Ivy League School

211 Brooksite Drive

Smithtown, NY 11787

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on July 28, 2020

My daughter’s Kindergarten teacher has been absolutely amazing. Even during the switch to distance learning, my child’s curious mind has continued to blossom, flourish and stretch in many wonderful, meaningful ways. I’m so grateful that she is learning at a school that is committed to educating the whole child, sparking her creativity and critical thinking skills on a daily basis. I’m most impressed with my daughter’s ability to read at such an early age. Thanks to her exceptional teacher, who during an unprecedented time in history, went above and beyond and continued to instruct her students in such a personal, compassionate way while online. My daughter’s future is very bright at Ivy League School.
Submitted by parent on July 10, 2020

The Ivy League School was one of the best decisions we ever made for our son. Our son entered the school a sapling and through great teachers and strong leadership is clearly becoming an oak. Academically, his growth has been exciting to watch. He is clearly ready for high school and the rigor of AP classes. I have no problem giving credit to a school that clearly instilled a sense of high integrity, good character, and love of learning. I would highly recommend anyone sending their child here.
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2020

Can’t say enough about the school and the teachers in this difficult year. Every one of my daughter’s teachers went above and beyond what we expected and were always available when she needed help.
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2020

We are so pleased with Ivy League. Recently the distance learning that was put in place was second to none. We had all of our academic specials including foreign language and reading groups.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2020

Awful. They lied to my family and I breached there contract accused me of lying about being a teacher to get a discount. We felt they do not care about any child and only your money.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2018

i could not be more pleased. I have recommended this school many times to children nursery and up
Submitted by other on June 13, 2018

I only had one bad year. The teacher was good at what she taught, but she wasn't interested in disciplining a girl who did mean things to me. Despite the one bad year, I got a very good education there and would choose Ivy again.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2018

Ivy has the most caring, competent teachers and helpful staff members. The curriculum is standard Common Core fare, with little to no differentiation. The school is very focused on theater and dance, but instrumental music is limited, and sports are lacking. The ratio of girls to boys is about 80/20, which is good for our daughter; not so good for our son. There have been issues with bullying in the middle school, but K-4 has never been a problem for us.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2018

The campus is very nice. The owners and staff members are very nice. NY certified or not, most teachers at Ivy League are great! Most of the students are also very nice, but unfortunately, the bad apples are retained. My son has learning disabilities, and has been relentlessly teased by a classmate. The school won't expel the bully, so WE have to leave. Because of that, I cannot say that Ivy has been a good, safe place for my son.
Submitted by student on June 12, 2018

Good teachers. No sports. Too few boys. I'm finally leaving the school this year because a kid in my class has been torturing me for years, and the school won't get rid of him.
Submitted by teacher on September 03, 2014

The comment below about teachers being not certified, large class sizes and not graduating are downright slander. Speaking as a proud middle school teacher for many years, I can attest to the academic and most importantly moral value of this school. Speaking as someone who taught in public school and now teaches in private school, the difference in education is astronomical. We don't teach out of an outdated curriculum binder or to the test. We spend countless hours developing an engaging and creative curriculum that takes learning out in the real world. We incorporate life skills into our daily lessons. We custom tailor the needs of each child because of the small class sizes and we teach students how to be active, positive members of society. We have countless over-the-top social events that you would NEVER see in public school. I spoke with a parent today who saw our alumni at a private high school and recognized them by way they carried themselves- mature and respectful and I am proud to say every one of our graduates leaves here in that fashion. We are more than just a school here, we are like a family and for that I give this amazing school five stars without question.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2014

In my experience as an educator and school parent, the door is always open for communication with parents, and school leaders are easily accessible. I know that graduates from last years class are attending private high schools such as Knox, York Prep, Port ledge and St. Anthony s to name a few. Each one is a success story, filled with academic achievement and social acclimation. This year s graduates are headed in a similar direction. The after school program is broad based with something for everyone and extra help is always available. Additionally, the school is accredited by the Middle States Association which is a much tougher certification to obtain than the Independent School certification that most private schools obtain. All of the teachers are NYS Certified, hold Masters Degrees and are experienced. Academic subjects are not doubled up and instruction is always differentiated. The key Administrators are Dr. Don Sternberg, Principal and Myrna Gartenstein, Curriculum Director are both nationally recognized educators with unparalleled experience and credentials.
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2014

