St. Peter Elementary School

1881 Kaneville Road

Geneva, IL 60134

65 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 26, 2022

Not recommended. They do not uphold their values, are far from trustworthy, and very unorganized.The new principal is very passive and doesn't communicate well. She brushes issues off rather than solving them.
Submitted by parent on February 25, 2020

My experience has been great. The teachers are dedicated to the kids learning.
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2018

We love St Peter School. If you're considering this school but have read bad reviews from the past, take another look, because there has been a huge overhaul, particularly at the junior high level from 6th-8th grade. The new principal, Mrs. Ward, is committed and involved, she has already been sitting with the students at lunch and touring classrooms during the day. She has many great ideas for the future of St Peter. The junior high teachers who previously excelled in their roles are still there, and have been joined by new teachers who are bright, enthuasiastic, and want to see the children succeed. The students are happy to be there and love to welcome in new students. The school population is down due to upheaval and changes from the past, but I see this school growing in wonderful ways. We are blessed to have found a place where our child can succeed and feel happy to come to school every day
Submitted by other on January 25, 2018

St. Peter is a wonderful place! One notices immediately, from the principal to each teacher, that the students are truly valued and cared for. The facility and resources are up to date, and the new STEM integration is tremendous. In the last three years the school has really turned around from inconsistent leadership to a stable place of genuine faith, care and super team spirit. SPS is personal, professional and a school where all families should visit for their child's future success.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2018

Our young kids have been students at public and private schools already in several different states and we have yet to find a school as wonderful as SPS. SPS truly embodies the faith-based value system that we try to instill in our own children, and we were immediately drawn to St. Peter’s warm environment, talented and dedicated principal, and high standards for academic achievement. Our children are happy, safe and flourishing at SPS. They are showing great promise as students of academics, life and of the Word of God. The teachers genuinely care for the students’ progress and well-being, and consistently work above and beyond expectations by teaching not just as a way to earn a paycheck, but rather as a calling. Moreover, the students are not babied; they are treated, and expected to behave, as responsible human beings both inside and outside of the classroom. The differentiated learning approaches employed by the teachers and administration allow for meaningful and measured progress of students’ varying skills and abilities while not pushing too quickly, nor leaving anyone behind—very important and well done in our experience.Furthermore, we have found Mrs. Weis to be a true leader who is completely dedicated, sincere and extremely hard-working in her efforts to prioritize the students’ best interests above all else. She is the real deal—lives her faith and treats students, parents, colleagues and community alike with dignity, fairness and kindness. We hold Mrs. Weis in very high regard in our home and are sincerely appalled by the loathsome, mean-spirited and vindictive garbage written here by individuals who seemingly profess to be people of faith and likely former employees or families who were not a good fit with SPS as an environment that promotes and demands excellence. It is a bit disheartening to realize these poor souls may be sitting next to us in church, no less. We will pray for you to heal and find peace. Bottom line: Our kids love going to school at St. Peter, and we love that they are attending St. Peter School.
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2017

Every person is entitled to an opinion but I agree that some of them are biased based on recent decisions that all school leaders must make from time to time, and we the parents, are never privy (nor should we be) to the entire story. I trust by the tremendous care that is show on a daily basis, and by those who work closely with the principal and staff, and from my experience. . . . that there is a genuine concern for all faculty, students and parents. Integrity and fairness is the norm, as the community as a whole is dedicated to supporting student success on all levels. There were some rough times a few years back, let's keep them behind us everyone, as we have leaders and teachers who are giving 100% and doing a great job. When entering St Peter School it is obvious that the entire staff is engaged, while making sure students learn to rely on Jesus and to respond to controversy through faith and fairness. They are not a typical Catholic School, learning is authentic, diverse and I completely trust those with whom I leave my child each day. The new computer lab, playground, gymnasium, overall appearance, communication are some of the wonderful changes in the last few years. At SPS your child is not a number and you can count on the educators here to consistently handle tough situations with integrity and grace. Thank you to a wonderful place! I hope that those with negative comments will realize that the only thing you do by sharing your own personal opinion, not of the whole, only strives to hurt the many great students who still attend the school. Those who choose to stay and love our home, hope you will stop the negativity, and move on.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2017

