Marie Murphy School

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

Posted: March 28, 2022

We regret sending our kids to Marie Murphy. Although our kids had a few outstanding teachers and classes, in most classes they were bored and learned very little. Marie Murphy does not differentiate teaching or curriculum for students who learn faster or slower. I've heard from a number of parents that the special education services are bad. It's a poorly managed school and school district. Our kids and their friends hated it.

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: March 17, 2022

Marie Murphy (part of School District 37) is poorly run. Our son was bullied by the school and then, when we complained, they tried to humiliate him. The school and district do not care about educating children. There are many negative reviews about Marie Murphy for a reason, as it is not a good place to send your children.

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2022

Teachers seem unqualified. Definitely tell kids what to think rather than trying to get kids to think for themselves. Districts in the area are much better than Avoca.

Posted: January 31, 2022

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: December 14, 2021

We have had multiple poor experiences dealing with Marie Murphy and Avoca School District 37. In my opinion, the leadership is incompetent. The district's finances are poorly handled. The teachers, on average, give 3+ hours of homework each night, which is significant for a junior high student. While kids need to be prepared for high school, there needs to be a balance (equivalent of work-life balance for students). The superintendent seems clueless.

Posted: December 14, 2021

Posted: February 6, 2020

I'm in college now and will still say that some of my most supportive and motivating teachers come from this school.

Posted: February 6, 2020

Yes, Marie Murphy is one of the smallest and most diverse schools feeding into New Trier High School. This school approaches roles in friends, families, different races, genders, and even academically in ways for students to understand and have a better way to approach their future.

Posted: February 6, 2020

I was granted the opportunity to strive as a member of a sports team leader and as an academic team leader. This is where I first learned about my leadership skills.

Posted: February 6, 2020

Posted: February 6, 2020

I would say more agree than disagree based on my personal experience where I had teachers I was close with and could talk to my problems with. Although a small school if a student did not have a teacher or mentor they could talk to I understand why they might not feel comfortable.

Posted: February 6, 2020

Marie Murphy was a school I look back on where I learned more about myself and expand myself as an individual than what I feel most middle schoolers are able to do. I was able to try and experience new things in a comfortable and supportive environment. In a suburb of primarily white people and a feeder school of almost all white people, Marie Murphy taught me to respect, accept, and learn about people who were not the same as me. Based on where I grew up (north shore suburbs) I would not have asked for a different experience. I thank Marie Murphy for what it provided me.

Posted: February 6, 2020

There's a lot of homework and as a middle school student based on myself homework wasn't my thing. So yes, it was a lot but at the same time looking back on it it was probably more helpful than trying to ruin me.

Posted: October 14, 2019

Per grade you have two or three teachers that are excellent the rest are not supportive and it feels that all they want is to check their boxes and get out of here. This district is small and class sizes are small, furthermore teachers are limited to only 4 hours of instruction time so I see no reason for them not to at least try and take the time to help the students. Their attitude is you have a problem you come and see me but only at 7:30am because I don’t have time otherwise.

Posted: October 14, 2019

Teaching students to dislike learning and induces anxiety. This is a very punitive environment.

Posted: October 14, 2019

It seems that teachers run the show and there is no accountability if they fail their students. This is a public school and all students should be treated equally no matter their ability. The school philosophy is to make this place a living hell for students who can’t keep up and force parents to switch schools thus making them look good on paper. How is this even legal?

Posted: October 14, 2019

They don’t care and want these kids out to make them look good in terms of grades. No support!

Posted: October 14, 2019

Posted: October 14, 2019

Homework is excessive and mostly busywork. Homework is given over weekend and religious holidays. Kids can’t get a break and are not prepared coming into this from 5th grade. If homework is turned in late kids get an F! How is this conducive to learning if you leave no room for failure.

Posted: October 14, 2019

Traumatic! There is no genuine desire to help students or listen to parents concerns. These are educators and have s responsibility to teach, empower, and nurture students. Unfortunately, it feels like an us versus them attitude. This is not a nurturing environment.

Posted: October 13, 2019

They have a very punitive system you walk the wrong way and talk between classes and you get punished.

Posted: October 13, 2019

When you make 11-12 year old kids have days that start 7:50am to 3.30pm with 30 min lunch and recess you seriously have a leadership problem.

Posted: October 13, 2019

Posted: October 13, 2019

Posted: October 13, 2019

Our kid is in middle school and the only way of communication is grades. We are talking F´s for late homework. Teachers are very unapproachable, your student can come in between 7.30am to 7:50am. They act like college professors.

Posted: October 13, 2019

Horrible for our kid. In his previous school he was a top student and loved school. At Marie Murphy he hates it

Posted: October 13, 2019

Posted: May 8, 2019

Nope. Even the most minor learning differences are treated callously. Heck, even common mental problems, such as ADHD, or anxiety, or anything at all is pretty rough. It’s hard to get by in this school if you’re not perfect. Maybe I’m exaggerating, myself being part of these people I’m describing, but this is certainly how I feel about the whole situation.

