St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School

5467 South Woodlawn Avenue

Chicago, IL 60615

18 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 04, 2024

This school was the worst choice I made as a parent. My son was there for first grade. My experience was nothing but negative. Please believe that the image they portray on social media is not the experience your child will have. They punish children inappropriately to age. Silent lunches are common and given for very minor instances along with heads down for 15 minutes for 6 and 7 year olds. They allow punishing a whole class when 1 child does wrong. They treat children like robots rather than people. His teacher was inexperienced and passive aggressive. She told the children they couldn't go to the bathroom except when she took them and was "tired of them asking". My child was terrified to ask questions or do something wrong. The children were made to feel "dumb" if they didn't know something. It diminished not only his self esteem and confidence but other children in his class. His tests scores dropped dramatically in his time there. The children were put on ipads for 30-45 minutes a day. Principal and assistant principal are unresponsive. The grading system was wrong almost the entire year and no one knew how to fix it. They couldn't even say what was transferred to other schools even though the grading was filled with errors. All they care about is money. They send a million reminders on class dojo to remind everyone to pay tuition but fail to relay important information related to your childs' education. To top it off, you have to pay tuition in advance, when I pulled my child they wouldn't refund upfront payments. This was honestly the worst school I ever experienced and I am glad I got my son out of there regardless of the expense.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2021

St. Thomas the Apostle School has been a godsend to my granddaughter Jada Jones. Jada has attended St. Thomas for nine years. I applaud the faculty and staff for their caring, concern, patience, and commitment to embracing the children academically, socially and spiritually. St. Thomas has a very structured academic program and I am happy Jada is a part of it. Each year, I have seen Jada grow academically and become more self-confident. The school also has a very well-rounded extracurricular program that teaches the children valuable life lessons, such as teamwork and good sportsmanship. During the nine years Jada has been at St. Thomas, the environment has been like, “one big happy family.” I highly recommend St. Thomas to anyone who is looking for a school that will provide a solid foundation of top-notch education, personal development and spirituality.Grandparent , Gwen Jones
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2020

Saint Thomas the Apostle has been an excellent choice for my 6th grader. The school has outstanding leadership and devoted, skilled teachers. The emphasis on values is terrific. My child has been thriving at this school!
Submitted by parent on November 22, 2019

There are truly not enough words to sum up just how elated I am with St. Thomas. STA DELIVERS! My daughter’s happiness at school is reflected in the pride that she takes in her assignments. She’s challenged, but never discouraged. From the Head of School, to the amazing teachers (Ms. Jordan and Ms. Hendzell to name just two out of many), the Home School Association, the school community, STA families, and everything in between— St. Thomas has exceeded my expectations. The Project Based Learning that St. Thomas offers is a fantastic “life-simulator” that helps students connect the dots from the classroom to tangible, real world situations. It also encourages students to think progressively by encouraging diversity of thought and healthy problem-solving. One of the school’s mottos is: “What Makes Us Different Makes Us Great.” There’s no doubt that STA upholds this belief. Over the last couple of years, I have seen my daughter soar academically, in her esteem, and responsibilities. She has a better awareness of self-accountability, and the world outside of herself. She understands more and more that the input of hard work and dedication will yield an output of positive results. What we instill at home is seamlessly carried over to the classroom. We love the monthly virtues, which align with our family’s values. The teachers act with purpose—-they are effective, thorough, credentialed, organized, responsive. They have a keen assessment of my child’s academic progress as well as any areas where she needs assistance. For any areas where my daughter needs assistance, her teacher has a well thought-out game plan of how she will help her get over the hurdle.I have full access to teachers through Class Dojo. This tool also gives me a clear overview of what the students are learning in class on any given day. This helps me engage with my daughter at the end of the day. When I ask her what she discussed in school, I never get the common “nothing” reply. Ha! STA has been a fantastic and positive experience for my family. We have relaxed a bit more, and we continue to feel confident that our daughter is receiving the essential tools that will prepare and line her up for success. Thank you St. Thomas for helping restore our faith in a good and steadfast educational foundation
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2019

