The Purnell School

You know how these reviews work... it seems the disgruntled people are the only ones who feel compelled to write a review. People who take the time to write a positive review have to be truly impressed. So, I guess I'm one of those rare people who writes a positive review. (Full disclosure - I went to an all-girl high school, not boarding. But typical of most high school students we had excuses for not doing homework or anything else we were supposed to do, etc, lots of drama. As I remember too, our parents weren't always convinced by our side of the story.) Purnell is not perfect, no place is. I wish they had more trips to NYC on the weekends, but it seems that few parents want to pay for that. To compare it to a treatment center is, well... bizarre. It was a fantastic school for my daughter, who has grown in confidence and improved her academics. It has been a change in direction for her, as her last few years have been a downward slide to a failing year in 8th grade. The turn-around has been remarkable, and we have to believe it was the Purnell program that did it for her. It wasn't the first program we tried, but it was the first program that worked. I would recommend it.
--Submitted by a parent

I am so happy we chose Purnell for our daughter. She just started in September and is blossoming due to the wonderful learning experiences. I am shocked by the negative comments on this page. The teachers have been great. This school was recommended to us by an alumnae of the school. We were shown around the school by a student and there were no negative surprises. I would highly recommend this school.
--Submitted by a parent

As an alum of the school, I am very proud of Purnell and what it did for me. I went on to a great school, Boston U, graduated, and am working in NYC and getting ready to enter graduate school. If it wasn't for the teachers at Purnell, the extra support that I was given, and the nurturing, I wouldn't have had confidence to be successful. To Purnell, I am always grateful.

First Purnell looks at each child and determines their learning style and uses this information in the classroom to teach. Second, Purnell helps the students to recognize their strengths and how to build upon those strengths. We have been very pleased with the immediate response from our daughter s advisor and teachers regarding any questions or concerns that we have had. We see that they work hard to help and accommodate our daughter whenever necessary which we truly appreciate
--Submitted by a parent

I am a student who actually loves Purnell. I came here because I needed support academically because I have audio processing deficiencies. Teachers give assignments that are hands-on and teach in a way that allows me to understand; they don't just lecture. I get guided lecture notes, follow my assignments on moddle and work in group projects. This is just a few examples. Having office hours everyday and if the teacher doesn't have the resources they get them. If people aren't happy with the school, then maybe it wasn't the right fit for them. But for me, I am glad that I came.
--Submitted by a student

As the parent of a former Purnell student I feel the need to warn other people about the false advertising of this school. Firstly the admissions team directs the tour to fit your daughters need. For example my daughter had a learning disability so the admissions team told us all the learning tools they offer which are great don't get me wrong but as I spoke to another parent I learned that they were lured into the school by the performing arts program and her daughter got to Purnell and it was an awful fit due to the emotional issues from the other students. Hence it is also being advertised as a school for the emotionally disturbed. I sent my daughter to this school from a far distance hoping she would have many weekend activities, but my daughter was in for a surprise. A majority of the students are 5 day borders and go home very frequently. It is no surprise that the enrollment has gone down to under 100 students. For a 50,000 education I was expecting staff that did not talk about students, more attentive staff, dorms without bed bugs, and lastly an honest admissions staff.
--Submitted by a parent

As a current student, I can't say I'm happy with the environment here. The teachers and some students (not all) don't make much of an effort to make this place nice. There's a lot of racist jokes going on, and many times when I walk by somewhere there are teachers gossiping and making fun of students. I have witnessed this many times. The living conditions aren't great. The dorm rooms are infested with bugs. They are letting us live in these unsatisfactory conditions, and I'm not happy. Actually, the teachers aren't nice in general. One time they made us clean the dining hall even though we didn't mess it up and they *refused* to feed us dinner until we finished! I am starting to feel very uncomfortable here. I would strongly advise you to look elsewhere.

My daughter has excelled and come into her own since attending Purnell. The teachers and administrators work with my daughter and me to insure her success.
--Submitted by a parent

I am an educational consultant who recommends schools to parents. I used to suggest students to this school, but it is clear now that Purnell School has lost its way. The enrollment has taken a dramatic fall in the past several years while other boarding schools have held their own, so it is not the economy. While the school showed real promise in the early 2000s with a dynamic agenda for students with learning disabilities, this school no longer serves this population well. The Director is punitive and lacks the finesse needed to sell the program. The tuition has risen dramatically without much additional benefit. In fact, the enrollment is so low, a recent parent said it felt like a treatment center. I use to recommend Purnell and hope it finds its way again soon but for now, it is all talk.

The school has a wonderful caring staff. How they deal with the more entitled kids and parents is a wonder, It doesn't matter how wealthy you are; if your daughter acts up, she is out. The administration doesn't tolerate bad behavior by staff, either. I admire the gutsy, principled way the head mistress has lead the school. Best of all, my daughter will go on to the college of her dreams with confidence and a solid academic foundation.
--Submitted by a parent