Academy of St. Joseph (The)

We love this school. Our preK aged boy happily goes every morning and comes home every day having learned something. He has made freinds there, learned to interact with others, learned to share and lewrned all kinds of skills. Every morning is a wonderful school wide assembly where the students begin their day and parents can attend. It's a wonderful community. The teachers are caring and quickly reach out (and are accessible) if there is a perceived issue. The headmaster, Ms Coombs, is energetic, caring, focused and extremely accessible. A great school .... Which is growing every year!
—Submitted by a parent

AoSJ is a wonderful school filled with great teachers, parents and kids. It is a small nurturing school where the kids all know each others names. Our child is intellectually engaged and has made many sweet friends. As parents, we have found that the school is a nice community. The only drawback I can see is that because it is small it doesn't offer transportation or have sports teams yet. Other than that we are very happy.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my children (K and Pre-K) are very happy in this school. The support of the head of the school and her assistant is tremendous. There are several outstanding teachers in this school who made a difference in lives of my children. This school's community feels like a big family, where each child is valued and will not be ever left behind. I highly recommend visiting this school and meeting teachers. Today is the first week of summer break, and my kids are already asking when they are going back to school.
—Submitted by a parent

I cannot believe another year has gone by at AOSJ! Next year looks even better with enrollment nearly doubling! We get bigger and better every year thanks to the hard work of the fabulous teachers and Ms. Coombs! What a truly great community we have built. I look forward to all the new families we have joining us next year. Thanks to everyone who makes this a special place!
—Submitted by a parent

St. Joseph is a really nice school and we are so happy there. Our children like knowing almost all the kids and teachers by name. The families are friendly and definitely care a lot about the school. It is definitely a happy place where you can see the kids are glad to be! We have regular meetings with the teachers and feel like we know exactly how our kids are doing.
—Submitted by a parent

We have a son at St. Joseph's and we couldn't be happier. The class size has worked out very well for him. He has about ten other children in the class. Their are 2 teachers - a lead and her assistant. His teacher is very skilled and really loves her job. That makes a big difference. The school has introduced many new after school activities and already has good teachers in place for music, art, gym etc. Families are nice too. I just noticed the post from Angela which reminded me to mention that she is amazing !
—Submitted by a parent

Greetings, My name is Angela Coombs. I am the Head of School for the Academy of St. Joseph. I welcome you to visit our wonderful school and to contact me with any questions that you may have. My door is always open. I can be reached at 212-243-5420. Welcome!
—Submitted by a teacher

My son's in the K class at St. Joseph's and really loves it. The teachers in the school are amazing, as is the principal. They all really care about each child. The families are also very nice and down to earth. Our son loves playing with his friends and hasn't had any complaints. He really respects both of his teachers and loves art, music and gym. The class is stimulating and enriching and we are really happy there!
—Submitted by a parent

Really a troubled school. The kindergarten class has several kids that seem to be undiagnosed children with severe behavior and anger problems. We have lost a few students becuase of it, and will lose a few more at the end of the year. The headmistress really has a difficult time dealing with these situations. Mid-year, she demoted the kindergarten teacher to an assistant, and brought in a new K teacher, thinking that would help. Nope. One of the most violent of the boys, his parents have donated all kind of things, including a weekly fitness class. The headmistress can definitely be bought. I cannot wait to leave.
—Submitted by a parent

What I find so interesting about this school is there is a group of very happy parents who write a lot of reviews (the head of school and pta memers do, too) but there are many unhappy parents. Most families leave after two years, which says a lot. Only two teachers have stayed at the school for two years, and only one of these has been asked to step down and become an assistant. If you scroll down a bit, you do find reviews that mention some of the issues here. They get bumped back by the happy review writers, but there are very real issues here that should not, for our children's sakes, be ignored.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son is in Kindergarten and my husband and I are very happy with every aspect of this school. The teachers are among the best in the city. Young, motivated and very engaging. The school and its wonderful principal Miss Coombs are holding up to very high standards not only in academics but also in creative and social aspects. The communication between the proncipal, the teachers and the parents is very open and productive. as a parent I feel very much engaged in my son's daily life at school. And our son already made a lot of progress and a lot of friends. It's a small school with a very family oriented and nurturing environment. The location is great too. In the middle of the West Village on a tree lined street. The building is beautifully renovated and immaculate. We are very happy here and are looking forward to the years to come.
—Submitted by a parent