It makes me sad to read some of these reviews. I don't understand how parents that have kept their children at our school for 8+ years walk out the door and write such nasty things. St. Peter School, like all schools, has had it's difficulties. Unfortunately like many private schools some of our parents feel that because they pay tuition they have a right to set the policies and hire the staff at the school. My family has had a terrific experience overall at St. Peter and having Mrs. Weis and Fr. Bakkelund leading our school has truly been a win. They are working to strengthen the teaching staff and improve the curriculum every year. Our enrollment continues to grow and some of the new families have been lovely additions to an already wonderful community. Anybody who has so much negative to say on a website probably didn't get their way on an issue. Be careful letting those who are loud sway your opinion. Come and check it out for yourself. There are many of us who are very happy with the school and the leadership.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2017

Our older children had a good experience at this school. Our younger child -- up through grade 4 was good; after that awful. Very, very weak in Science. One good Math teacher but the other one tells children he doesn't spoon feed -- figure it out yourself. Principal is deplorable. She does absolutely nothing about bullying. Hired a child advocate to sort out a bullying incident in which the Principal "forgot" things in her incident report. Do not go to the school; pray for leadership & Divine intervention.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2017

This used to be a great school. They have a new principal these last two years and the school has gone down hill. Do not attend this school under this current administration. She does not care for the students or families. She has made terrible decisions that have ruined this friendly atmosphere. She cares only for herself and has no relationship with the students. She has let go of incredible teachers because she can't get along with other people. Just sad.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2017

We had a good experience at this school from grades 1-4. Middle school is a completely different experience. The teachers in middle school are overworked and disorganized. The math program is awful. No communication at all. Every quarter grades are not updated for months. You have no idea how your child is doing until either the day before quarter end or after quarter end. The huge exception to this is the language arts teacher who is amazing. The social environment is also awful. The children get away with really awful acts. If your child is having a problem with another student it is ignored. To make matters worse the school is really small now and there is nowhere to go to find a different group. Do not think that the school being small and possibly having limited enrollment is a good thing. This school does not have good academics. The other Catholic schools in the area are far superior. The principal has made bad judgement calls on which teachers to let go. These decisions seem to be best for her rather than the school and the children there. This used to be a great school where the principal knew and really tried to help every student. There are some nice things about this school. The new priest are wonderful and caring. The 8th grade buddy system is so great.
Submitted by principal on April 07, 2017

The most beautiful aspect of any Catholic School is the tremendous opportunity to grow in faith, learning about Jesus Christ, living a life of stewardship and service. St. Peter has a long history of excellence which has been built and celebrated by many of the former parish/school leaders, teachers, and students. Like any family, an educational institution moves through varying stages of change and growth. St. Peter has grown in enrollment in the past two years, but more importantly will grow in faith and academic formation as the Holy Spirit guides the St. Peter School team. Our parish has been blessed with a new pastor and another exceptional associate in the past year. A few new support staff and teaching staff members have joined the faculty, along with several new families who have brought new ideas, joy, gifts and talent. The former families and teaching staff should be commended for the hard work and dedication which has provided a solid foundation and on-going tradition. I trust that faithful parish leadership will ensure that the spiritual, emotional and academic needs of the students will remain central to the mission that has been set forth. With the grace of God and the willingness of each member of the community to be a positive contributor, student success will flourish for many years to come!
Submitted by other on April 06, 2017

