Gottesman RTW Academy

146 Dover Chester Road

Randolph, NJ 07869

17 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 29, 2023

The daycare at the school is good, but the education once you enter the elementary school is very poor. The teachers aren't well trained and are unable to manage a classroom. I thought with a high teacher to student ratio that the education would be more individually focused, but because of the poor quality of the teaching staff that I and several other parents I know of experienced, the teachers are unable to handle anything other than students who sit quietly and don't move. If children as young as 4 or 5 can't sit and focus for hours on end they are punished and removed from the classroom. While some of the teachers may be emotionally supportive, others berate the children telling them that they're bad students, which destroys their self-esteem. The school refuses to acknowledge any wrong doing on the part of their teaching staff and instead engages in victim blaming.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2021

My children attend the Early Childhood Center (preschool) at Gottesman. They have thrived here for the past 2 years developmentally and socially. The small class sizes, great preschool curriculum (gym, Hebrew, science, among others) and wonderful teachers have really helped them leap forward with so many developmental milestones. It such a wonderful community/family, and I am looking forward to many more years at the school.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2021

Coming from the public school for Kindergarten and First grade, we decided that our daughter needed a better school. She began at GRTWA in September and we couldn't be happier. The small classroom size allows her to get the attention she needs and she is thriving socially as well as academically. Dr. Bahar, Moshe Vaknin, the administration team and all the teachers have been so warm, receptive and incredibly helpful in understanding our daughter's needs and have such an enriched curriculm that she wouldn't have received at her old school. They truly care about her success and it shows. Our daughter comes home happy and loves to go to school. Even through these trying times with COVID, the families have welcomed us into their community and we feel as if we have been part of the school for years. We highly recommend GRTWA!
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2019

Both of my children attend ECC (Preschool). We are so happy with our experience this year at the school. The teachers create a personalized approach to each child's individual needs. The entire staff truly cares about the school and all the students. I have the utmost confidence in the way my children are cared for.
Submitted by parent on August 02, 2018

I have three children currently at school, and there are just not enough words of praise for me to express my experience at the school. Not only is it strong academically, but more importantly, for me, is the environment is so nurturing and so warm and loving that the children feel completely at home. The teachers I have experienced at every grade level thus far have been creative, dedicated, imaginative and issues I have had have been addressed and resolved immediately. The dean at the school is extremely efficient and effective and the school principle is charismatic and enthusiastic about teaching and learning in general. The community of the school is truly like a family and is extremely welcoming. It is truly a unique and wonderful place for my kids to grow and learn
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2018

I have 5 children. two who have graduated GRTWA, and three who are currently still in the school. They are all very different children and very different learners and they have each thrived and grown in their own way over the years that they have been there. I cannot say enough great things about the middle school, both in environment and preparation for HS. Both of my HS students, transitioned seamlessly from GRTWA to public HS, entering into all honors classes and embracing the HS curriculum with ease. They were extremely well prepared both academically and socially, and the strong morals and character values that GRTWA instilled in them have carried through into HS. There have been many standout teachers for me over the last 10 years that my children have been at the school, from preschool teachers, who truly nurtured their creativity to elementary teachers who never gave up on a child who struggled to find their academic path, all the way to middle school where the teaching staff just simply shines. I heartily recommend this school to anyone who is searching for a place where their child can grow and learn in a safe, nurturing environment where community is fostered, a sense of self is respected, and a child's intellect is nurtured and challenged.
Submitted by other on June 27, 2017

We did not have a good experience at this school. Neither the teachers nor the administration seemed interested in getting to know our child , teach our child or accommodate our child in any way. They seem to have a once size fits all approach to learning.
Submitted by other on February 18, 2017

Academically, our kids (6 & 7 grades) are more than a year ahead in maths as part of a challenging curriculum including second language (Hebrew) on top of Spanish. They are infused with the values of Judaism - debate, question, listen, research, explore and respect your fellow man. They are comfortable presenting ideas in public. The school is warm, it is a community and it is infusing the children with love for their country and for Israel.
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2017

Both of our children were better prepared than their classmates from public and private schools when they went on to high school elsewhere (this is a K-8 school). Also delivers a solid foundation in Jewish education.
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2017

