence. The primary problem at the school relates back to their leadership. We would highly recommend you avoid enrolling your children. You are better off taking a risk in the Boston Public School system and supplementing with other educational programs.
—Submitted by a parent

My child had an horrible experience in this school and has thrived elsewhere. I will mention information that may be constructive and useful to other parents. The main attraction of the school is its location which per se is a bit sad since this is not a piece of property. The Reggio Emilia approach is mostly a marketing gimmick. Your child could be assigned to a freshly hired teacher who never heard about it. This school and its teachers are not well equipped to deal with all sorts of children. Girls and quiet boys may do better. Inquiring about the teachers as well as the students turn over may be helpful. Finally I recommend to take the tuition insurance so that finances are not an issue in case one wants to transfer to another school
—Submitted by a parent

My child attended Advent for K through 6. It's a great little school that emphasizes respect and collaboration among peers and instills a true love of learning. The focus is on learning as a process, not rote nor competitive learning. Children become thinkers and problem-solvers. Classes are small and stay together throughout K through 6. Students are diverse socially, economically, and in terms of learning style. My kid went on to a very competitive secondary school and a tiptop college. I give Advent a great deal of credit for my kid's social skills, character, and love of learning.
—Submitted by a parent

As noted, the school core values and thematic studies are its core strengths. The students interact with each other across grade levels which creates a cohesive school environment. The administration at the school however leaves much to be desired as parent feedback tends to be ranked by wealth and thus many parents, particularly those who are less affluent feel voiceless at the school. There needs to be work done on classroom management over child psychology as a solution to behavioral issues. This issue is not exclusive to the Advent but permeates the teaching staff due to the administration's focus on it. Also the school is putting a tremendous focus on the lower grades and the upper classes are suffering because of it.
—Submitted by a parent

The Advent School offers an exceptional level of instruction in a cosy and warm environment that feels like home. The Beacon Hill location allows for all sorts of city-oriented activities and learning opportunities. Most of all, the Advent students are all confident, caring, and excited about learning, which says more to me about the school than any other metric.
—Submitted by a parent