Community Charter School of Cambridge

I am writing this review as a parent who went through some sort of boot camp with my child. My son isn't wanted at the school so he faces an expulsion. He has ADHD and sometime receives behavior detentions, sometimes he receives hw detention. He has blessed someone for sneezing and got in trouble, missed a step on his homework and received hw detention. A friend of mine has a daughter who received detention for placing her homework in the wrong bin. They suspend and expell students often, the amount of kids in detention daily is unbelieveable and do are the reasons. I never knew how bad it was. I pray that more parents come forth and review this school. I saw a segment on the news about Charter schools and was horrified but it was too late. They have been doing alot of school cleanings lately, I hope this school gets properly cleaned. Our children are our future. They should not be faced with embarassment and low self esteem.
--Submitted by a parent

CCSC made statewide headlines for its 10th grade MCAS scores this year. They ranked #1 in the state in math with 100% scoring proficient/advanced on the test. Four years ago, many of these same kids scored poorly as seventh graders. In four years and in time to get the attention of good colleges, the kids are all succeeding. Whats more, every graduate from 2009,2010 and 2011 gained admission to college. Almost all of them went to four year schools. Places like Dartmouth and Bryn Mawr and Cornell... UMass, Boston College, Wheaton... This school doesnt get the credit it deserves... Great great school.
--Submitted by a parent

The teaching is excellent at the school. The kids are safe and happy. I definitely disagree with one of the reviewers. You should visit the school- kids are totally engaged and will even come up to you in the hall or class and let you know what's going on in the school. I'm really impressed with the college acceptance rate and the fact that kids are focused on their future. I'm also really touched by the role of the advisors. Parents get calls home regularly- and not just for bad things. Kids are known well here, and that's really unique.
--Submitted by a parent

CCSC is a good school, and it has the potential to be a great school. As noted by other reviewers, the facility is lacking--no gym, cafe, auditorium, lockers or library larger than a broom closet. Extracurricular activities are slim to none. But I disagree with other posters about the teachers--they are dedicated and talented. And unlike unionized teachers, they don't "punch out" at quitting time. My one criticism is that parental involvement in the running of the school (e.g., hiring committees) seems to be discouraged. Also, while student community is certainly valued, no effort is made to help parents get to know each other.
--Submitted by a parent

Hate this school. There isn't any cafeteria, gym, or lockers, and the teachers are extremely strict (I got a detention for forgeting to put my name on the homework). Also, there's an enomous amount of homework. The teachers aren't that great, and they act like they can't wait for the day to be over. Since there's 20-25 kids per class, you can't get any one-on-one time unless you stay after school. If you go to this school, you'll have to spend 3-4 hours on homework just to get a passing grade.

This school gives a lot of work and the kids don't really seem happy. I would go around the school and everyone looked dead and sad. You might want a good education for your kids but you need to care about their happiness, if a child is not happy they cant do good work, and they will fail all their classed, if you care about your child's happiness don't send them here.
--Submitted by a parent

I hate this shool. This school is all talk but really no game at all. I would only recommend this school if your child has no life and is ready to spend lots of time on homework. I would say more that 3 hours and up if your entering for the 9th grade. And as you go to 10th,11th, and 12th it increases.
--Submitted by a student

This school is all about learning. The faculty and staff care about the kids and it's a close knit community. Disipline is harsh, but is consistant with Charter school policy. If a child wants to excel, there is every opportunity for them to do so. They can be tutored by mit and harvard students and resubmit and redo homework or quizes if they want to get better grades. They have AP classes for the older kids, and in the first graduating senior class this past year, one student got a full scholarship to Cornell! I think this school is a somewhat unknown gem in the Boston area, which is why my child was able to get in through the lottery! I highly recommend this school!
--Submitted by a parent

It's a great school that has been making good progress on how to deal with the kids. They have a great system in place as far as academic and discipline wise.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a new school so it has not yet had the chance to find it's voice. It's a great school for parental involvement - parents are an integral part of school community and formation. The first year was a rocky and experimental year - the community was shocked to see how many disruptive, troubled kids were enrolled here for 'babysitting'. The result is an almost 'over disciplined' approach, that works, but is sometimes harsh. The teachers are passionate and full of young energy, but lack experience. It's a very touchy-feely liberal place, too full of 'diversity' training. Long school days are great for working parents, but tough on kids who have no time for friends, sports and chores. Classes and subject matter are interesting. There's a uniform dress code.
--Submitted by Elizabeth, a parent