The Long Ridge School

478 Erskine Road

Stamford, CT 06903

26 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-5
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 10, 2024

We have postponed our eventual move to CO so that our 4th child can graduate from the Long Ridge School. My 3 adult children to this day speak about the value of my investment in their early education AND the enduring strengths LRS has imbued in each of them. I have attended over 8 schools in my upbringing as an expatriate child overseas and put this school as the gold standard. Each of my older kids have gone on to business school, environmental science and sociology vocations, and they remark that the LRS confidence in public speaking, risk taking, critical thinking and being a good steward of oneself and others, has been a foundation for their success. My 9 yr old will give a more direct review of “best teachers ever. Best school ever. Can they make a middle school too”? I think my utter surprise was the education LRS offered me, as a parent. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and LRS guided me through ALL kinds of educational, behavioral and less-than-obvious issues that came up in the early childhood years. I felt as supported and loved as my children. A solid A+ from this very grateful family.
Submitted by parent on August 14, 2023

Hi-Overall we are not pleased with what our child received from LRS and the overall management of the school. It’s very dated in terms of the processes. The head and some of the teachers are extremely unprofessional. The tour is wonderful and that’s what won us over. Unfortunately, that was fluff.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2023

After conducting thorough research on the school's staff bios, we discovered that their approach to education is quite limited and the teachers possess inadequate skills in various areas.Unfortunately, the school lacks diversity among both students and teaching staff.The school primarily consists of female teachers, and it was the bios of the administrative staff that initially caught our attention. However, we found their experience to be outdated. They lack resources. Most of the teachers have been in their roles for many years, but they lack innovation and fail to effectively communicate with parents. I would receive frequent emails concerning my child's behavior, indicating a lack of skill in resolving conflicts. Their approach appears biased and one-sided. I even have video evidence supporting this claim, which left me quite surprised. On one occasion, I was informed that my child used an aggressive tone, but later discovered that another student had thrown something, justifying such a response. Unfortunately, I was never informed about the latter incident.The school principal is unqualified for the position, having been a former teacher who somehow made it into the role. She tends to judge people based on appearances and assumes she knows everything without asking questions. Her communication skills are lacking, as well as her ability to handle sensitive issues positively. Overall, she is not adequately qualified for the position. Furthermore, there seems to be no clear chain of command within the school.The school head is running and ruining the show. I have observed previous parents helping out with the children on school grounds, which was never brought to our attention .A few years ago, I witnessed a 4-year-old child accidentally getting kicked by what appeared to be a 10-year-old after running in front of the swings. Although it was an accident, the teacher simply stood by with her arms folded, reassuring the older child that everything was fine, while the 4-year-old was left crying and bleeding. Later, I discovered that the parents of the 10-year-old were part of the school board.The school lacks a robust security system, does not have a full-time nurse on-site, and lacks an AED system.The tuition fees seem disproportionate to the value we receive from the school.It seems that the school may not be aware that open-toe shoes and skirts/dresses above the knees are considered inappropriate attire.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2023

My son graduated last spring from Long Ridge and I feel compelled to share how wonderfully prepared he is for middle school! He grew up at LRS starting in the Beginners program and culminating in graduation where each graduate gives a thoughtful speech reflecting on their time at the school. LRS is nurturing and creative, yet also rigorous. Each child is treated with care and communication is excellent among the school head, teachers and parents. Similarly, the community is vibrant and inclusive. With sensitive and innovative teachers and programming, LRS ensured that my shy child had everything he needed to emerge self-assured and confident academically. Thank you Long Ridge!
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2023

Long Ridge is a wonderful elementary school in Stamford, grades nursery through 5th (with preschool as well). Both of our children went there and really benefited from the small class size, dedicated teachers and unique programs including Spanish, music, and art. The school instilled a love of learning which followed them to middle school and beyond and contributed to their lifelong success. Our granddaughter now goes to Long Ridge and loves it, she has made a lot of close friends and looks forward to class (and after school activities) each day.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2023

