Longview School

83 Main Street

Brewster, NY 10509

30 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK, K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on November 16, 2024

For the last ten years of my life I’ve been in public school, where I was constantly struggling to fit in and feel accommodated for. Because of this, I started attending Longview school, where my learning experience has been heightened, and I’ve also had more chances for individual and artistic growth. Since I started attending this school, I’ve noticed that my stress has been significantly reduced, and my skin has started clearing up on its own. I love all of my teachers and classmates, and often think about how grateful I am to be attending Longview school.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2024

We have had two children at Longview over the past three years and it has been a great experience overall. While the 2023-2024 school year saw a lot of changes, this year (2024-2025) has been excellent under the new director. The teachers are dedicated to helping the students grow both as learners and as humans. They teach the usual academics as well as soft skills like self-advocacy, problem solving, conflict resolution, leadership, and encourage students to be creative and critical thinkers. Using inquiry-based and project-based learning methods, students take an active role in their education. Longview is a small community, where teachers and students respect one another and work together to make the school day fun, safe, and engaging. Parents are welcome to spend time at the school and the teachers are easily reached to discuss your child's learning needs--it's a true collaboration. Longview has the standard courses like history, ELA, math, phys. ed, and science, but also offers incredible extras such as cooking, crafting, yoga, martial arts, photography, science arts--all based on the interests of the students themselves. We are so grateful to have found this special school in Brewster!
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2024

I’m so grateful we heard about Longview 2 years ago. At the time, my daughter was just beginning middle school at our local public school and it was not going well. She was experiencing intense anxiety about how peers were evaluating her appearance and began refusing to go to school. Six months into reluctant homeschooling, I saw a social media post about Longview and brought my daughter for a visit. After touring, she asked me “can i go here? I really want to go to school here.” Now she’s in 8th grade and loves going to school, where, on any given day, she makes an elaborate costume of the Lorax, learns geometry in a class with only 2 other students, and works with everyone else at Longview- from the youngest student to the director, who is so dedicated, kind and good at what she does-to help run the school democratically. It’s a really special place.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2024

Our family is so grateful for Longview!My middle-school and high-school age girls have thrived by being in this wonderful community. They love going to school, and are excited to learn. The small classes are geared toward each students interests, and the teachers are engaged and supportive while fostering their self esteem. My children have grown academically as well as socially, and their overall quality of life has improved. Their self confidence continues to blossom, and they're now eager learners. The students and staff are respectful and caring while academically focused. The school is absolutely priceless, we are so pleased with the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful group.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2024

Longview has been one of the best things to happen to our family. Our two girls have been there for three years now and are sad when summer comes. They have made real connections with both students and staff. Being someone that went through my education the traditional way, I was skeptical at first, but have come to embrace the style/approach to teaching they take. Kids are encouraged to learn more about what interests them, whether it’s part of a traditional curriculum or not. There is also a huge emphasis on Art and Music which is important to us. I’ve never seen anything but kindness and an unwavering commitment to our children from staff members and parent volunteers.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2024

My husband and I will be eternally grateful for Longview School. My son started at Longview three years ago with intense school trauma. He talked about how small and insignificant he felt before coming to Longview. As a 2E student with PDA and a chronic medical condition, he didn't feel well-supported in his school at the time. After spending a month at Longview, he talked about how much bigger he felt. He became a school leader and thrived in his new environment. He was excited to go to school and learn with teachers who loved teaching. He was understood for his PDA and was supported and stretched appropriately, and when his chronic illness was flaring, he was allowed to work from the comfort of a couch. Over the last three years at Longview, I have watched him blossom and grow. If your child has PDA or just needs extra support and compassion, this is the place for them.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2024

Wonderful small private school in Brewster, where new learning and acceptance prevail. The big change for our daughter is she’s excited about going to school every day, thanks to the gifted staff. The new Longview Director (installed in August) is brilliant, empathic, and very dedicated to helping kids both fit in and reach their potential. Important to note that there are 2 learning tracks at Longview, the Academic Track (core classes and electives), and a Self Directed Track (Sudbury Model).
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2024

Worst school ever. The main person who started the school left. He left it in uncapable hands. The principal doesn't even have a teaching education nevertheless knowing how to run to school. It's socially and emotionally abuse. When my daughter had anxiety attacks they locked her in a room until she had so much anxiety she couldn't breathe. She cannot be in small rooms and they just sat there and watched her. They trying to convince my daughter she was a lesbian instead of dealing with the sexual harassment that was going on. Because the special ed teacher thought my daughter should learn multiplication and she struggles with dyscalculia she missed out of a whole grade of learning math. They never went beyond multiplication and she lost the whole year of math. They have no education it's cost $20,000 a year or more. English teaching is free apps on the computer. They don't get a proper education. The same with art they have an art room that is great and they have no guidance and get to know the basics and what they need to know in art. The program looks great but it's not and it's not according to any New York standards. They will brag about this one student who became a vet tech and one student work towards paralegal. If you don't want your child to have any social emotional support and where your child can be judged it's the right way to go. They have jurisdiction court. If your child is shy it will develop anxiety attacks in there. It's Democratic school as long as you are in the popular group otherwise they are the bully and your child is an outsider.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2024

We came from a public special ed program where our daughter was exposed to chaos and daily acting out, with almost no female peers. Longview has been quite a different experience! It's a small school with a unique environment; Unique in their ability to truly address student's individual needs. The milieu is respectful and caring, the classes are small and interesting. They give extra help where needed, along with providing stimulating experiential learning. Seeing our daughter make gains socially and emotionally at Longview has been the greatest gift -- for her and for us! I would describe the 24/25 Director as evolved and compassionate, and she definitely has integrated Dr. Ross Greene's methods into her approach with students. The new math teacher (hired last year) is thorough and patient, IMO (he also teaches computer programming and martial arts). I wish I had experienced a school like this growing up, truly.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2024

