The Embankment School

Toni V. _{on Yelp}

Nov 17th, 2018

Fantastic school to entrust your children. The teachers and administrators truly care about each child and literally pour themselves into the children. The small class sizes are unbelievable, a true gem. The children have been taking Chess Classes which has been awesome, when its time to go home they want to stay longer.   It is truly the first time I have spoken with the kids and seen first handed the excitement of being in school.

nicole w. _{on Yelp}

Jan 8th, 2019

I've had the joy of teaching Spanish classes at The Embankment School since September. I have witnessed firsthand the positive effects this school has on its students. The small class size helps students to receive individualized attention and differentiated instruction across the curriculum. All developmental domains are addressed, including social/emotional growth. Students are encouraged to explore subjects in depth, producing work that strengthens their skills while supporting their individual interests, strengths and challenges. The teachers are caring and compassionate, and set developmentally appropriate expectations for learning and behavior while placing the responsibility and choices for good work and prosocial behavior on the students themselves. What a joy to observe the work being done here!

Carmit G. _{on Yelp}

Aug 16th, 2018

My son was in first grade at the Embankment for the 2017-2018 school year. I enrolled him there because I liked the curriculum: Reading and writing workshop, investigations for Math, the Responsive Classroom approach as well as long term studies. There were 15 students in his class and two full time teachers. This seemed like a recipe for a successful year. However, I was soon disappointed to learn the reality. After about a month into the school year, I was called for a meeting and was alerted that my son was excelling academically but exhibited sensory seeking behaviors that required OT outside of school. When I asked what were the behaviors the teachers mentioned not sitting still on the rug and hugging kids and teachers. As a teacher myself, dealing with a class of 25 students on my own, I had plenty of experience with 6 year old kids who can't sit still. So I offered some behavioral charts that would allow my son breaks as well as reward charts for positive behaviors. A month later, when we were called for a meeting, and again the teachers recommended OT. When I asked how the charts were going, they said that the charts should not be long term and that he students should be 'weened off' in two weeks. I completely disagree. Charts are challenging to maintain and sometimes need to be changed and tweaked. It takes more than two weeks to change a child's behavior.Since the school insisted on OT, I requested a formal evaluation from the Jersey City Board of Education. After a meeting with a team which included a social worker, a psychologist, a learning specialist and my son's teachers, it was determined that since his behavior did not impact him academically, he will not be evaluated. During the meeting, once again, the teachers repeated that my son seeks sensory input, rolls on the rug and hugs other kids. The school continued with the charts but in January called for another meeting. When we heard again that they requested our son to receive OT, my husband and I informed the teachers that he will not receive OT because the BOE deemed it inappropriate. I also said that not sitting still and hugging kids does not merit OT. They never told me what they were doing to address his needs aside from just complaining to us about normal 6 year old behaviors. All of a sudden the we heard that my son was physically aggressive with other kids. This was the first we heard about it. Up until now it was just hugging and all of a sudden it turned into hitting?We explained that we wanted to know whenever our son hits because that is serious. For the next few weeks we received daily emails with our son's inappropriate behavior. Only one was about him not being kind to another friend. The rest were behaviors that could easily be dealt with in a class. Especially in a class with 15 students and two full time teachers. Every parent I spoke to about this said that my son is a sweet and loving child and him hugging others is not a problem. From speaking to other parents, I know that 3 other students were referred to outside help such as OT, counseling and psychological evaluations. My son's skills have deteriorated this past year especially in terms of handwriting and writing production. Honestly, I feel like we lost a year not to mention the money. There are a lot more issues we have experienced regarding safety and academics as well, but I feel like this review has said enough.Embankment is an embarrassment to progressive education.

Don M. _{on Yelp}

May 13th, 2018

Our 2 kids have attended the Embankment School from the beginning.  Simply put, I was looking for an environment with passionate, capable teachers who know how to engage their students.  (When I observed multiple classrooms at our prior public school, I saw bored students being taught a passive curriculum by bored and frustrated teachers.)  At Embankment, all the teachers and specialists are dedicated to knowing our kids; to helping them develop socially and emotionally; to making learning fun and energizing through creative projects and activities; and to creating an active environment focused towards doing (not passive learning), in all areas:  reading/writing, math & science, physicality, the arts, music, etc. The School has had a profoundly positive affect on my kids.  It is the only and the premier project-based, progressive elementary school in Jersey City, as far as I know.  It is run by seasoned, thoughtful professionals, which shows every day in every way. I highly recommend Embankment School. Also, compared to private schools in NYC or the suburbs, it's a bargain. And I view it as a far better investment at this pivotal stage of child development, than spending it on 'upgrading' from a public to a private college in the future.

Maria G. _{on Yelp}

May 7th, 2018

The Embankment School is a magical place for children to learn the life skills they need to navigate an ever-changing world where social-emotional intelligence and curiosity will prove to be just as important as scholastic achievements.My husband and I so happy with our choice to send our son to this wonderful, progressive school. The founding teachers are highly experienced and have created a brilliant mix of project based, hands-on learning, and academic programs for reading and maths. The individual focus on each child allows students to develop at their own pace both academically and emotionally.Safety has always been very important to us and we've never had a reason to worry about our son's wellbeing while at school. For example, there's a strict rule that the children are never to open the front door to anyone, not even their parents. If they see someone waiting to get in they have to notify a teacher. A few days ago the policy was put to a test. My son saw me through the window when I came to pick him up and in his excitement he forgot the rule and ran out of the classroom to let me in. Before he knew it, the head teacher had caught up with him and she firmly reminded him that for everyone's safety, only the teachers are allowed to open the doors. My son nodded and then they walked down the hall together to let me in.There is a good balance of freedom and creativity on the one had, and discipline and responsibility on the other. Overall our son has thrived tremendously in Kindergarten. School is now like a second home and he is always eager to get there in the morning. Everyday the children get to play outside, regardless of weather. Movement, music and dance is part of the curriculum and arts and crafts are natural components of every project the students are working on. As parents, we couldn't be more pleased with the progress our son is making; he is not only learning to read, add and subtract - he is learning to collaborate, to problem solve, to lead, to innovate and to be an independent thinker. He is not even 6 years old! What an amazing start in life. Thank you Embankment School!