Atheneum Elementary School

We started our son here this year (third grade.) We moved him because he was clinically diagnosed as depressed. It was not therapy that broke the depression, but the move to this school. Our son loves the humor in his class, and has more friends now. The curriculum is challenging, and the staff very flexible working with each kid. We are really thankful we found this gem of a school.
--Submitted by a parent

My son is very happy and very challenged at this school. He has benefited not only from the curriculum but from teachers who understand what best engages gifted children. In addition, he is surrounded by other highly motivated children who are incredibly creative, inventive, articulate, and (for better or for worse) have a highly developed sense of humor. I only gave four stars because I feel there should be more opportunities for the children to begin mastering a foreign language. Otherwise the academics are outstanding.
--Submitted by a parent

This school was the absolute best thing that has happened for my child (educationally speaking)! We moved her to the Atheneum program, which is a magnet school for highly/profoundly gifted students, when she was so bored and unchallenged at our district's school that she became depressed. Imagine having to get a psychologist for a 6 year old because the school couldn't/wouldn't challenge her. The first words out of this 6 year old's mouth after visiting the school was, 'I want to go here, because they're going to let me think!' Pretty sad commentary on where she had been (which, by the way, was a top-rated school itself). This child spent 4 years in this school has now moved on to their middle school. For a highly/profoundly gifted child, Atheneum is an amazing program with incredible teachers trained in Gifted Education as well as an administration that is supportive of the program.
--Submitted by a parent

We love it at Atheneum. We moved our child here from District 196 where he was bored and unchallenged. It was a great year and we are looking forward to next year. Small school - teachers care, kids know each other, principal always available to talk and visible around the school.
--Submitted by a parent