Green Woods CS

Posted: December 11, 2024

My oldest just graduated GW in June and I must say things have only gotten better since my youngest began there in 2013. They have lots of extra curriculars and multiple field trips they fundraise for so parents aren't nickeled and dimed for activities and trips - especially families who can't afford those things. Science starts in kindergarten and kids are learning about real-world science. The teachers and administration care about the kids, making everything about them from safety to fun. The school is really focused on their mission: environmental stewardship and it shows in lots of classes. Things always felt safe for my kid even when I knew something was happening in the neighborhood outside school. Homework has a purpose - it didn't back before the admin changes in 2016-18. They have art and music every year (and I hope still every week) and the teachers are incredible. They quickly identified a learning issue my oldest was having and offered interventions to get them back on track in two months. The teachers are caring and approachable. My only complaint was some parents think things like parking (and similar) rules don't apply to them, but that's everywhere it seems.

Posted: December 11, 2024

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Posted: March 1, 2023

I love this school, I have been in GW since Kindergarten and it is like a big family. There are barely any bullying problems. The academics at GW are pretty good, depending on your skill level you will be challenged in different ways. All
of the teachers are awesome, and if they are new after a few days they fit right in, same with new students.

Posted: March 1, 2023

Posted: January 7, 2020

My kids are happy, learning and are supported by their teachers and the staff. I am very happy to be a GW parent.

Posted: January 7, 2020

The new administration implemented a much more effective homework policy, making it fair across grades and between teachers in the same grade.

Posted: January 7, 2020

Posted: January 7, 2020

Posted: January 7, 2020

This year so many positive changes have been implemented, I can't wait to see what's in store for the future. The years of being ignored by admin seems to be behind us, and from a safer drop-off to after school activities to improved communications about what's happening, I couldn't be more pleased.

Posted: January 7, 2020

Posted: June 13, 2017

My child was at Greenwoods from Pre-School on, and let me say that this school has effectively lost its way. I feel bad for many of the teachers, because the administration is TERRIBLE, and they aren't able to properly implement the 'mission' of the school, which has gone completely awry (an ecology curriculum that doesn't even use the outdoor features that were built with the new school, and NO SCIENCE FAIR?) The admin is surly, and seems to care very little about parent concerns; parents are kept at arms length as a practice, and spoken to in a condescending fashion when they make suggestions or have concerns. There is a high teacher turnover lately as well, and some very poor additions to the staff. Teachers used to love being here, but without the proper leadership and vision, this school is not the place we originally fell in love with. I hope that the administration can figure out how to get out of its own way and stop destroying what once was, and still could be, an exceptional school experience. Did I mention that the PSSA scores are rapidly nosediving, as well?

Posted: June 13, 2017

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Posted: September 6, 2016

I absolutely love love love this school, the teachers and the staff are awesome Ave the curriculum is awesome as well.

Posted: May 12, 2016

Posted: May 12, 2016

Posted: May 12, 2016

Posted: May 12, 2016

The school has great potential, but like others said, the current administration MUST go!!. Unfortunately for us, we will not see that change, we are moving out of the area to a different school district. We had planned to leave in 3 years when the oldest is high school age, however, we simply can not stand the current administration. They treat the parents and the children with no respect. Their attitude is everyone should feel lucky to have their children there and do not dare raise any issues. I can't wait to hear when they are all fired in the future, the day is coming. You simply can not treat families the way they do and get away with it. Good luck to all the families left behind, I hope things will improve in the near future.

Posted: April 6, 2016

I have two children at Green Woods Charter School and so far we have had a great experience. Every teacher we have had has been wonderful. My kids are flourishing academically and socially. Like everything in life there is room for improvement but overall it has been a good experience.

Posted: November 12, 2015

The teachers have the potential to be effective however the lack of support interferes with what could be a great situation of learning.

Posted: November 12, 2015

The amount of homework is not an issue. Homework is just to enhance the skill.

Posted: November 12, 2015

Unfortunately, the school officials (Dean of Students and Dean of students and faculty) could care less about what is going on with the students. They are one sided and do not get a full view of what is going on,.

Posted: November 12, 2015

I have really tried to work with this school. I did not read the other comments prior to sending my children there. Needless to say, the comments are TRUE. The staff is VERY disrespectful and lack professionalism.

Posted: April 11, 2014

As the parent of a gifted student, Greenwoods has done everything I had intended for my child. He was really curious, like most young children, always asking a ton of questions. My husband supported that by always saying ask good questions. At Greenwoods, he learned how to continue to ask questions but the questions just got better. Maybe a child like mine would have performed well anywhere, but I don't think so. It takes great teachers to create a healthy container within which children can develop and grow. We have experienced teachers like that all the way through his education. I'm grateful that all of the research that I did when my child was three, and we didn't want to have to leave Philadelphia for the suburbs, paid off. It was the lottery we needed to win. My only wish is that every child in Philadelphia could go to a public school this good and have parents who care about them and their education. The only way for Greenwoods to improve is to open 30 other schools just like it. I saw the story about the bullying and I know about it. That was then, this is now. Zero tolerance for bullying is in place and it is part of the curriculum. That and conflict resolution.

Posted: March 11, 2014

I WAS a student at Green Woods. WAS is the key word. The school lacked help on childerns feelings and how they were unhappy with their social envorment. Teachers and staff did NOTHING to help the bullying conflicts that went on. Day after day I saw one of my friends getting verbally abused or I got verbally abused and when I drew attention to it, the school swept it under the carpet like it was nothing. And some of the middle school teachers had attitude. They favored some kids over others (the "special needs" children over the "normal" children). They let kids these "special" kids interupt the learing enviorment, but when someone else interupted it they got punished for it. The bullying thing is what got me the most. I hated the fact that I had to go to school in fear everyday and cried myself to sleep every night because of what people said to me and my friends every day. There were only a select few of staff members who actually cared about the childrens well being. I HATED THE SCHOOL AND THE MOST OF THE STUDENTS! -an EX-student

Posted: September 25, 2013

I am so glad I have teachers that care about my child special needs and they have been going the extra mile for him. Green Wood is a school that will care for your child and expect them to achieve.

