Research The Westwood School private Schools in Dallas, Texas

“The Westwood School has been a wonderful experience for our family. We have been here for 5 years and our daughter has flourished in this environment. When we discovered she had ADHD, they were very proactive in their approach in assisting us with finding the appropriate treatment while catering their carriculum to meet her needs. This is something we have not seen at other schools. She is now able to keep up with her studies and loves going to school! The staff here is so compassionate and interested in each childs growth and education. It is truly a family oriented environment where each grade level becomes more than adequately prepared for the next.”

“We have been at Westwood for 6 years and have had nothing but a rewarding experience, giving us great promise for our child's future there. The school has recently expanded thru high school with the International Baccalaureate Programme and blends the Montessori philosophy into this currciculum beautifully. The children in Middle School thru High School show amazing responsibility and respect for each other and the world around them. I am so relieved to find that the pre-teen and teenaged children at this school have a greater sense of self and self-worth overall than the teens I have been around in other arenas. This is fostered thru a mutually respectful relationship with staff. There is little room for the teen drama that we grew up dealing with. We encourage parents to stay involved in the school and lives of their child at Westwood to get the most out of their experience.”

“What I love most about The Westwood School is the genuine sense of caring and community that occurs for all children. Of course, every school is not for every child; Westwood nevers claims to be all things to all people. Call for yourself to hear student-teacher ratios at all grade levels. From my reserach of area schools, the ratios provide for excellent, individualized attention. School resources go where they are needed. Every level, from toddlers/preschoolers to elementary, middle and high school includes qualified, caring staff and well-appointed classrooms that deliver Montessori-International Baccalaureate curriculum. Westwood encourages parents to be very involved in their children's education. After all education is all about a community coming together to help children succeed.”

“I have been a parent at this school for over 6 years and can say - without hesitation - that there is not a better overall education experience in the area. If you take a tour of Westwood and see how the children interact and learn - you will be blown away. The IB program they have started for the high school is probably the best academic program in Dallas. We have loved our time at Westwood and look forward to many more years.”

“Westwood is going through a lot of transition right now. They used to be a great school for pre - 8. Not so sure I could say that given the current situation. They are starting a high school and many have high hopes. May be a very good thing eventually, but right now it looks like the lower grades may be suffering while attention and resources are focused on the high school. The lower classes keep getting fewer in number of rooms/instructors and higher in students.”

“Ok if your child fits. Westwood is a good school for most kids. Possibly a great school if your child is self directed and eager to learn. Be careful that this is a good fit for your child. If your child needs very much direction at all, they may not get it here. I believe most of the staff is above average in their given field and genuinely care about students welfare. However, like any school there are a few that fall short. If you have a student at Westwood that is falling behind be sure to educate yourself and become aware of what is going on with your child. You will be doing your child a disservice if you take Westwood s opinion of your child s needs/issues at face value without a great deal of your own research. There is particularly inexperienced advice coming out of Westwood regarding student needs.”

“I m a parent of a high school student, and we definitely made the right decision in sending our child to the Westwood High School. My student is in small classes actively thinking, doing, and being curious, and I know you don t get that at many schools. I don t think smart parents apply out at the upper grades. Plenty of smart, active parents choose to send their kids there, and those numbers are growing. Anytime you start something new, the formation period can be unsettling, but it can also be a time of dynamic innovation. Particular kudos go to IB Coordinator Mr. Menzies, who has been such a centered, guiding force for all. Mr. Corbeil, head of secondary school, has done a great job reaching out to the larger community. Top leaders also have great insight about what needs to happen to make this high school not just good, but great.”

“I am so thankful to be a part of such a fantastic school full of committed teachers and staff. It is a very nuturing environment and really takes the individual child into consideration. The students are excited about going to school and take their studies very seriously. I am very pleased with the growth of the school (high school being added) and look forward to my children graduating from Westwood. The addition of the IB program is amazing and my children will be wonderfully prepared for college and life!”

“My children have attended Westwood for many years and have absolutely thrived! Having recently become an International Baccalaureate School, I am excited that my children will be able to stay at Westwood through graduation. All the teachers are exerienced and attentive to each child's needs. After hearing parents at other schools, I know my children are ahead academically. Ultimately I want my children to have a different school experience than the one I had - I see that difference at Westwood.”

“I recently read the November 11th, 2008 review for the Westwood School. Unfortunately, we are in total agreement with their evaluation. There is a lot of change happening at the school right now and the Upper Grades (4 - 10) are in upheaval. We love the social/emotional environment that the school provides but there are too many children in each upper grade and not enough experienced, seasoned teachers to handle all the demands of some very diverse needs of some of the students. This has been a trend for a couple of years. We see the upper staff trying so hard but administration needs to provide a lot more support and staffing. Finally, the physical space is too small for the children to learn effectively. We hope the school can take a hard look at these issues and make some much needed changes.”

“Westwood is a feeder school - kids start here and go other places when they get older. We've had our kids here for more than 4 years. The school is wonderful at the lower grades (beginner-3rd) - very Montessori, very strong teaching and solid leadership. The higher you go up, however, the weaker the school gets. They are packing the upper grade classes (4th +) too full, teachers are new, everyone is overstretched. They're trying to start a high school, and look like they're really struggling. Our kids aren't at that level yet, but we're close enough to see what's happening. A ton of our tuition money is going toward about 10 high school kids (lots of them teacher's kids), who seem to just mess around all day. Concerned parents get outcast - so smart parents keep quiet and just apply out in the upper grades.”

“I was a parent at this school with two kids and we were here for 4 years all the way from toddler through K. There are many wonderful things about this school the chief being the caring teachers and the family like environment. My kids thrived socially and emotionally. However their physical campus is not all that great and we did not think we could grown with this school...their tuition has increased but the location and their campus is very average. Also this school is good for kids are very self directed and not the best for kids who need a lot of input and direction from a teacher. Soem teachers are better than others at motivating and directing kids who need that...”