Research Harvey School (The) private Schools in Danbury, Connecticut

“I don't understand the bad reviews for this school. My son attended a couple other private schools with little success. We found Harvey and he thrived. He is now attending Columbia University, which would not have been possible without The Harvey School.”

“The Harvey School is a wonderful, small and caring school that offers students the opportunities to utilize their strengths and reach their potential in a warm, supported environment.”

“I go here and I don't know why there are so many bad reviews. Public school was a horrible experience for me and I don't know how I would have ever gotten into college if it weren't for Harvey. Lighten up, this school helped me reach my potential and they really understood me. It's also fun.”

“I don't know how the other reviewers managed to get such a negative impression of Harvey - I went to school here and I loved it! The teachers at Harvey clearly care about their students, and it reflects in how they teach. Most of the classes are only eight students, and the small size allows students to seriously immerse themselves in the subject. It also allows the teachers more one-on-one time with their students, to assess their learning styles and make sure they reach their potential. The Harvey School college advisors want to make sure that their students are going to a college they will like and be able to flourish at, rather than going to an Ivy League school just because it's 'better.' Students from The Harvey School are currently attending Cornell U, Boston U, Oberlin, Columbia, Barnard, Bennington, Elon U, Villa Nova, and UNC at Chapel Hill, among others.”

“This is a high school of missed opportunity and a huge disappointment! It has a beautiful campus, small class size, and offers sports and arts but is unable to achieve what they claim in educational and philosophic goals. They accept many children with learning differences but are unable to cope with the educational and emotional needs of this population. The administration lacks a fundamental will to provide consistent structure and discipline. The result is a general lack of respect of the teachers for students and students for teachers. Teachers are not properly trained and often not mature. The administration does not respond to parental concerns so that families are forced to withdraw their children.”

“The teachers here have only bachelor's degrees from mediocre colleges. The headmaster has been there for 25 years, has no children and has never continued his education past a BA. You would think he would want to pursue a masters or doctorate in education. The board is a good old boys network, appointed not voted on by the parent community. They have gone through 3 student deans in as many years, with the last one being a parent with no experience or qualifications. Teachers do not respect each other, students do not respect teachers and the administration turns its head to count all the tuition money.”

“Small class size in a nurturing environment is what sets Harvey apart. Teachers work hard at having students achieve their maximum potential. Teachers and Administration listen to the concerns of students and parents. It is a fabulous school and our children love it!”

“Harvey is, at best, medicore. The Upper school is a mish mash of experienced but mostly inexperienced teachers. I would not recommend this school - you are not getting what you pay for - students do not have a great college track record - you are better off elsewhere. Public School is superior if you're looking for trained teachers and administrators.”

“The Harvey School has not been able to define itself. Is it an academically challenging prep school or a special needs feeder school? Is it a performing arts school or an outstanding athletic school? It is mediocre at everything. If your child requires special help, it is at an additional cost and at $30,000/year what do you really get?”

“The academic programs are organized in such a way as to include the 'student of varying ability' as well as the college prep student. This is due to the teachers' unbelieveable attention to each student. With a small student/teacher ratio, each student can be nurtured. The arts at the school are especially good.”

“Teachers are not trained to handle children of varying ability at this school. This school tries to be everything to everyone and has not been able to define themselves. The new Art Center is too big and too costly with not enough students to fill it so they try to attract artsy students and by doing so, the sports program fails miserably. Parent involvement is welcomed, but only for writing checks,not for opinions or suggestions.”

“The Harvey School was a good choice for our son. The teachers really get to know each student. Their program is flexible enough to accomodate the needs of students of varying abilities; which was wonderful. The low student:teacher ratio meant that no student got lost in the crowd.”

“Used to be much better, but the quality of the administration, and consequently of teaching and advising, has declined terribly, especially in the upper school. Many students are struggling and, despite the school's stated commitment to great individual attention, the teachers fail to inspire them to do their best work.”

“The Harvey School is a very mixed bag. The best thing about it is its commitment to providing extra help in every subject every day, which helps put the emphasis on learning rather than on testing. Other, less positive aspects: The teachers vary widely in quality, with too many under-qualified new college grads just passing through. The school also seems unnecessarily coy and ambivalent about its mission to 'help students of varying abilities maximize their potential': The vast majority of the students have learning differences, yet the administration often seems to want to pretend it's a high-powered prep school. The general headmaster, Barry Fenstermacher, is an inspiring leader, but he seems to have little to do with day-to-day operation; and the lower-school headmaster, Brian Mahoney, seems more effective at connecting with students and parents than the upper school's Robert Cook.”