based on 4 reviews
Notre Dame Elementary School
1200 Notre Dame Avenue
Belmont, CA
94002
(650) 591-2209
By: parent
Date: May, 2006
This school runs on the parent involvement. It's not uncommon to see most parents doing something in school every week. The Montessori-based program has worked pretty well for my children, but it might not work for less self-motivated kids. The sports program is not a true focus for the school, but community service is. It's also nice that the retired Notre Dame sisters help in the classroom, working one-on-one with kids having difficulties. All in all, it's worth the money. The principal runs things her way or the highway, though; it's not a school by committee set up at all.
By: parent
Date: October, 2006
NDE uses a horribly ineffectual means of a montessori teaching method. This system may work with college level students, but it is detrimental to students in these grades. Going from NDE to High School is difficult , particularly writing and notetaking skills.
By: former student
Date: April, 2005
NDE uses a radical, but utterly ineffectual means of teaching that places emphasis on the student to teach him or her self. The teachers are there, supposedly, to help with whatever the student does not understand. This system may work with college level students, for which it was created, but it is detrimental to students in these grades. Going from NDE to High School is difficult because NDE fails to teach any of skills needed in high school, particularly writing and notetaking skills. Also, the math program at NDE is slow and incredably poor. The science program is also slow, and also poor.
By: parent
Date: May, 2006
I sent my daughter to this school from grades K-4, pulling her out at the end of 4th. It is a self tutored based program, consisting of monotonous work books. She had never experienced a teacher explaining a new concept at the whiteboard until she started 5th grade at a different school. The art and sports program are nearly non-existent. The parental involvement is great - there are a lot of non-working moms who volunteer here. I would not recommend it at all.