Academy of St. Joseph's has been a dream come through for our 1st grader. He goes to school motivated to learn and comes home with enthusiasm about his day's experience. The principal, Ms. Coombs, is one of the most focused, diligent, and caring principals we have ever met. She greets the students in the morning, shares a positive note or quote with the students during assembly, and is the last to leave in the evenings. Her commitment to the students' well being is evident the moment you enter the building, and her passion for education is boundless.
—Submitted by a parent

As the parent of a Kindergartener, I couldn't be more pleased with the education and amount of individualized attention my child receives at this school. The administration and staff take great care in developing the children, academically, emotionally and socially. This is a very positive and nurturing environment where attention to detail is the order of the day. Since joining Academy of St. Joseph, my child has become more confident and self-motivated, and his academic progress shows it. This is in no small part the result of an incredible and experienced Head of School who takes a very active roll in the classrooms and demands the best of herself, her staff and her students. The children know this and respond to it.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is in the Kindergarten class and my husband and I couldn't be happier. We will be sending siblings there as well! The school's principal is completely dedicated to ensuring that the children are educated both academically and socially. She is caring and completely accessible to all of the families. The teachers at the school are top-notch -- they look at each child individually to continually assess strengths and weaknesses. I know that several children are advanced in reading, writing and math and that the teachers (K, 1st Grade and the Principal) ensure that they are challenged. I would say that what makes this school truly unique is its size and the amount of individualized attention that each family gets from teachers and the administration. This is a school that truly cares about its kids and the families that couldn't be kinder. Finally, the school also offers a complete after school program ranging from violin to soccer to art.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my first year as a parent in this school and without a doubt, my 6 yo son in first grade has flourished beyond my wildest expectations. There is an open communication policy between the parents and teachers including weekly newsletters with pictures. The director of the school has done a great job providing a loving and inspiring environment and I would highly recommend this school.
—Submitted by a parent

The Academy's Community is a second family. My daughter is in K here, and came up through the Academy's pre-K program. These years have been transformative for my her academic development, but I am impressed with the emphasis on character development that is central to the school's mission. The families that the Academy attracts appreciate a strong sense of community, and we share a strong bond and love for our hidden gem of a school. There is not one child in my daughter's class that I hesitate to have her around. She doesn't come home with bad words or exposure to themes her father and I don't approve of. It's a wholesome environment that we absolutely love, and good things keep happening for the Academy! We can't wait to welcome more families to our growing school!
—Submitted by a parent

Yes, there are definitely discipline problems in this school. The K class seems like a dumping ground for hyperactive and other strange little boys. Not a nice experience at all for our child. We're considering pulling out and enrolling in public. I had such high hopes for this school.
—Submitted by a parent

I think at one time this was a nice school. It is not now. Our dc goes here and there is a very violent child who seems like a special needs kid in the K class. He seems to punch or bite or kick someone every five minutes and kids are getting hurt. The director won't throw him out, but nothing she has tried has worked. We are losing many good families becuase of this.
—Submitted by a parent

Catholic but inclusive. Orthodox but liberal. And in the heart of Greenwich Village. What's not to like?

Thoroughly impressed and highly recommend -- this school is incredible 'on paper'. What parent doesn't want their child to have foreign language exposure as early as Pre-K-3? But the true amazement doesn't come until you experience the school. . . . a head of school who greets you every morning, not just on the first day of school, teachers who email weekly newsletters and more individualized correspondences as often or infrequently as you request, and childhood development opportunities such as leading morning assembly that simply can't be found elsewhere. Visiting this school will not be a disappointment. I'm sure that any Academy parent you approach will tell you the same. (Daughter in Pre-Kindergarten)
—Submitted by a parent