The teachers and staff at the Long Ridge School truly know how to engage students in learning. There is something special to be said about the multi-age grouping in each classroom. The younger children learn from the older children and the older children learn compassion toward the younger children. The way the curriculum and schedule are designed, our (2) children are learning age-appropriate material and are never held back academically. In fact, something my husband and I appreciate about the teaching at Long Ridge is that they will recognize when a child can be pushed further along in their learning. At the same time, the teachers also pay close attention to how each child is learning, academically, socially, and emotionally and are always there to provide support and strategies as needed. Activities and classes are set up during the day so that children from all age groups come together for plenty of social interaction. There is a wonderful sense of community among the teachers, staff, and students.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2023

Before starting this school year, my son was nervous about moving up into his next class. His teacher went above and beyond by meeting with me in the middle of the summer break to help strategize how to make the start of the year smoother. Her ideas were incredibly effective and as a result, the transition ended up being very smooth for everyone!
Submitted by parent on December 20, 2022

The school seems sweet but is not. This is not a healthy environment for bright well adjusted kids. The teachers socially & emotionally manipulate the children. The Director is dishonest and follows the direction and demands of a few parents/families, even to the detriment of students. The entry level grades do not teach or encourage grace and courtesy among the children. The fourth grade teacher intimidates students and is dishonest with parents manipulating social situations. The fifth grade teacher is subpar academically and non-inclusive of all families and students, promoting a particular student of choice. I would not recommend this school.
Submitted by other on June 09, 2021

All 3 of our children attend/ed LRS because we believe it is the best school in the area and because it’s core values align closely with our own. The strengths of the school lie in its diversity, community, teacher dedication, experiential nature and 360 degree curriculum. LRS develops problem solving skills, creativity, collaboration, confidence and a real joy of learning – translational skills that I think will carry our children far beyond secondary education and into the 21st century jobs of the future. Our kids have made so many amazing connections (and wonderful memories) with the school's immersive theme studies... I LOVE how everything connects and inter-relates, this gives the bigger broader picture and provides context and meaning to what they are doing/reading/learning. Our five year old loved exploring the 14 acre campus (she knows how to identify so many birds from guided nature walks with a compass + binoculars!). We can't emphasize enough how great the multi-age classrooms are... such opportunities for growth as a newcomer and as "mentor." I was surprised that our youngest child felt the strongest connection with the younger kids in her class... I had assumed she would gravitate to the older students as that is most similar to her home environment... but I think she loves having her own place where she can experience the responsibilities as the "older kid."Our financial investment in the school is directly reinvested into our children's experience and learning (not high school sports, or junior high clubs, for example). We loved how even as the youngest learners in the school, our 2 year old and our 4 year old had access to the amazing specialists (e.g. the science teacher and lab, the beautiful airy and open creative art studio, the Spanish classroom, and an incredible music program, WOW!... not to mention PE and the gym). Because LRS focuses solely on early + elementary education, the whole school feels "just right" for our young ones... from the size of the chairs and restrooms to the specialty and training of the teachers for this specific age group. The teachers and staff are THE BEST - caring, supportive, inspiring, accessible and beyond dedicated. We consider them part of our family because we genuinely feel they consider our child part of theirs. We feel incredibly fortunate that our 3 children have had LRS to inspire them and begin their educational journey. We can't recommend the school highly enough!
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2020

The Long Ridge School is small, sweet, intimate and personalized and a lovely cocoon. The campus is beautiful. But to be completely honest, there is quite a bit of “puffery” on the website - and the real bottom line is the academics are subpar - lots of crafts and singing, and splattering of paint and playing with shaving cream, and painting cardboard boxes, rock painting, and ice cream trucks which is great and sweet up to a point. Our family felt these were the type of activities and experiences we could provide our child at home or on the weekend - why waste so much school time on things like this? We couldn’t help asking ourselves - Is this worth the tuition?? What is our child actually learning? What about math and spelling and learning to write well etc? There is simply no meat on the bone here. The cocoon is nice and play is what children should do but only up to a certain point. Our family had a few wonderful and caring teachers. But where are the strong core academics that provide a strong foundation.
Submitted by parent on December 04, 2017

