St. Bartholomew School

6900 River Road

Bethesda, MD 20817

28 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 11, 2024

St. Bart’s has literally been a godsend for our son. He went from being insecure and anxious to confident and self-aware in just one year at the school. Our daughter started PreK this year and both kids are excited to go to school every single day. I honestly don’t remember ever loving school as much as they do when I was a kid :) The teachers are loving and find creative and fun ways to keep the kids engaged. The families are welcoming and involved and care about the kids and school. Religion is taught in a joyful and uplifting way, which has in turn strengthened our family’s faith. The extracurricular offerings are incredible for a school of its size and have enriched both kids’ experiences tremendously. We could not be happier and hope the school continues to grow and thrive in the years to come.
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2024

All four of my children have attended St. Bart's, with three students still there. It has been nothing short of an amazing experience for our family, and it is "home". There is much to tout about the school's top-notch leadership, beautiful campus (which will only get better in the coming years!) and its caring, skilled faculty - but for us, the main thing is the incredible community. There are many fun events throughout the year that a bring everyone together, and the families at school are the kind of people you want to raise your children around. I feel lucky that we are doing just that!
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2024

We have two kids at St. Bart's - next year all three will attend. The entire community - Principal, Pastor, Teachers, Parents & Students - provides a friendly, supportive & fun environment. The teachers are engaged, the parents are involved, the students are kind. The leadership of the school is clear and thorough in their mission, which is to educate academically, emotionally & spiritually. And the campus is beautiful. Our kids are excited to get up, get dressed and go to school every morning - which not only makes us happy, but also makes our morning routine much easier!
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2024

I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found St. Bart's! This school has been a perfect fit for my children and our family in general. The community is supportive, friendly, and welcoming. The teachers are committed to getting to know their students, and everyone -- regardless of whether they are my child's teacher or not -- go above and beyond to make my kids feel valued, understood, and loved. They have worked with my children to not only get them the support they need in the classroom, but have been accommodating and flexible with outside resources, too. My children love going to school every day and are so proud to tell everyone they meet that they are Bobcats! Thank you St. Bart's!
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2024

St. Bart's is everything a private, Catholic school should be: a community of committed teachers and administrators who know and practice the appropriate balance between parental involvement and values-based instruction. A school that focuses on both the present--and future--of each child's academic journey. A strong bond between the home parish and the school itself. Having transferred our daughter to St. Bart's prior to her middle school years, we could not be more pleased and proud of our decision. Welcoming, generous and engaged faculty who know their students by name, know who they really are and what they care about, and prepare them for the often stressful high school preparation process. The professionalization of the administration, upgrades of the facilities and strong financial footing have all been further enhanced post-COVID.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2024

We attended this school for PreK and had a difficult experience. My son was intimidated by the large school and the one-size-fits-all attitude and high expectations, so he was unable to catch up to the rest of the class. He started getting increasingly anxious and nervous about school and the high expectations put on him. His self-confidence completely plummeted.The teachers got defensive and dismissive when we started asking questions about his increasing anxiety and their decisions in the classroom. It was a real challenge getting direct answers to what was causing this change in behavior or if any steps were taken to help him, so we had to get administrators involved. This was made worse due to the limited transparency as to what was happening in the classroom. There is a very strict drop-off and pick-up policy, so only minimal interaction with the teachers and staff. This policy also prevented getting to know other families, so we felt very isolated.We raised this issue with the principal and he promised that these issues will be addressed. I hope things will improve over time, but the damage has already taken a toll on my son's academic aptitude and his enjoyment of school.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2019

My family has been at Saint Barts since the 80s. when my grandchildren came after being gone for well over ten years, I was surprised how many teachers, and families were still here! The school has gotten better and better. they dont just teach well, they learn well too.
Submitted by parent on November 26, 2019

St. Bart's promotes an environment that makes my children excited to learn. Additionally, the specials, after-school activities, and music lessons that can be built into the day are stellar. Mostly, I feel that my children are seen by their teachers, who support and challenge them.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2019

