Berlin Memorial

34 South Street

School District

Berlin
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 15, 2020

Horrible, so glad this year is over and we can move on and try to put the terrible school experience behind us.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2018

Very disappointing & continuing to spiral downward. Sad as the potential is so great.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2018

Run away as fast as you can. They do not get it still. There is no hope.
Submitted by teacher on April 01, 2016

A few teachers are sweet, kind and considerate and most are just passing the time. School does not have too many extras. Test scores are horrible!
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2016

Berlin has so much potential if they just start working toward a higher standard. There are parents at the school that actually think homework is a bad thing in the 3rd grade. Some of the parents and teachers are so backward it is as though I am back in the 1980s. They could compete against schools like Harvard if they stop trying to fit the mold. Bullies abound!
Submitted by parent on April 05, 2014

Small class sizes, great teachers, full day kindergarten. We are very happy with the school, and our kids LOVE it! Afterschool program is also wonderful.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2014

Smaller class sizes than you get in private school. Some really great, dedicated teachers. New principal and superintendent, still getting the hang of the town, but there are some very involved parent groups, and communications seems to be improving. Curious which teacher complained below, because if a bad teacher isn't tolerated, I think that's a plus to the school
Submitted by teacher on December 23, 2013

Full of bullies, from the parents on down to the staff and the students. If you are not a traditional small town person, who will follow blindly you will be ostracized and treated badly. The new principal has the audacity to say there is not bullying in the school. Talk about a blind eye. I thought it would be better when the last principal left, but nothing has really changed. Sad, because the size is a plus and a hindrance at the same time.
Submitted by parent on August 14, 2013

BMS is a small school. This can be a + or -. It depends on your family. For us it works well. We have had consistently good to amazingly wonderful experiences with our children's teachers. There are some truly dedicated and fantastic educators in the school. We've been very fortunate to have our children well matched with their teachers. All have communicated with us both in person and via email when we've had questions or concerns. Communication overall with the school has not always been good but the administration has always been open to hearing our concerns and shared the reasoning behind why they do what they do. Sometimes changes have been made and sometimes not. The things that have most impressed me about our school are possible only because of the small size. Each and every child is given opportunities to get up in front of their peers right from the start. It is my sincere hope that this will help my children avoid the paralyzing public speaking anxiety I have grappled with all my life. They also get tremendous opportunities to participate be it in music, art, or physical education. It's not as easy to lose yourself in the crowd as would be possible in a larger school.
Submitted by parent on April 10, 2013

Anyone considering moving into the town of Berlin should be happy to learn that Berlin Memorial School, the elementary school for the town, is a wonderful place to send your children to. The small class sizes (my two boys have had classes ranging from 12-17 in the past four years) make for a wonderful teacher to student ratio, and allow for differentiated and personlized instruction. The teachers truly care about their students, and the principal is hands on, engaged, and knows each student by name. Do not be fooled by test scores or numbers assigned to a school. This is a wonderful school, on par if not better in some ways than the higher ranked Northborough schools.
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2013

BMS has caring teachers, strong leadership, involved parents and a supportive community. Any school, excellent or otherwise, worth its weight should always be working towards continuous improvement and BMS leadership recognizes its strengths and works to improve on its weaknesses consistently.
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2013

We have lived in beautiful Berlin for 17 years and currently have two children in grades 3 and 4 who attend Berlin Memorial School. We have found it to be a safe learning environment, where the children are connected with many different adults throughout the building. The classroom sizes are perfect, and actually a big attraction, more direct instruction. I know because we've also attended private school in the past too. The parent organization LINK is a fantastic forum for families to find out what is happening throughout their school community and an opportunity to voice an opinion or make a suggestion for the greater good of the school. The principal and teachers are very willing to communicate and meet with parents about any concern you may have about your child's education. Berlin Memorial School provides a top notch education! They are friendly, family & community oriented. We are very happy with the competitive education our children are receiving!
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2013

BMS is an excellent learning environment for the kids, due in part to the small class sizes that you would normally only find in an expensive private school. Because it's a tight knit school the teachers and staff (including the principal) really know your children and create individualized learning plans for each student. The school may not be able to offer all of the specialty programs, like foreign language, that you might get in a more expensive school district but you really couldn't find a much better environment than BMS for your child to learn and grow.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2012

This school meets the needs of all children. I have two boys who attended BMS and one is currently there. I can offer an interesting perspective because my boys are on totally opposite ends with respect to their educational needs. One is above average and needs to be challenged and the other is below his peers and needs extra help. My oldest son was in the enrichment program at BMS and tests high in math. When he got to middle school BMS's preparation allowed him to take a high school math course in 7th grade. BMS does offer bright children extended lessons that allow them to work to their full potential. He currently attends Tahanto Regional High School and is getting high honors. My younger son has a learning disability and BMS willingly did everything necessary to get him an IEP and accommodations. I ve never had to fight for him because the professional staff at BMS are helpful and caring. The staff and I are a team working together for what is best for my son. They truly listen to my concerns. My son gets A s and B s with the support in place. If he didn t have help he would most certainly be failing.
Submitted by other on January 17, 2011

I went to BMS from preschool up to fith grade. I then went to AMSA Charter School, a very challenging school with a great staff and is a great school. BMS was way too easy, not challenging at all (even the Enrichment program was wicked easy). BMS didn't teach me very much, and it was so BORING! I was originally left in the dust at AMSA, but I got a lot better and I'm now doing well.