John McCarthy Elementary School

76 Lake Street

Peabody, MA 01960

School District

Peabody
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
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 parent on August 01, 2024

Teachers aren’t that great. Some teachers are exceptional. Constant complaints over little things. Threatening emails from teachers sent to everyone not to the direct students. Learning far behind most schools. All these brand new fields, hardly used. Auditorium isn’t big enough for the school.
Submitted by teacher on June 13, 2017

I have found this school to be highly effective and to provide a positive environment for all children.
Submitted by other on March 09, 2017

McCarthy has some really positive qualities, but then other areas where it is lacking. My main bad experience was with their special education/speech therapy dept. Their chairperson is rude as can be, and openly glares at you and speaks down to you. I was always polite, but it seems that simply asking them a basic question is just too demanding. If you're burnt out with your job, just quit. The kids and their parents deserve better.
Submitted by other on February 05, 2016

The special ed administration here is a joke, they ignore any doctor reports and prefer to belittle you at meetings. The "team chair" is as rude as they come and makes it clear you are annoying her by making her attend a meeting. My child has been here for a few years and has regressed. They use an outside service for ot who is clueless. Overall pitiful.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2013

My child attended McCarthy school for many years and we found that the overall rating for this school ranks a 2 Star. The past year has been a challenge both academically and socially. A teacher should acknowledging a child's strength, not their weakness and when something they do is done well, the student should be equally recognized as others have been. Student issues are not addressed as they should be, this allows the student to continue with poor behaviors. What happened to the good old days when the child had to apologize for treating their schoolmates horrible. Our prior principle required the student to write an apology letter. The parent involvement is low and the School should set the boundaries with revamping the PTO staff so more parents feel welcome to join and express their ideas. Great PTO leader this year, however the demographics overall was extremely poor. The was too fighting going on with the parents at this school.
Submitted by parent on June 20, 2013

I have my daughter and son go to this school for 2 years and I think this school is really need leadership, the principal is very nice but the the program is far behind of MA standard, I never seen any project assign, home work is never return , the board education need to review on some teacher, this is not a good school for Kids in the area
Submitted by parent on February 10, 2012

My son is 4 and gets speech services. Our speech therapist is the best! His communication has improved greatly. She gives detailed feedback on his progress every week.