Posted: May 8, 2019

I personally haven’t experienced any bullies, mostly because no one in their right mind would mess with me, but, I’ve seen bullies around. All different types. It seems like our problems are left for us to figure out, as the teachers don’t help much at all. I suppose I can add the teachers themselves as bullies, too.
Oh, and, I haven’t a clue what’s up with the high “required field trip” prices. They reach from the $500 mark to, what, the $1500? $2000? Not fun. I’m pretty sure driving to Springfield on a dingy bus doesn’t cost the student $600 dollars each. Especially if we’re staying at a 1-3 star hotel and stopping (twice, for the entire two days) at McDonald’s for a meal. I’d consider my family quite well-off, in financial terms, but some of my friends are simply not able to go. Also, my family takes the “required” part quite seriously, so, I have no idea.

Posted: May 8, 2019

Posted: May 8, 2019

Let’s go for a ‘no’ on this one. Most of the kids at my school, (and I admit, sometimes including myself) are pretty rotten. They don’t respect the authority, which, in my last statement, I can get behind. They certainly don’t respect each other.

Posted: May 8, 2019

What. A. Nightmare! I am currently a student here, and I can assure you, this place is an absolute mess! From piles of homework to fear-inducing staff, I will certainly (regrettably) remember this place in years to come.

Posted: May 8, 2019

This school gives piles of homework which rival high school and college level homework. It usually takes 4-6 hours for me to complete a daily homework amount, and it’ll be more or less depending on the student. Homework is, in fact, given on the weekends (unlike the elementary school, Avoca West, and the transition was a rather rough change), breaks (thanksgiving, winter, spring, etc.), and even summer vacation. Often I’m left scrambling to do the rest of it in the morning, and even during school if I’m desperate.

Posted: May 8, 2019

Nope. Not one bit. Teachers have a way of yelling, punishing, and scaring the students in a way that is totally left unchecked. My, and I’m sure other people’s parents, assume that the adults were ‘just having a bad day’, which further adds to the problem. I am not the best-behaving student on earth, so this is especially hard for me. I step one foot out of line, and I have a lunch detention for a week. Heck, maybe even a couple of after-school detentions. My classmates and I are often left shocked, outraged, and afraid after certain classes. I don’t think anyone who can make a difference (without getting in more trouble) cares at all.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a few AMAZING teachers here, but sadly, the bad FAR outweigh the good.

Posted: January 27, 2019

Posted: January 27, 2019

Posted: January 27, 2019

Posted: January 27, 2019

Posted: January 27, 2019

for the most part it is good but some teachers aren’t the best

Posted: January 27, 2019

sometimes the work given out would be better if you did in a group than by yourself

Posted: January 27, 2019

sometimes a few teachers take it over the top by giving out random punishment and detentions

Posted: April 28, 2016

Teachers are part of the bulling problem - they yell at the kids and get away with it. Administration doesn't care, and kids are left afraid of staff.

Posted: April 28, 2016

Our family time is ruined if we followed their homework amounts - 5 hours a night is minimum. Our middle schooler is required to turn the light out by 11pm nightly, but its almost a guarantee that they haven't finished all the homework. Is this middle school or college?

Posted: April 28, 2016

What fairness? Bullies rule the school and are free to pick on kids. They allow bullies to cyber-bully with their free laptops and don't monitor inappropriate usage of computers they give out. But when every child in the district has a computer, that makes it tough to monitor. Kids are spoiled. They exclude all low income children because they have expensive "class" trips that kids are "required" to go on, yet the cost is more than a family vacation! They separate the haves and the have nots by requiring parents to pay extremely high fees, regardless of ability, and then a handful of children are left behind due to being poor. The PTC is run the same way, and the PTC goes after money and more money - excluding many kids from events due to the high costs.

Posted: April 28, 2016

Is this middle school or college?? The school does not treat the children well as it assumes all kids are rich and Harvard prep. The staff yells and kids are spoiled bullies- tearing down kids.

Posted: October 8, 2013

This school is great. All of the teachers here help every single student to their full needs. The parent-teacher communication is excellent.

Posted: November 29, 2012

The school is fine ya good ya but the school does not do anything for bullying or anything its just average

Posted: February 1, 2011

I go to this school, and it is just amazing! It has a broad selection of extra-curricular activities. Another thing I love about this school, is that we get our own Macbooks. Now these are not only for our personal use, but you may also use it for school. You may do things like book reports or essays on Microsoft Word. We also have this application we use called, Google Docs. Many of you may already use it, but it is a great idea for school use. We share with our classmates and teachers and we work on projects with our fellow classmates, and if they are online, we are able to chat with them, and talk to them about the project. Overall, this school is Excellent. Five out of Five Stars!!!