Parent teacher communication is extremely poor. School is for transient students, and public school is still a far better option. School personal put on a great show when it comes to selling their curriculum but the bottom line is students are not taught how to compete academically in the real world and staff are quick to blame students (i.e. classifying students with psych issues, beware, take heed!) when they fall behind. In 8 years I only know of 1 child who graduated all other students left before graduating. After school activities, sports, extra help, nonexistent! Talk a good game to get your tuition but the reality of your child graduating from this school is highly unlikely. Dont be fooled by the location and classroom buildings its a front for a very poor educational experience that you will regret I am a parent giving this review and going through the process of getting my child caught up academically and socially. Dont be gullible about your childs education and the idea of private school, Ivy League fails all aspects of education but they are very good used car salesmen and they know how the system works to keep any educational ratings up. Definitely Not For My Child!
Submitted by parent on August 02, 2013

My son is about to enter his 2nd year at Ivy League School. Going into PreK. Well educated teachers, fabulous hands-on approach to teaching, and beautiful grounds. He has had such a positive and nurturing learning experience. We look forward to Ivy League continuing to go above and beyond any expectations.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2013

What a great experience my son is having at Ivy Leagues elementary school! We came there after kindergarten as we felt he was so bright and not being challenged in his former school. The classes are small and so he gets so much attention. Its a lot of work,but he"s up for it.The school also offers him so much out side of his regular classroom. We plan of starting our second child in preschool there next year.Everyone we have spoken to said the experience was wonderful.It doesn't matter which class you go into.The experiences for everyone we spoke to were so positive. We highly recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2011

I can't say enough good things about Ivy League. I have one child in pre-k, and one child in middle school, and both are excelling. My oldest received no support from his former public school - he was falling through the cracks and his grades were in a downward spiral. I brought him to Ivy League, and in a year he has shown such improvement and gains in confidence, that I am just thrilled. I've been a part of many schools in the past, but this is the first time that I really feel like we have found a caring community at Ivy League. Both the parents and the school itself - it's just a wonderful, wonderful environment!
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2011

The truth about this school is that it is a private school that is run by very nice people who know more about running a camp than anything else. There are 2 people in the administrative wing. One is not very involved and the other must deal with all the responsibilities of 10 + grade levels and hundreds of very demanding parents. Some of the teachers in this school are NOT New York state certified teachers and many of them join the staff with absolutely no experience. In this economic climate I suspect that this trend will continue. The preschool pragram is full of very talented and experienced teachers b/c the prinipal is a former prek teacher and her screening process for this part of the school is actually very good. This school operates with little money which means your child wil actually experience bigger classroom sizes when they are doubled up with other grade levels for specials and academic subjects. I would not however send my child there for elem or middle school since the resources, teacher experience, and lack of certification is a serious concern.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2011

Ivy League has been perfect for my children. They love getting up every morning to go to school! They are learning so much and building a great foundation. The teachers are fantastic and the families are all warm and welcoming. The curriculum is amazing ... french, spanish, mandarin, gymnastics .... plus since they have an outstanding camp, they kids get to use the playgrounds and fields.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2011

Ivy League pre-school is a fantastic, educational environment. We looked at a lot of schools and none quite compared. Kalee was reading at age 3 and loves math and music, all of which was fostered from the loving, encouraging teachers that she has had here. Our daughter loves it and has learned so much, we can't wait for our son to experience it too!
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2011

"At the Ivy League School they focus on my son's strengths, not his weaknesses. They appreciate and praise him for who he is. They know where he excels and use these areas as stepping stones for learning and building his self esteem. They have also identified those areas in which he needs some support, and they gently, consistently and effectively help him with these skills. I get detailed feedback every day and really feel like a member of a team working to provide my son with the best school experience a parent could ask for."