The Knox School

541 Long Beach Road

Saint James, NY 11780

13 Reviews

School District
Grade

6-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 04, 2024

We chose this school for our son. We were looking at another private school close by, but we are so happy we chose Knox instead. Our son is challenged, nurtured and has a lot of opportunities for growth even though this is a small school. The administrators here are always accessible and respond quickly to parent concerns. We love the fact that the school has students from many different countries, and they are all so nice. All of the students get along well. The students in this school are high achievers but still come across as humble. The school also provides college counseling every year and the students seem to be getting accepted to their top choices. My son's teachers are all excellent and make learning enjoyable for him. We are looking to send our daughter as well when she finishes elementary school.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2021

When my daughter was in 6th grade she transferred to Knox from public school. Best decision I ever made. Small class size and teachers who care have brought out the academic excellence in my child. Beautiful campus. We are lucky to be part of the Knox family.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2021

Starting with the head of School, both the recently resigned and the current have faculty stretched so thin often having them work several positions or taking on too many classes, some outside their field of expertise, which as you can imagine is not a good for the student. I know first hand that they have hired people to teach classes that do not have degree in education, of any type and some do not have college degrees at all. Faculty comes and goes at this school by the dozens and I do mean the dozens. Im willing to say with great confidence that in the last 5 years they have gone through approx 35 employees. In a school that has an average of 145 students, that’s not a good thing. It’s an beautiful international boarding school, so one would believe it’s a lovey multi cultural environment, well it’s not. It’s a hostile, unsettling environment with so much racial tension it makes me sad. I have been witness to so many unfair issues, to students and faculty that it sickened me. I made sure concerns where brought to the attention of the dean who was then gone and again to the following dean, and much to my surprise he too was gone. I brought issues and concerns to a 3rd administrator and again I find that they are no longer there. This school is so poorly run that it surprises me they continue to operate at all. 10 years ago I would have recommended this school highly, but the last head of school and the current head of school along with the inconsistency in the education and the passive aggressive nature of the school makes Knox a hard NO.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2018

Excellent very diverse communication is excellent among students and staff
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2017

Fantastic school. HOS Tillona Baker is a no-nonsense and fair leader and has cultivated an anti-bullying culture and a reinforced the original traditions of the school. Faculty is great. The school truly cares about each child and their future. Any negative reviews are the result of disgruntled parents who believed that if you pay enough, your child can get away with anything. Not at Knox! If your child is caught bullying other students or violating ethics, they will be treated very fairly, but if it happens again. Goodbye! The students have a tremendous sense of relief knowing that they won't be constantly subject to negative peer pressure. It's a wonderful thing and it sets the school apart.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2017

Well trained staff. Organized. Easy to deal with.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2017

Knox is a great school- we could not be happier. We wish we had found it sooner. The students & staff are incredible. It's a very exciting time for the school The campus is beautiful and located right on Stony Brook Harbor. The Fencing Team, Crew Team & Basketball Team are strong and very fun to watch! It's a great value!
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2015

My son has attended Knox for two years and we are beyond impressed. We know that he is getting a wonderful education and the faculty and administration at the school are supportive and worth every penny! A lot of the reviews on this site regarding run down facilities are irrelevant, the campus is breathtaking and repairs are made constantly. This school goes above and beyond to address parent's and student's concerns. Perhaps the reviewers should address their concerns with the school first before posting on a website. Again, this is a great school and our son has made fantastic friends here!
Submitted by other on August 11, 2014

This past year was my first year at Knox. At first I believed the school would provide personalized top notch education and push me to excel and be the best student I can be. However, very few students opt to participate in honors and with good reason. Being in honors is not a separate class, so oftentimes assignments and extra wok would fall through the cracks. Not only are some teachers not certified and wildly under-qualified for their classes, teachers are rude, gossip, and completely unprofessional. They enforce a strict dress code and yet if they overhear students talking about drugs they say nothing. Students on student council must be elected and those with failing grades and who are completely under-qualified may win, simply because they are popular or the correct race. This leads to student council being a waste of time since no one actually wants to make the school better; they simply want to spice up their college resume. Students that have an opinion or idea (especially if it is a negative one) are told by the staff that it is only them who feel this way and to get over it. The school has a lot of potential and some love it. But, I wouldn't recommend this school at all
Submitted by parent on February 18, 2014

This is my son s first year at Knox and we are happy we sent him here. The warmth, encouragement and support from the faculty and staff was something he felt immediately. The work load is challenging, but it is helping to prepare him for college. The teachers are always available to meet one on one with the children throughout the day and evening. Since most of the teachers live on campus, their availability is very flexible (My son has been up at school for extra help over the weekends when he s needed it)! It s a very accepting and respectful community of students and as the year progresses I see how close they re all becoming. Although my son is a day student, many board which is a great opportunity to prepare them for college!
Submitted by other on September 08, 2013

First off if you have a secret on campus it will find a way to be exposed, and you can never hide anything. The student body while I attended was cruel and mean to me because of my disabilities. I was also talked about in harsh ways because of my race. I received racial comments on a daily basis. The girls here were also very cruel and shallow and if you were not super attractive they made fun of you. The dorms always smelled and were handled poorly. While I attended there were rat infestations. The faculty does not care about the students with an exception of a few teachers. If you are falsely accused of doing something and saying something you will be reported to the administration. Also note that when you are reported you will be reported by many people who want to destroy your life. I was outcasted, beaten up, and made fun of for things I could not control. Overall I would not recommend this school as it has no name value like Choate, Exeter or Andover, its overpriced, and the people there are entitled (Even though there is nothing to be entitled about. Unless you attend Miss Porters, Choate, Exeter or Avon Old Farms you have no reason to be cocky.) Overall it is a bad school.
Submitted by other on June 07, 2013

In recent years, the Knox School has made tremendous improvement in facilities as well as available programs. Not only are they renovating all of the dorms (except Knipe because it was recently rebuilt 2 years ago) but they are also renovating and reopening a previously neglected academic building, including a new writing center inside of it as well. In addition to these renovations, the school has also recently renovated the library to include a study center as well as a research center, along with the already-existing computer lab. In terms of academics, Knox has always excelled. This year, Knox will be giving students the option to participate in online courses (including AP classes) if a class is not already offered in the curriculum. As a long-time student approaching her last year, I have seen the school pass through many phases and I have to say that I have never been more excited for my senior year. However, as a veteran of several other private schools, the one thing that Knox has maintained over the years is its caring environment that other schools do not have. There is a lot of change coming to Knox in the following years, and I am eager to see its continued success!
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2012

My child attended Knox during his last two years of high school. The security and the rules have definitely polished my son's behavior. He came back and started to show humble, responsible character. I had never expected that Knox has an impact on children other than their academic performances. The campus is absolutely gorgeous with a beach towards the end of the hill. Girls have sea-view dorms! Knipe cottage has recently been renovated and it looks absolutely amazing. All that is left is improving the boy's dormitories. The library needs a little work as well. But hey, Knox is working it's way! Keep up the good work Knox!