Chickering Elementary School

29 Cross Street

Dover, MA 02030

School District

Dover
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
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 other on June 02, 2023

School provides very good academic foundation. Great teachers and because of the district, school gets exceptional teacher assistants/helpers, so teacher student ratio is at the prep school level.
Submitted by parent on May 10, 2021

A lot more work needs to be done at this school for children to feel confident and accepted. I feel that aggressive children are allow to run rampant. This leads children to feel unsure and not confident in their environment, children withdraw at times from the chaos. It is too bad that both administration and staff don't work harder to make each and ever child feel like they can speak up for their safety. Some teachers/staff are wonderful at making the children feel comfortable in their space, others are not.
Submitted by other on August 19, 2020

Chickering Elementary School is a wonderful school with devoted teachers, families, and an amazing community to match!The staff works extremely hard to do their best for the children. The community spirit and energy is unbeatable! This is really a lovely school!
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2017

A disappointment, for sure. We moved to Dover for the public schools and now are faced with private school tuition. We have one child who needs special ed services and one who performs above grade level; Chickering could not effectively accommodate either. Worse than that, instead of owning her mistakes the principal is rude and aggressive. The school is losing good teachers and is left with those who (admittedly) feel they can't do their jobs well because of this principal. Many parents are hoping things will turn around with the incoming superintendent.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2014

I cannot say enough great things about Chickering School. Having come from an elementary school in the Boston Public School System, there's just no comparison. The teachers are very good, there is a HUGE sense of community (in our first year in Dover, I became friends with more people than all 10 years combined in West Roxbury), the curriculum is strong (with the PTO raising a large sum of money to support curriculum enrichment programs for all grades, among other things), the in-school specialists are fantastic (art, music, technology, band, chorus, etc.) and it's a nurturing and caring environment. My son has an IEP and I would have had to fight for it in BPS (most likely taking years to acquire it)... the Chickering staff RECOMMENDED him for it within the first six months of the school year. We have gotten more support than we ever imagined and he has matriculated perfectly. His IEP is for reading (BPS told us his reading was "fine, that he was a 'lazy reader'", but testing at the Chickering revealed he was a full year behind grade level!)... and after just 2 school years he is almost caught up! I feel like I am getting the benefits of a private school, without the tuition.