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The Joseph Sears School
(847) 256-5006
542 Abbotsford Rd
Kenilworth, IL 60043
Level: PK-8
District: Kenilworth School District 38



Extended Information
In-depth school information including test scores, student stats, parent ratings and reviews for The Joseph Sears School, Kenilworth, IL.


Census InfoValueYear
Student Teacher Ratio:12.9% (2006)
White, non-Hispanic:94.7% (2007)
Black, non-Hispanic:0% (2007)
Hispanic:1.4% (2007)
American Indian/Alaskan Native:0% (2007)
Asian/Pacific Islander:1.5% (2007)
Multiracial:2.4% (2007)
Percent Free and Reduced Price Lunch:0% (2006)




The Joseph Sears School Ratings Summary

Average Quality Rating3
Average Principals Rating4
Average Teachers Rating4
Average Activities Rating4
Average Parents Rating5
Average Safety Rating4


The Joseph Sears School Reviews

 
I currently have 2 children at Sears School and after reading all of the reviews I feel compelled to write my own. I think you will be hard pressed to find a better school or community than what you see in Sears and the Village of Kenilworth - yes, there are problems with certain children and families having the 'entitlement' issues. All of us know that is going to happen anywhere. Sears has magnificent teacher and parent involvement that exemplifies the saying, 'it takes a Village'. Wonderful art, music and language program that I am certain you will not find elsewhere, especially in an elementary school. Come see for yourself!

We attended the school for two years and while the academics and teacher ratios were great, the social climate was not. There was a very strong air of entitlement among the kids (and parents) and a focus on how much money they could spend on birthday parties, clothes, etc. We move out of the area to avoid raising our children in that type of money oriented environment. There also was a bullying problem, starting in the third and fourth grade. One girl we knew was taunted by girls for months and the school did not step in to act. The administrators were not very open about discussing it or detailing what their policies are regarding preventing bullying. The problem was also detailed in a local newspaper story. In the end, the great academics did not outweigh the trade off of having to raise a child in that environment.

This school has an excellent learning environment. The teachers are extremely passionate about educating the children. Everyone is friendly and caring. The programs offered are outstanding, as are the technological resources. This is by far the best school in the area.

The Joseph Sears School is not what it was many years ago. Bullying is a serious problem within the entire school. Lack of supervision in unsupervised settings is a major problem. Parents totally control the school, and enable administration to act upon discipling children. Teachers are unable to challege students in fear of losing their jobs. Cliques within the community are filtered through the children. Children are ostracized from social setting, sports and extra activities after school. This is not a safe, nuturing environment for a child to learn in.

Parents (and taxpayers) should expect that this school would have a stellar curriculum focused on strong academics while steering clearing of educational fads and fuzzy methods. Sadly, that is not the case. Like most North Shore schools, Sears revolves around the appearance of quality -- curb-appeal education, we can call it. Grab a copy of the Core Knowledge Sequence (or the popular press equivalent books by E. D. Hirsch) and you'll be in for a shock: it's not clear if Sears comes up to that standard for any subject in any grade! Meanwhile, what you will get for your astoundingly high property taxes is an overall emphasis on process over learning.

I loved Sears school. We are moving away, and the kids and I will really miss it. The first grade curriculum is so fantastic: so tightly designed, so interesting to the kids. Fifth grade is tough, but all of the teachers did a great job of preparing my daughter to excel in sixth grade. Overall, I couldn't ask for a better education for my kids, private or public!

Joseph Sears School is an excellent school. However, there are a few issues that need to be addressed. Music program for 3rd and 4th grade is not adequate - needs to be more sophisticated and engaging. Discipline is a concern. Boys fighting on the playground suggests that there are not enough teachers to supervise or teachers supervising are not skilled enough to manage the children. Tenured teachers is a problem (as I imagine it is in most schools). They rewrite the rules to suit their needs. It's happened recently in my child's grade and I am not happy. This is where leadership comes in. The school is in a state of transition. It shows. We are not quite sure whether the principal is staying. We have a new superintendent. Teachers and parents are not sure of what to think. Leadership needs to be stronger to deal with opinionated parents (like me).

We were lucky to buy a home in this community when our children were very young. The entire community is centered around the school. The education is outstanding. (I come from a Boston Private schools background so educational standards are extremely important to me.) The social climate of responsibility and caring provides a great foundation for my children. The PreK-8 grade setting maintains the feel of a 'young' school and so you do not get many of the problems of a typical junior high when you get to the older grades. The parent organization runs the school and is phenominal. We have felt extremely welcome here in Kenilworth.



 

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