Posted: August 3, 2013

Green Wood Charter school curiculm is challenging. My son loves learning about science. I know the teachers go beyond the call of duty and you feel all their hard work every time you enter into the school. First year kindergarten parent..

Posted: May 15, 2013

It seems to me that there is very little respect not only for the children but also for the parents. I know i have been lied to in regard to something that happened at the school.

Posted: February 1, 2013

I agree with the parent who reported a lack of respect towards students. The atmosphere at the school includes a great deal of yelling and students are encouraged to behave competitively rather than cooperatively. My daughter started 1st grade this year and came home crying for the first three months of school. Science is supposed to be a major priority at the school, but it seems that the students spend most of their time on worksheets - not on hands on activities. My daughter is learning a lot, I just wish that it was not at the expense of her self worth and her love of learning that are both decreasing in that environment daily. I want to see the school improve and I want to be a part of that process so we are sticking it out, but so far I am very disappointed.

Posted: January 18, 2013

The success of Green Woods is evidenced by the more than 800 families, to date, that have applied to be a part of our incredible learning community. It is unfortunate that we have so few seats available to meet this demand, but hope to expand our program in the years to come allowing us to serve additional students and families. We are pleased to report that construction is underway of our new, 60,000 square foot school building, which will include a 3-acre outdoor learning lab where our students will explore and discover nature by being in nature. Green Woods' students consistently exceed the state average on PSSA scores with 96% of 4th grade students scoring proficient/advanced in Math and Science. Thanks to an incredible team of teachers, we were named a "Top City School" by Philadelphia Magazine and educators from throughout the country have looked to Green Woods as a model for replication. We look forward to building our school and our future in our Northwest community and serving additional students in the years to come. Please visit our newly-designed website to learn more about our school, the EIC Model program, and our dedicated teachers, students, and parents.

Posted: November 9, 2012

As a current parent, I am sorry to say that I cannot give above 4 stars, and in some areas GWCS merits 3 stars. The curriculum is highly varied and rigorous, and the long-range plans set out by the CEO and Board of Directors are ambitious and well-thought-out. The students are repeatedly asked to show respect and responsibility for one another and their teachers. However, the lack of respect towards the students by the teachers is disappointing. The structure of the classrooms is extremely strict. I have witnessed multiple occasion in which teachers yell at students, or order them to do things without a "please" or "thank you". Respect needs to happens at all levels. If GWCS wishes to hold itself up as a model for education and learning, it should make the environment conducive to this by expecting respectful treatment of all members of the school, down to the smallest. In talking to other GWCS parents, I have heard this same complaint. I am not a disgruntled parent--just a concerned one. Children learn how to treat one another from the adults around them. GWCS has an opportunity to be a "trailblazer" for true respect and consideration; it has not done this in my opinion.

Posted: March 19, 2012

Urban does not define a race, it means to live in a city or town, and the city of Philadelphia includes people of all ethnic backgrounds. Roxborough is not a predominantly African-American area of the city, it is diverse like Green Woods Charter School.

Posted: March 19, 2012

Green Woods is awesome. We're growing as a school and a community. Green Woods makes learning fun and imaginitive. The school uses the environment as a focus for learning. We LOVE Green Woods!

Posted: March 18, 2012

Green Woods is the best school in Philadelphia. The teachers are innovative and approachable. The students have high academic standards and also lead balanced lives. We have a dynamic PTA that encourages a strong sense of community and parental involvement. As active, involved parents, our voices are truly heard at Green Woods. Green Woods is the best scholastic value in the city...no crazy, over-priced catchment zones to worry about and no financial aid applications are needed...just good old fashioned parental sweat equity.

Posted: October 3, 2011

First I will say that I am really happy with Green Woods. My daughter comes home telling me that school is "awesome". She is getting a great foundation for later years and she is also experiencing a love of learning and a love of school at an early age, which is priceless. This is a public school, and no, it's not the "same" as a $18k/yr private school, but personally, I feel much more engaged as a parent (than a previous private school) and love the focus on environmental science, which is really important to me and to our future. I am completely shocked by the allegations about the lottery system and the demographic break-down of the school. This is absolutely not the forum for parents whose children did NOT get INTO the school to complain about the school erroneously, driving down its ratings. The lottery system is absolutely what it claims to be. The population is actually very much representative of its location, demographically, and is a wonderful urban school in a fantastic environment. The staff and administration treat everyone with respect, integrity, kindness, no matter what the situation. These negative reviews are clearly based on bitterness and disappointment.

Posted: September 2, 2011

The last poster seems hellbent on besmirching the reputation of this school; I even have my doubts that their child ever actually attended. I for one did no favors for the school or them for me, and my child got in the way that every other one does...luck of the draw. If this person believes they have a genuine issue, then this is not the forum for it; go submit a formal complaint to the review board. If your child did actually attend the school and was 'isolated', I'm sure it may have had something to do with having a paranoid parent at home that projected fears onto her kid and sent them into school with them every day. Look inside...it's not 1950 in the Deep South...it's Roxborough 2011.

Posted: September 1, 2011

How could a school be nearly 100% white in an urban setting that is predominantly African American ? My son spent time at this school and never had one friend there. He felt excluded and isolated by staff and peers. Thank God he is out of there!! And that lottery is a joke ! Parents BEWARE !! This school enrolls student based on nothing but favors and nepotism.........