The Long Ridge School is an incredibly special learning community. Children are challenged academically, yet always respected, supported and cherished. The teachers, administration and parents all endeavor to make new families feel welcome. The beautiful grounds often serve as an outdoor classroom, as well as a place to explore and imagine. The music program is nothing short of magical. We had to move out of state due to a job relocation. While our son is happy and adjusting to his new school, we miss almost everything about Long Ridge.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2016

LRS has been the perfect fit for both my boys, who are as different as can be academically and temperamentally. They both love school, have the greatest respect for their teachers, and have become strong critical thinkers. It would not occur to them to be apathetic or dismissive of school and learning. The collaborative nature of the classrooms and the size of the school have helped my boys develop strong social skills.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2015

The Long ridge school has built a strong foundation for both my boys. The teachers are exceptional. They nurture and guide with loving care and individualized attention, and each year they have exceeded our expectations at every grade level. The specialists for Spanish, Science, PE, Art and Music work with students from an early age, building on a child's skills year after year. I would highly recommend The Long Ridge School.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2015

My child has attended the Long Ridge School since he was 3 years old. With a focus on academic excellence while keeping the unique qualities of each child in mind, LRS has been a wonderful place for learning for my son. The curriculum really emphasizes a hands-on learning approach with theme driven interdisciplinary lessons. The themes are rich, global & relevant - they equip the child with a solid 21st. Century education. LRS encourages students to think & converse about what they are learning. They read, question, listen and reflect to ensure they have cemented a deeper understanding in the subject matter. They are also encouraged to present their individual thoughts - discuss them, problem solve together in teams via creative ways. LRS has been an exceptional experience & I believe, prepares children well for middle & high school.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2015

My sons have attended Long Ridge since they were 2 and have had the great fortune to be part of a learning environment that is meaningful and encourages exploration and expression of ideas. They are part of small classes that allow for close interaction with their teachers who really understand each child's unique personality. Using an interdisciplinary curriculum all the teachers share the common goal of instilling in their students a love of learning. They strive for students to go forth as life long learnes who understand that they are part of a global community.
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2015

The Long Ridge School is an exemplary early childhood & elementary school! My three children have different styles and approaches to learning and they were all successful and had a wonderful experience at LRS. The small class sizes enable teachers to address various learning styles and teachers really go above and beyond to know each child and support them academically, socially & emotionally. I continue to be impressed by how deeply teachers know my children and the insights they share with me during teacher conferences and in the in-depth narrative reports are invaluable. I can't recommend LRS highly enough; it is a wonderful place to learn and a wonderful community to be a part of.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2014

This is the school where my children learned to love learning! The skills they learned at LRS have been the bedrock of the remainder of my children's educational experiences since leaving Long Ridge. Thank you, LRS!
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2014

Our two children attend Long Ridge School (7 years but who is counting)! They learn in very different ways and at different rates yet each child has grown dramatically, learned a lot and grown in confidence. This result, no doubt is testimony to the school's successful approach in treating each child as unique and valued for his or her ideas and talents. We could not be happier parents given the terrific faculty and staff at Long Ridge and an engaged community of parents.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2014

Our family feels extremely fortunate to have found LRS for our son. The students at LRS thrive and truly love going to school. I am impressed with the commitment the faculty and staff show towards the students. Everything is focused to help the students prepare for the future both academically and emotionally.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2014

Our family has been at the Long Ridge School for ten years. The teachers are outstanding--each one of them works hard to "get" each child, and treat each child with respect and understanding. My daughter graduated Long Ridge three years ago and has been extremely prepared for the academic and social challenges of middle school. I can't say enough about this wonderful school, and how glad I am that we discovered it.