I give St. Thomas the Apostle School fice stars! The school is clean, diverse and the academics are superb! STA have a around 350 students enrolled for the 2019 school year which allows for small intimate class sizes. STA offers the basics- Language Arts, Mathematics (U of C Math program K-8), Science (FOSS curriculum is used & STA have a fully equipped new science lab) and History. Furthermore, STA offers affordable tuition (plus financial aid), before & after care, numerous clubs/activities for exploration or leadership, a fully loaded sports program (Track, Basketball, Soccer, Flag Football, Cheerleading with Lacrosse in the works!). Additionally, all students in grades K-8 receive weekly Spanish, Art, Music, Library/research & computer lab lessons. IPads and smart boards are also utilized. The work load get more demanding in middle school as the teachers begin to prep for high school. With that said, STA grads have successfully marticulated to the following selectice high schools within the last three graduating classes(2017-2019); Whitney Young, Payton, Brooks, Jones, Kenwood (UofC Magnet progran), Lindblom & Lincoln Park (IB program) for public AND University of Chicago Laboratory High School, The Frances Parker School (Lincoln Park), Morgan Park Academy (Beverly) for independent private schools AND Marist, Marian, St. Laurence, St Ignatius College Prep, Mother McAuley, Holy Trinity, St. Rita, DeLaSalle, Mount Carmel for catholic schools. We also had a few suburban high schools matriculation to Homewood Flossmoor H.S, Niles North H.S., Oak Park River Forest H.S. & Evergreen Park H.S. STA grads are prepared for the rigors of high school & life. Enroll your child, you will not regret the investment!
Submitted by parent on April 01, 2019

I highly recommend this school to any grammar level child who is looking for a school with strong boundaries, rigorous academics, focus on character development, friendly parent community, and a lot of heart. We are proud to be a part of the STA family! The tuition is truly a steal for what you get in return.
Submitted by other on January 27, 2019

You thought this school would be really diverse when going since it is in Hyde Park but no. This school is like 95% black and there is only 1 Caucasian in our grade. There is also rat traps in the lunch room which is disgusting. The bathrooms are always smelly and the administration is pretty bad. Plus they don't even have a real nurses station, it's just those two ladies in the office. Maybe I am being too harsh since I came from schools in the suburbs but for the price you're paying, I feel like this school should offer more.
Submitted by parent on April 19, 2018

Excellent the principal and assented principal great there Student every day and learn there name and about them
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2017

We have four children at St. Thomas School in Hyde Park and our children are thriving! We absolutely love this school. My kids enjoy going to school everyday and rarely miss a day. We live in Jackson Park Highland neighborhood & did not want our kids attending a public school in our area. We looked at FXW, Ancona, Daystar, Old St. Mary & St. Thomas. We chose St.Thomas bc it waa reasonably priced, faith-based, location and offered a lot more for your money. Our kids receive instruction in; Language Arts, University of Chicago Math, FOSS Science (lab included), History & Religion. Also included is weekly instruction in; Library, Art, Music, P.E., Technology & Spanish. Grads go on to attend good high schools like; U of C Lab H.S., Jones, Payton, Urban Prep, Muchin, Whitney Young, Brooks, Mother McCauley, St. Rita, Brother Rice, Mount Carmel, De La Sales, Fenwick & St. Ignatius amongst others.Our kids are in grades, 8th, 6th, 3rd & 1st. All 4 of our kids are biracial (My wife is African American & I'm Irish) so it was very important for us to find a diverse school setting. St. l also offers sports such as; basketball, volleyball, track and flag football. Our daughter is graduating this month and will attend Mother McCauley on a full scholarship via Daniel Murphy. Our 3 other kids are all working one grade above their current grade. We contribute her success along w/our other 3 kids successes to St. Thomas. We feel blessed to have found STA!
Submitted by other on May 08, 2017

My daughter did 6-8 here and finished in 2010. She went on to be a top 5 high school student and got into the college of her choice. Great school and great community> Parents should familiarize themselves with the refund policy prior to tendering money before their child is even accepted into the school. The tuition isn't cheap but we certainly got what we paid for!:) There are plenty of "dumpster fire" schools in Chicago. This is by far certainly not one of them! Highly recommended!
Submitted by parent on April 19, 2017