We chose the school because of the experiential inquiry based learning model, and the small classes. Our son loves the school and is thriving. Life changing for us.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2024

We gave this school more chances than it deserves. The school strongly abides by a Judicial Committee, where anyone in the school can take anyone else to court. This was always a stressful experience for my children--they were humiliated as they were put on "trial", really poor decisions were made, and we witnessed teachers behave on the same immature level as the students. Further, the teachers change the procedures to fit their needs. The school claims to work with every child at their level, but we found that the teachers lacked strategies and resources to support our children, and after two weeks, the English teacher had given up on my child completely. He was banned from receiving instruction in another class as a consequence (wildly inappropriate in proportion to the behavior exhibited). They promised him that they would give him one-on-one instruction, but the teachers were never around. My child is neurodivergent and high functioning--and the teachers would not teach him! Generally, they seem to coddle some children while ignoring or punishing others, and have almost zero academic expectations. The longtime director who maintained some level of quality to the educational experience went on leave this year, and as a result, my kids learned almost nothing. Kids were always on their phones doing whatever, teachers rarely had anything prepared, there were few assignments, and expectations were incredibly low. I had to pull my kids out mid-year.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2023

all the good teachers left this place a few years ago
Submitted by other on July 26, 2019

I grew more from 2 years at Longview than from the previous 10 years at public school. While the standard public school system of education held me back from chasing after my somewhat-unconventional goals, the Longview community was fully supportive of me and my decision not to go to college, but instead to pursue creative writing on my own. Through the school's self-directed track, I was given the freedom to decide exactly which classes I wanted to take in order to fit my specific future. The friends and mentors I met at Longview went, and still continue to go, above and beyond to guide me towards my future and provide as much support as they can.
Submitted by other on July 23, 2019

Being at Longview was an extraordinary experience. From the moment a student enters the school it is clear to them that the experience their in for will be like none other. I had the pleasure of being apart of the Longview community and there really is nothing like it. I started at Longview at the age of 5 and looking back now I can’t believe how lucky I was to be apart of it. I was a troubled child who acted out on a day to day basis. Instead of blindly punishing me they always tried finding different ways to help me learn how to be a better person. Without Longview I don’t know how I would’ve turned out. I will never forget the precious memories I’ve gotten from Longview and I’m glad to have attended Longview school.
Submitted by other on March 24, 2019

I would highly recommend Longview to any prospective parents, both as a student and as a teacher. Longview was the reason I had the passion to study education at college and I know that I'll be sending my children there when I have them.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2019

I am so grateful that Longview was a part of my child's education and feel that her experience there gave her the tools she needed to succeed beyond its classrooms. Students are treated with respect and are true partners in their education.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2018

My child did not have a positive experience at this school. There are students with behavior problems, poor impulse control issues, bullying behaviors that I did not feel were addressed appropriately.Some teachers seem to be cognizant that some students had learning issues, even something as common ass ADD, other teachers treated all students the same...not at all following their " motto" , that all students are individual and some have learning challenges and differences. There apperared to be favortism, as some students could act out aggressively repeatedly and have minimal consequences. Where other students were targeted for minor incidents, seeming to stem from their learning or emotional issues.The director was even bringing his dog to school, which would have been wonderful if the dog wasn't hyper, nervous and nipping at numerous students and staff. Many people had to complain over a period of months before he reluctantly agreed to leave his dog home. Some wonderful teahers, for sure. Very inconsistent leadership, decision making, and in particular, allowing repeat aggressive students to stay.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2018

Longview is a school like no other, and my child has been to many. Schools often claim to be “student-centered,” but Longview actually is. The teachers understand that each child has different interests, needs, and challenges. There has been true, meaningful collaboration among us, the parents, our child, and the teachers. Also, the focus is on learning, in the very best possible sense. The teachers are not concerned about what students wear, whether they need to fidget, whether they sit up straight in a chair, or things like that. This removes barriers for students like our daughter who would otherwise be tense and stressed before a class even starts. There is no studying for the sake of standardized tests. Therefore, students keep their innate love of learning for learning’s sake.There are many different types of children at Longview, and there is no sense that the school is trying to force them to conform to a certain mold. The strengths of each child are recognized and cultivated. Individuality is celebrated. Classes are small, often with five students or fewer. This allows each child to have a truly individualized education.As a democratic school, Longview puts the students in charge of making the rules and voting on proposals for new school activities, etc. This relieves the stress present in many other schools of being forced to follow arbitrary rules in which students have no say. It also prepares students to become responsible members of a larger society much more than, in my opinion, traditional schools do. My daughter has been able to flourish in this setting.
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2018

Longview School was a truly life-changing find for our son. The small class size allows him to have an education tailored to him- one that allows him to expand his strengths and support areas he struggles with. At the same time, he is also able to feel a part of a true community, mixing with kids of all ages. The way in which the school promotes a sense of responsibility and ownership in the school is really remarkable. It has allowed my son to grow not just as a student, but as a human being.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2018

I can not say enough great things about Longview! When public school wasn't working for our two daughters, we thankfully found Longview and it has been such a blessing for our family! Longview provides an unique approach to education that focus on the whole child and meets them where he/she is at. Every teacher in that school knows my girls so well and knows what their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and learning styles are. When something isn't working, the staff if approachable and through open communication, adjustments can be made. Mark Jacobs helped my oldest daughter find an internship to follow her passion of baking and now after she graduates in June, she will be going to The Culinary Institute of America where she was accepted early, again thanks to the amazing help from Mark Jacobs! Longview is how education SHOULD be!