The Cathedral School

As an upper schooler who s been at the school since Kindergarten, I ve thrived in Cathedral s atmosphere and learned a lot from some outstanding teachers - and had some trouble with others, but personal vendettas aside, Cathedral is an excellent school. I have paid attention as tuition has nearly doubled since my family joined the community more than a decade ago, and I ve watched as the administration and other powerful figures at Cathedral have started to morph the school s image into a somewhat elitist one. They ve now spent millions of dollars needlessly to rearrange and reconstruct parts of the landmarked building so that it may become a 21st Century School . The school may be headed down a path that ends in disaster, but that doesn t detract from the reality that my education has been exceptional.

Our child has had an OK experience at Cathedral-glad to have her graduating though. Some teachers are interested in really trying to help your child- others not so much. One drawback is their lack of a Math specialist. Also, it seems like there is a high turnover of teachers. The parent body is terrific and many administrators are warm and responsive.
—Submitted by a parent

The tuituion has gone up 43% in 4 years ostensibly to hire and retain well trained faculty. The effort seems to be very disjointed with uneven hiring and an inordinate amount of shifting teachers among grades.
—Submitted by a parent

wonderful small school with excellent music arts and community connected to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. An Upper West Side gem with wonderful families and a beautiful setting.
—Submitted by a parent

wonderful small school with excellent music arts and community connected to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. An Upper West Side gem with wonderful families and a beautiful setting. I dislike the newish principal who is cold and has shut out parents but the overall feel of the school is still kind, creative and gives excellent preparation for high school and produces children with a good sense of who they are.
—Submitted by a parent

Cathedral provides a traditional education within a strong, supportive community. The program is rigorous, and the teachers accessible and supportive. The curriculum is integrated such that the arts tie into wha the child studies in social studies or math or science. Classes are small, and parents are very involved. The only downside of the school is the lack of much of an extracurricular program. The athletic program is weak, but this is not necessarily a bad thing for the lower school. The teachers are phenomenal, both as educators and as people. The principal joined the school two years ago from Trinity and brings a new level of professionalism to the school. I have been thrilled with the education my child received at Cathedral. It is a gem, particularly with its lovely Close.
—Submitted by a parent

Cathedral is a warm, nurturing and diverse community. Because it is small, no child slips through the cracks. A rich music program includes the opportunity to become a member of the choir of St. John the Divine. The school is colocated with the Cathedral, and thus the grounds are unusually beautiful. The school is traditional in educational philosophy, but is not a pressure cooker. Parents are very involved in the school, and come from many interesting backgrounds -- not your typical assembly of bankers and lawyers. Academics, intellectuals, artists. There are many stellar teachers. Children do go to evensong every week, but services are multi-faith and multicultural, and contribute to the schools's culture of thoughtfulness and tolerance.
—Submitted by a parent