The school appears to be family based and friendly, but when you decide not to enroll your child because of a change in your job situation and ask if it is possible to have your monies refundable, the staff are impolite. Your child is really just another dollar figure to them. This is likely the reason they accept a child within two hours of turning in an application. It's all about money. I'm glad my child won't be going there. After all, their attitude and academics are subpar.
Submitted by parent on January 31, 2016

Great school. Great community. Administration, teachers, staff, volunteers, parents, and others contribute to a positive learning environment, where everyone is committed to supporting the growth of the entire child -- spiritual, academic, social, emotional, physical. The experience has been transformational for my child. She has learned so much, and is having fun doing it. The curriculum goes beyond the basics. They teach love, empathy, respect, and other like virtues. It shows, the children are great to each other. There is a lot happening at the school. After school, they provide several different programs for the kids, more for the higher grade levels. They encourage parent involvement through volunteering. They host a variety of family events at the school throughout the year. Picking a school is difficult. I know, before deciding on this school, we visited several times. I encourage interested families to do the same to see if the school is a good fit. We couldn't be any happier.
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2014

I am a parent of a middle school child at STA. This is a fantastic school, especially moving into the middle school years. The principal is incredibly involved, approachable, and dedicated. The class size is small and the teachers know each child very intimately. The workload in middle school is high, but the idea is to prepare kids for high school. The teachers are passionate and professional. It would be nice if there was a bit more diversity (my child is not black), but this seems to be progressively improving and my child has never felt anything but completely welcome. This is a school that is good for kids at all levels of academic performance and I have been impressed that the teachers are helping my child reach an individualized potential--as opposed to being a school that enrolls all high-performing kids and then takes credit for their (expected) high standardized test scores--that said, kids here are doing well on standardized tests too. Above all, if you visit STA I think you will find it obvious that the kids here are genuinely happy and glad to be there. Bullying is not tolerated whatsoever. Credit to the principal and teachers this is a very good school
Submitted by parent on March 29, 2014

Let me just say, that I LOVEthis school. My husband and I spent years, searching and searching, trying to find a good school for our two boys and finally, we've found it in STA. This is our sons fourth year at STA and they are doing well. Our eldest son is in 8th grade now and have been accepted into; Whitney Young Magnet High School and Marist Catholic High School in Chicago. Our other son is in 4th grade. Both have been on the honor roll numerous times and test above grade level. STA offers so many activities including violin, field trips and sports to the kids. Spanish, PE, Library, Computers, Art and Music is offered as part of the regular weekly subjects. The school is small, nuturung and safe. The teachers and principal are all excellent & know each student by their first names. After & befire school care is offered. Parental involvement is high and welcomed. I know my children are receiving an excellent education at STA. We have no regrets. If you are looking for a high quality academically advanced school, in a safe environment, come check out STA. You will not be disappointed.
Submitted by other on August 15, 2013

My granddaughter came St. Thomas last year for the 7th grade. Up until that point she struggled with math. She has made significant progress over the last and now has the confidence that she can perform. In fact she has identified math as one of her favorite subjects.m
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2013

My two children attend STA and I've been involved with the school for 4 years. Today, I can't say enough great things about this school and the evolution it's been on. I think my children's teachers are wonderful, caring, knowledgable, and tough! The Principle Ms. Schidt is a literal God-send: She has transformed the school and brought so much new life to it. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. I really enjoy the other parents I know and more and more parents seem to get involved each year. If you're looking for great faith-based education for your children, I would recommend this school. The older reviews simply do not reflect the state of the school today.
Submitted by parent on January 15, 2013

I am a parent with three children at St.Thomas the Apostle. This school has changed for the best in the last year and a half. I can not say enough wonder things about the current leadership that supports the staff as well as the parents. All the kids love and respect her. The changes came from the inside and we can see it through out the building. A wonderful school and I would advise anyone looking for a close family, faithbased school to give St. Thomas a try.
Submitted by other on August 11, 2011

I am a student a st.thomas and i have been there since second grade. I watched teachers and principals come and go, i also seen the schools good and bad side.We are very nice and welcoming, but you dont get what you need for the money.Send your child/children to a better place where your money is worth it. I am now an eighter grade who has gotten many awards and chances to do things. Come to this school for pre-k -5th.... not 6th - 8th. Trust me dont mess yourself up!!!!!