As a substitute teacher for this District, I see and can compare the other Elementary Schools. A School is only a strong as it's TEAM, Teachers and Administration( Pastor and Principal). From a professional standpoint, there is none stronger in this District then St. Peter Elementary School. The proof? I see the results in how our students preform at the various High Schools in the area. As an example, Geneva High School is always vying for the number one Public High School in the state. St. Peter graduates are most always in the upper third of their respective classes. You can't have that without a great Team. We have the very Best Elementary Teachers in the District, but they can't preform without strong support from an Administration providing a much improved environment for them to lead young minds in the right direction. As a active member of this Parish, I am very proud and thankful we can offer such a fine educational opportunity for our children. I've noticed on this site there are Good Comments and there are Bad Comments. What is lacking are the names. I look at those comments and those who don't stand by what they have written as not having the courage and decency to sign their names as worthless as "ecohes in a rain barrel". It's easy to HIDE IN THE SHADOWS and snipe. We are a Catholic School and teach our children Catholic values in accordance with our Lords word. This is a very bad example for our children to see and here. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU. My name is BILL SPENCER, what's yours????
Submitted by other on April 04, 2017

Leadership!!!!!!!Father Baakelund and principal Weis provide great leadership.The staff of teachers are dedicated, and committed to excellence.Proud to be a part of St. Peter.
Submitted by parent on April 04, 2017

We transferred to St. Peter at the beginning of 2016-2017 school year from a nearby Catholic school and never looked back. We have two students currently attending whom were welcomed with open arms by everyone within the administration. We feel that the attentiveness of both the teachers and administration make the difference. Our children are more than excited to get to school and feel a personal connection with the staff. Combine this with the high-level education they are receiving makes us as parents confident that we made the right choice for our children.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2017

Our family transferred to St. Peter School this year and we are very happy we made the change. The entire St. Peter community is exceptionally welcoming and has made us feel right at home. The teachers provide a caring and energized environment while continuously adapting to meet the individual needs of each child. The priests are a phenomenal asset to the school showing extensive support and involvement as well as the school administrators willingness to review both concerns and suggestions. St. Peter School has proved to be a great combination of academics and religion. We look forward to our family’s continued journey with St. Peter School!
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2016

St. Peter school is the perfect school for combining academics, a Catholic education, athletics, and a great social environment. SPS has excellent teachers and strong leadership, an active parent association and a close faith community. The parents provide a strong support system to the teachers and staff as they all have chosen SPS for the same reason, a solid faith based education. We have been in this school for 12 years and our oldest is in a college prep high school and is excelling. We cannot be more fortunate to have our children attend SPS! It's the place to be!
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2016

We have had three children go through preschool and pre-k at St. Peter, and we couldn't be happier with our decision. The teachers are excellent and the kids feel safe, loved, inspired, confident and challenged all at the same time. We love St. Peter so much that our kids are still there and will be through 8th grade! We are very happy with the academics, faith-filled environment, sports programs, and after-school programs; and we really enjoy the close-knit community. The teachers are amazing and the new principal is excellent. She has made many positive changes over the last 18 months. We love St. Peter School!
Submitted by other on October 12, 2016

My son attended st peters for all of 3 mths. Yes, in those short 3 mths...I felt like it lasted 3 years. It was total chaos. My husband phrased it best by saying "I feel like we're throwing him to the wolves." Safety was non existent and I often worried where he was and what he was doing. The curriculum was super confussing and behind his previous school by 1 full yr. The staff was distracted , dis-engaged , and generally uninterested in the child . Behavior issues ran wild with no intervention to say the least. I felt so uncomfortable and knew we had made a terrible mistake I pulled him over Thanksgiving to home school until he went to his new school in January. When your "mom intuition " tells you it's wrong I investigated by volunteering in his class...I was litterally sick leaving him there that day....3 days later we withdrew.
Submitted by parent on March 14, 2016

My children transferred to St. Peter this year, and we are so happy with the switch. They were immediately welcomed and included in the school by the teachers and other students. They are being challenged academically, and now look forward to going to school in the morning. The religious instruction and weekly Masses are positive and uplifting. It's easy to get involved in volunteer work and the others parents give their time enthusiastically to the school, many of them also reached out to us to ask how we are adjusting and how we like St Peter's. Mrs. Weis is a great administrator who genuinely cares for the families, and has always been helpful and responsive when we've had questions or concerns. We love St. Peter's!
Submitted by parent on March 02, 2016

It's so frustrating to see your child being bullied and no faculty members protect your child.