We have had our two children (ages 9 and 13) at GRTWA since they were two years old. It is a warm and welcoming environment with a top-notch and highly responsive staff. Our children have positively bloomed there under their guidance. The curriculum is very well put together and challenging. Highly recommended.
Submitted by parent on February 16, 2017

We have been a GRTWA family for 9 years with 3 children currently attending the school. The academic culture and language infusion were leading reasons for our enrollment. After 9 years we could not be any happier with how this school has met and surpassed each and every one of these subjects. All while enriching our lives as members of this loving and wonderful community!
Submitted by principal on December 23, 2015

Kids are seen as individuals with individual learning styles and personalities. In such a warm, nurturing environment, children are given the opportunity to flourish and reach their own potential. There's no other school in the area like this one!
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2015

There is so much to love about this school: the beautiful new "green" building which is so bright and airy; the incredible staff; the strong sense of community; and the excellent education in both general and Judaic studies. I am a public school teacher and choosing to send my daughter to a private school was very difficult, but the school's child-centered vs. standardized test-centered environment sold me and I've never looked back.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2015

Self-esteem, kindness, generosity, empathy, and social justice responsibility abound in the children of this school. Add in excellence in a well-rounded education, and you've got a spectacular combination! So glad that my child goes to GRTWA!
Submitted by parent on August 23, 2015

This school is very good on academics, it is excellent on raising children to have the right values; it nurture children self confidence by ways of art/drama/plays and also it is community driven and warm.
Submitted by principal on August 19, 2015

The GRTWA is one of the best schools in NJ. It is a community Jewish Dy school that teaches values and high level general studies academics. My two sons attend the school and I attribute their academic, emotional and character success to the school. I highly recommend sending your child to the school.
Submitted by other on August 18, 2015

All three of my children attended this school from an early age. We found the staff and the environment to be one that nurtures and challenges the students. Our children graduated with the preparation to succeed in High School and college and Did. It is truly a community based school.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2015

Coming into the school, my wife was more enthusiastic than me about moving my kids out of public school. My daughter was doing well in public school, and we were in a good school district. In retrospect, I am very, very happy to have moved my kids. Even if you are not wedded to the idea of private or Jewish school in principle, there is no denying the value of being at a school that is superbly run, superbly staffed, and made up of families who make their children's education a top priority. And, with the school's new facilities, it is really hard for me to imagine a school having more to offer.I absolutely love this school. My kids have really thrived academically, socially, and as human beings. Several things have really stood out for me:1. Going into the school, I was a bit concerned that the time students spend learning Hebrew and Judaica would detract from the basics (e.g., English reading, science, etc.). They assured me that kids can do it all if they are held to high expectations and taught well. They were right. Kids can learn a lot, and school is more engaging when they are challenged rather than coasting through.2. Kids are very nice to each other. All my kids were welcomed and developed good friendships quickly. Older kids have been really nice to my younger ones, and I like the example it provides. Kindness and consideration is strongly reinforced by the school. There's a great mentorship program in which older kids look after younger kids.3. Communication with parents is really great, and the teachers' doors were always open to me.4. Parents are really involved and friendly. People help each other out and everyone seems really invested in parenting.5. After school programs have been great.6. Most importantly, as a product of public schooling, I didn't appreciate how great it would be for a Jewish kid to be at a Jewish school. I never confronted anti-Semitism, so it never felt bad to be a Jew wherever I was. However, that's altogether different from being in a school system that focuses on Jews. The school inculcates pride in being who you are, and celebrates your history, culture and holidays with your family. Overall, it's a great school, and it's going to be getting some great new facilities this fall.
Submitted by principal on June 24, 2015

Gottesman RTW Academy (formerly Hebrew Academy of Morris County) has a 50 year tradition of blending all denominations of Judaism with a rigorous academic curriculum. When you walk into our beautiful new, state of the art, green facility and hear our children singing and laughing, you understand the joy that fills this school and the lives of everyone involved.
Submitted by parent on June 18, 2015

From the moment your child starts school there, you feel like you as a parent are part of a strong community.