Mary McDowell Friends School

20 Bergen Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

14 Reviews

School District
Grade

6-10
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 26, 2024

As a parent, I have mixed feelings about Mary McDowell. While the teaching staff demonstrates genuine care and competence, the administration (new this year) falls short in several critical areas. Firstly, the administration does not collaborate effectively, leaving both students and parents feeling unheard and frustrated. The administration has not fostered a safe atmosphere since October 7th and has allowed overt signs of antisemitism into the school, including teachers wearing keffiyehs (which were not worn before October 7th), despite having a policy against cultural appropriation. Additionally, they have taken no action against staff placing objects in the classroom with inappropriate political messaging. In my humble opinion, Mary McDowell has lost its way. They are no longer driven to “reveal brilliance” in their students; instead, they appear rigid, defensive, and more concerned with their image than with truly & empathically working with their students.
Submitted by parent on April 15, 2024

Our child has been attending MMFS for 7 years and they have flourished so much. They couldn’t read or write any letters, but within a month of starting MMFS they were reading out loud, writing sentences. Their small class sizes (10-12 students with 2 teachers) have been helpful for our child, who is not comfortable in a large class setting. The school’s social emotional learning has helped both our child and us parents to acquire skills to work out conflicts etc. Their social workers host workshops, which I found helpful.In middle school, the 8th graders get to go to Costa Rica. In HS, Europe and other destinations. It’s incredibly disheartening to see some one star reviews here written by parents that didn’t get accepted to the school. It’s a school designed for those who have language based disabilities. They do not serve people on the spectrum or with emotional/behavioral issues. There are a few other schools for those. One thing I know they are working on is family engagement. They don’t have a PTA in a traditional sense, so while there are many volunteer opportunities, you have to be proactive. Regardless I’ve had pleasant interactions with administrators and teachers.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2023

This claims to be an inclusive school, but it is not. They use BLM in the most disgusting virtue signaling one will ever see. If you don't have the perfect obedient mindless child they are not interested. They do not offer nor do they want special needs children. They hide behind their Quaker beliefs of "inclusion" and "acceptance "l, which they clearly don't practice.
Submitted by parent on March 02, 2020

A big ZERO ....and disappointment to parents.... parents shouldnt be DISMISSED when need good schools for our kids...VERY disappointing
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2019

The school has been wonderful for both of my children. They had very different learning profiles, and it helped them both to manage their learning struggles and become successful learners. My older son got into all of his college choices and received large merit scholarships. He was well prepared for his college experience.
Submitted by other on October 02, 2019

It was terrible. The teachers were great and helped me strengthen my weaknesses in certain subjects but they never helped with bullying including the administrators. I would tell the school therapist about the bullying and he would deny it. He would say there was no bullying and everyone loved me. The principal, Mark would also deny it. He would say I had no proof so therefore it did not occur. When my teachers finally witnessed the bullying, he had a so called 'solution'. Meeting with my bully and telling our sides of the story in front of him. This did not make things go well and caused the bullying to worsen. In addition, when my parents complained about it, he would say oh come on, they are just boys. Let boys be boys and if your son can't handle it then he should not hang out with them. The problem with this statement is that these kids would stalk me. They would go everywhere I went too including the bathroom. I wanted to share my story and warn any parent that considers attending this school. Do not let your child attend this school! Pick any school just not this one.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2019

Terrible experience for my child that resulted in us pulling her from the school. Caring faculty with some great teachers but uncaring administrators. Avoid.
Submitted by other on February 16, 2017

This school changed my son's life. He started at the school in 1st Grade with dyslexia and auditory processing issues and he has been nurtured, helped and encouraged (he's now in the HS) into a straight A student who is considered a leader by his peers. His strengths (math and science) have flourished and his weaknesses strengthened so much. Biggest of all is that he advocates for himself. He owns his LD and knows it will not stop him doing anything he wants to do.
Submitted by parent on March 03, 2014

My daughter attended Mary McDowell Friends School for five years from 4th Grade though 8th Grade. A leading Park Slope Public School she attended was unable to teach her how to read, write and spell and her self-esteem hit rock bottom. She has dyslexia and processing issues. It was a blessing and the best decision we could ever have made for her education to place her in MMFS. MMFS and its teachers/staff excel in providing the most DEDICATED, WARM, NURTURING, PATIENT, CARING, TRAINED PROFESSIONALS and a SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. They have a unique way of teaching the students about their learning differences and provide them with tools to succeed despite their learning differences. For high school, my daughter was able to move on to a more traditional program and is excelling thanks to the strategies and tools provided by MMFS.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2013

Could there be a more compassionate school? Not in my experience! We switched our son to MMFS in 5th grade (he is now at their HS) & wished we had done it sooner. While he was managing at a wonderful private main stream school with the support of tutors, his self-esteem had plummeted due to his frustrations from the gap between what he knew and the challenge of adequately expressing his knowledge. MMFS helps kids to understand & cope with their challenges, but always emphasizes the multiple ways of being successful (either in terms of improving in weak areas, or demonstrating strengths, or the uncountable ways that one can contribute to society that has nothing to do with academic performance). This school has helped my son to re-gain a sense of pride in himself and helped our family to re-center ourselves in a more holistic way (which has transferred over to the way we parent our non-LD child). We feel very lucky to have found this amazing place!
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2012

I concur with the other parents who have written reviews. This school is life-changing. The teachers are dedicated in an only-in-movies kind of way. My son has grown as a learner, citizen, and person in just a few short years. The Friends philosophy emphasizing community, service, peace, etc. enriches the curriculum to support an education that produces thoughtful, kind individuals who feel a sense of belonging and responsibility.
Submitted by parent on January 19, 2012

This is a life-changing institution, where your child will be truly seen, empowered, educated. It is a place of possibility and joy and kindness. Thanks to MMFS, my son understands what he needs in order to learn, finally realizes he is smart, and is actually is looking forward to high school and college.
Submitted by parent on June 27, 2011

Thank you Mary McDowell School. My son, who just graduated a week ago from a private high school in Manhattan, was previously a Mary McDowell School student for 5 years. The teachers at Mary McDowell were very attentive and nurturing and helped my son immensely. He was diagnosed with a language based learning disability and struggled in his previous school before attending Mary McDowell. The faculty here taught him how to work with his disability, how to work independently and most of all boosted his overall self confidence. He was eventually able to move on to a regular prep school in the city (where he graduated with honors) and in the fall he will be attending an excellent four year college in the northeast. I have nothing but praise for the faculty at Mary McDowell who helped lay the groundwork for my sons success.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2011

My daughter has been going to the Mary Mcdowell Friend School for the past two years. The staff here is excellent! My daughter has a language based learning disability and has improved in all her subjects since starting at Mary McDowell, especially her reading. Her self esteem has also been given a boost as she previously felt "out of place" in her mainstream elementary school. This school has many students that eventually go on to be successful in mainstream schools and even end up at excellent colleges! Thanks to the teachers and staff at Mary McDowell I am confident that my daughter is on the same path. Thank you!