Chapin School

Excellent school! My child is receiving a fantastic, well-rounded, challenging education as well as small class sizes and caring teachers. We could not have asked for better.
--Submitted by a parent

Great school, every child matters. I have 3 children at Chapin, and we brought them over from a Montessori program which we felt did not provide the overall mix of academic, social and character for our children. The school has a great community where both students and parents closely interact, and every student truly feels part of the Chapin family. The teachers and faculty are also not only great educators and people, but they really care for the best of the individual student and will listen closely to both the student and the parents to make any necessary changes. On top of the academically strong results we have seen, our kids get up in the morning looking forward to their day at Chapin, I really can't ask for more.
--Submitted by a parent

We transferred our two children to Chapin in grades 3 and 4 and believe it was one of the best decisions we could have made. While there are many schools in our area with strong academic programs, not all care about the "whole child". We love the strong sense of community at Chapin, the obvious commitment the teachers have to the school's philosophy, and how our children love to go to school every day.
--Submitted by a parent

Chapin s faculty and staff see the whole child and help them to grow into their potential. The teachers quickly get to know each student intimately recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and working with the child to become the best they can be with a strong sense of self confidence and ability to advocate for themselves. The faculty and staff have found a way to balance academics, character development, and a sense of community that is unique. All of this has combined to help my child have a successful experience in life post-Chapin: in high school, college and ultimately in the work place. Sumbitted by a past parent

Chapin offers nothing more than what our public school offers. It's all exactly the same, even the curriculum, teaching style, things they send home, everything. So why spend more money than what we are already paying in taxes. Ok, so the class size is a little bit smaller, but any good teacher knows how to deal with a bigger class size and make the subject enjoyable by even a larger class similar to a smaller one. It all depends on the teacher, and not on the school you go to. So, our kids are going to the local schools and not to Chapin, and we are happy with our decision.
--Submitted by a parent

At Chapin, our children enjoy their friends, but do not enjoy many of their classes. Individualized attention is talked about by the administration, but rarely exceeds the cursory level expected of any school. Students with advanced foreign language skills, even native speakers, sit through introductory classes. Essay rough drafts are returned to folders or mailboxes, and 95% of the feedback is spelling, punctuation and grammar. There is a great deal of memorization and busy work. Most classes are neither rich nor inspiring. There is very little creative thinking or discussion. A few teachers are excellent, but most are average or worse. Teachers appear to be unsupervised with regard to the quality of their teaching and their style of interaction with the students. The character program is used to maintain order among the students, but does not seem to apply to the teachers and administration, many of whom treat students, parents, and fellow teachers with as much disrespect, disdain and unfairness as they see fit. The Headmaster is cold and efficient. He should run a widget factory. If you live in a town with good public schools, Chapin has little to offer beyond its small size.
--Submitted by a parent

Our three children have been at Chapin School for the past five years and we couldn't be happier. More importantly they love it. The focus on academics, character and "generosity of spirit" is evident in all aspects of the school. In the Upper School (5th - 8th grade) our children are in class sizes for math and English of about 9 students. The individualized attention, especially for essay writing, means that each student meets with their teacher for one-on-one evaluations of their work. Our kids love going to school each morning and we love being part of the Chapin community.
--Submitted by a parent

Daughter was there for 6 years. Lower school was pretty good but upper school was poor compared to other alternatives. She was academically behind other schools when we transferred out. Constant rhetoric about being like a family, but there was a lot of nasty behavior from girls and boys. Headmaster is overly prudish and unresponsive to real issues. The school was very small with much more limited facilities and options than most other schools. We transferred to Hopewell public schools and are much happier and daughter is much happier.
--Submitted by a parent

Very disappointed. Uneven quality of instruction. Teachers and administration barely responsive. Much better options in the area.
--Submitted by a parent

Chapin is a school where each child counts. Everyone's opinion is valued and heard. Conflicts are resolved through modeling and teaching children very young how to talk through a situation to develop a win-win situation. Students are taught in fun interactive ways to help develop interest to encourage life long learners. And if that was not enough the Character Program that is honored throughout the school maintains a continuum of my families values.
--Submitted by a parent