what makes a good school

A good school consists of teacher who show up early and stay late. The teachers want to be there and actually I ve children and teaching. Teacher are  that pick up in red flags and have the desire to help struggling children excel in the face of adversity. A good school is one that hand picks teachers and holds them accountable and encourages parent interaction. Finally, a good school should encourage independent thinking and constantly challenge themselves to be better than the day before!

Nick Donohue, President and CEO Nellie Mae Education Foundation

A good school is one that's student-centered. By this I mean one that's personalized. Where we meet learners where they are both in terms of needs and interests. It means we need to asses very clearly what their current level of learning is in order to move on to the next thing...

Rebecca Guadalupe, HeadStart supporter, Boston:

A good school has strong teachers, plenty of art materials-- 'cause we like arts and crafts-- and plenty of music. That's what a great school has.

Robert DeLeo, MA House Speaker, Winthrop: 

A good school is a school that prepares students very well for the future. And it also prepares students in terms of being good, respectful citizens as well.

Dan Riley, Marlborough STEM Early College High School, Marlborough:

I think a good school is first and foremost a place that keeps kids safe, allows them to learn in an environment that is rigorous, relevant and engaging.

Mark Smith, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Boston:

A good school happens in the community, where young people are learning in practical ways, with specific applications, and young people are also teaching others through their experience and perspective.

Kevin Coleman, Shakespeare in the Courts, Pittsfield:

A good school is one that excites students so much that at the end of the day, you have to throw them out of the building.

Liz Whitlinger, New England Aquarium, Abington:

I'm a kinesthetic learner, so being able do things with my hands really helps me learn. So I think the more that schools can help kids to learn in a way that works for them, the better our schools are.

Anita Walker, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Boston:

A good school is a place where a young person can exercise their creative mind.

1. A school with a vision.

2. A school which aims, focuses and provides learning opportunities for an overall growth and development of its pupils while retaining their individual essence.

4. A school with qualified, experienced and dedicated teaching staff which encourages its pupils to question explore and think for new answers.

5. A school which has the requisite infrastructure to meet the aims and objectives of the school.

6. A school which maintains good student-teacher ratio.

7. A school which is forthcoming in sharing its pupils progress with their parents at regular intervals.

8. A school which has counselling and guidance services /programs for its students and their parents.

9. A school which instills high self-esteem in its pupils and respect for one’s cultural and moral values.

 10. A school which dutifully aims for giving responsible, committed and patriotic citizens and leaders of tomorrow.

  All the best parents! We hope you make the right choice. 

A good school is...

One that values and cares for its people: both large and small.

David Leschinsky, founder Eureka Puzzles and Games,  Brookline:

What makes a school is an environment that engages children in a way that lights their imagination. The way I look at it, children are not vessels to be filled but flames to be ignited. They can develop curiosity about the world and they get the tools to understand how to learn and how to investigate it.

Cristina Knopp, Brookline:

Their school is a good school because there *is* a strong community. The parents are dedicated, the teachers are dedicated and there is some differentiated learning.

Erin Skinner, Brookline:

In my opinion, a good school is a place where the students feel comfortable and supported, where they feel safe, and where they can hopefully get excited about what they're learning and have the time and the resources to explore those things that excite them.

Natalie Gardino, Brookline:

A good school is one that encourages different learning styles depending on the child and his or her specific needs.

Choosing schools

Kathy Cahill writes in about finding the right school:

Hi, my husband and I have two sons (15 and 11) in the Boston Public Schools. We made a decision to stay in Boston and enroll them in the public schools system. There are a lot of very good elementary schools near us in Roslindale. We chose the Haley Elementary in Roslindale because of the community, the quality of the teaching, the bright and open school, the large playground and a strong principal. We were not disappointed.

What is disappointing is how Boston Public Schools are not equally funded so one school may have music and art, while another does not. Some schools have partnerships with non-profits or universities which adds a lot of services to the school. And some schools are really good at fundraising if they have organized parents who can do it and supplement the school budget with things that BPS can't/won't pay for.

Our sons both had the opportunity to attend Advanced Work Classes (AWC) in 4th grade which were offered at a different elementary school near us, the Bates. We chose the Bates because it is a school we felt good about and due to the strength of the teacher, Mr. Joel Clark, who has been wonderful for both of our sons. He has helped them both grow and gain skills, and taught all the kids in his class about service and getting along together. I can't say enough about him.

Now, our 11 year old will be going to middle school next year, most likely at the Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale. There are also good teachers there as well. He will take the ISEE exam in 6th grade to gain admittance to one of Boston's exam schools (Boston Latin, Boston Latin Academy or O'Bryant School of Math and Science). I wish that both my sons did not have to attend so many different schools before 7th grade (for our older one, by 7th grade he was in his fourth school). It's too much jumping around, but we are glad to have had the choices we did. I just wish there were as many opportunities for all kids in the city and different kinds of middle and high school choices for those who do not attend exam schools. And more vocational education in high school.

Kevin Lilly, student, Boston:

I think a good school is made up of teachers who definitely are really passionate about the students' success, because there are some teachers who really don't care about what the students do. I know for me, in math, I've had great math teachers, and they made me care about math and I hate math. I think great teachers definitely are a big part of what makes a good school.