Both of our children are at St. Bart’s, and we feel very lucky to have found the amazing community that the school has created. Parents are involved, children are encouraged and motivated, and most of all the teachers and administration truly care about each student’s well-being and growth. We have also found that the families of the students are involved and supportive of the school in a way that really makes a huge difference in the sense of community, and we feel better and better about our decision to bring our children to St. Bart’s with each passing year.
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2019

St. Bart's has been such a nurturing and positive environment for my daughters. The faculty, students, and parents are a tight knit group of caring people who look out for each other. All the older kids know my younger daughters' names and genuinely care about them. the spend time in reading groups and with older "mass buddies" to encourage this connection. I couldn't ask for a more loving place to send my kids to school!
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2019

I have two kids at this school. In PreK and 1st grade and have seen the most amazing transformation in both my kids. My daughter lacked confidence in her reading and is now checking out books that I would not touch. My son is thriving and making friends every day. They both come home with amazing daily stories to tell and the community of families and parents are simply lovely. The parents are not elitists at all and care for one another. I feel blessed I found this school for my kids and plan on sending my 3 year old next year when they open their PreK3.
Submitted by other on November 11, 2019

We have been with the school for 6 years. It has been a wonderful experience for my children.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2019

St. Bart’s in Bethesda offers an exceptional learning environment at a tremendous value. The faculty is dedicated and devoted to creating a positive experience for each and every child. The school offers students a wonderful sense of community and a great foundation from which to grow.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2019

My son is in his second year at St. Bart's and he is thriving. We moved from Woods Academy after second grade. Initially, we chose St. Bart's for proximity to our future home, however, we discovered this is the best school we could have found for him. He is interested in science, reading, and religion. The teachers find constructive ways to engage him in activities that may have seemed not that interesting for him at the time and awake his curiosity. His spelling tests are perfect because of the creative methods Mrs. Parker finds to motivate the children. The study of space and planets have ignited a whole chapter in astronomy and space exploration. They are in third grade and using planners very effectively. My son is doing his homework independently, but Mrs. Parker is there to help when he needs help. And we are very excited about learning to write cursive, a lost skill at many schools, even the high tuition private schools. We didn't find our future house yet, but we have definitely found a home at St. Bart's.
Submitted by parent on October 09, 2019

We've had two children at St. Bart's for 8 years now and have been extremely pleased with the school! The academics are strong (Blue Ribbon School), with a great group of teachers who are not only caring, but also very creative and able to work across subject areas to develop integrated and interesting projects. With the small class size and customized reading and math groups, the teachers really get to know your child and can provide individualized support. The new principal is fantastic - really listens to parents and has been invaluable in guiding the older kids through high school applications (which has resulted in impressive admissions results and scholarship opportunities). As a result of the warm community, our kids have made many friends and love going to school.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2019

Unfortunately our experience has been terrible here.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2018

We are so pleased with our experience at St. Barts. As a parent of two students and alumni myself, I can speak to the commitment shown and core values taught at this small, safe school. We love the individualized instruction, the nice community of parents, the motivated teachers, and the Catholic service and ethics. We love to be involved in the school and church community. We thought very carefully about moving our kids to this school two years ago--we looked at many area schools--and we honestly couldn't be happier. The academics are challenging, the student body is diverse, the campus is gorgeous, and the staff is truly amazing. Our kids are with these other kids and teachers for such a big part of their childhood... we feel so excited that they get to be at this sweet school.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2018

Have had a great experience at St. Bart’s. My boys have loved the small class sizes and nurturing environment.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2018

We have had an overall positive experience at St. Bart's. We appreciate the warm and nurturing school community as well as the effort teachers put into communicating with parents through weekly updates, photos, and individualized communication. Our children are happy to go to school each day and are stimulated by the active learning they are engaged in. They have also enjoyed the range of extracurriculars that are offered during and after school. The small class sizes allow our children to feel valued in the community and to form strong relationships with their teachers and peers.
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2018

Awful. It may be better now but I don’t know nor will I. Shame on St Bart’s “Catholic” School.