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Topics: Educational Options: Day Schools , Grade Level: Elementary School , Grade Level: Middle School

Website:	Sage School (Foxboro, MA)
URL:	http://www.sageschool.org
Description:	The Sage School is a private coeducational day school for ages 4 - 14, located in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The school is set in three divisions: Primes (ages 4 - 7), Juniors (ages 7 - 10), and Seniors (ages 10 - 14). Students are grouped by instructional level, not by chronological age, and their progression through the curriculum is determined by mastery of skills. Each student has an individual learning path that allows them to learn at a pace and depth matching their abilities. The school provides a complete curriculum as well as extracurricular clubs and programs for students to participate in. Details regarding Curriculum, Tuition, and the Admission process are available on the web site.
Comments:	Contributed by: Parent on 2/27/2011 I wanted to add to my comment below by saying that in math, the top Sage students finish ready to start Calculus as freshmen in High School. Sage does have a very advanced middle school math curriculum. However some student can and may want to do more. Contributed by: Parent on 2/18/2011 I have now had children at this school for more than 10 years. It is my impression that the parents for whom this school does not work are those who want to see rapid acceleration for their child. This is not the Sage philosophy. This school is about depth of learning and development of the whole child. It's not "how fast can my child learn calculus". Believe me when I say, the former is a much much better for a highly gifted child in the long run. I believe if you ask the parents of the children that are bussed to Sage from Newton and Wellesley, they will tell you that Sage is NOT just akin to a strong public school. Contributed by: Parent on 2/17/2010 In our experience, the Sage school is moderately advanced in its curriculum compared to a typical public school system, making it a difficult fit for some HG/PG kids. Contributed by: Parent on 7/5/2008 If you are looking for a school for your HG child, in my opinion Sage may not be the best match. However, if your child is bright (115-135 IQ) and you live in the greater Foxboro area, this school can be excellent. Contributed by: Parent on 3/24/2008 In my opinion Sage School in Foxboro, MA does not service the needs of the HG/PG population by any stretch. It’s akin to a strong public school system. Contributed by: Student on 10/2/2006 Sage changed my life. Since starting, I have become more out going and I have learned so much. There is a wonderful community inside the school. To be accepted, your IQ must be at least 130, I believe. The teachers ae great. They are incredibly supportive and very flexible. If someone seems sad, or the entire class is in a bad state, the teachers can tell, and they try to rectify is immediatly. The kids in the Middle School (6th grade through 8th grade) are not grouped by ability in every class (we are no longer called "seniors"). There are no 13 year olds with 11 year olds. Some classes have more than 15 kids, so they are split into 2 classes by ability. It is a wonderful and supportive atmosphere for exceptionally talented kids, and regular, smart kids. I HIGHLY reccomend Sage. Contributed by: Parent on 3/5/2006 The Sage School has proven to be a tremendous resource for our gifted daughter. The community at large is very close and active in the school activities and day-to-day life. The teachers and administration remain focused on the purpose of the school and foremost the children. Sage provides a community for these intelligent students to be amongst their peers who are equally bright. The sense of belonging that the students feel is a wonderful experience. As many of the students have commented, it is a place where it is cool to be smart. They have done a fantastic job with establishing the school in the independent school community. Contributed by: Parent on 2/28/2006 My child tests in the HG/PG range and has thrived at Sage. I would definitely recommend it to any family that is concerned with the well being of the whole child; although the brightest students could perhaps advance more quickly in math and foreign language. I think on the whole the school does a great job of balancing the academic, social and emotional needs of gifted and highly gifted students. Some teachers, of course, are better than others, but the curriculum is strong (Yes they do have a curriculum!) and the faculty, board and administaration is always seeking to improve the experience. Contributed by: Parent on 3/6/2004 At one time Sage aspired to be a school serving gifted children from a broad area. During the past few years, however, the new Head of School has emphasized enrollment growth and fundraising for a new building, and the school now primarily targets a generally bright population from towns adjacent to Foxboro. Mechanisms to help accomodate HG/PG kids, such as IEPs, have been eliminated. Scheduling also makes it difficult to ability group across classrooms, hindering those who are more gifted in one area than another. For all of these reasons, there are now very few HG/PG children left at Sage, and I can't recommend the school for that population. For kids in the 120-130 IQ range, especially living near the school, Sage can be an excellent although very uneven option. There is an excellent teacher/student ratio. Individual teachers have a tremendous amount of autonomy, and there are some fantastic teachers. However, there is also considerable teacher turnover. New teachers are often inexperienced, have limited understanding of gifted kids, have no documented curricula for guidance, and receive limited support from the school. The result is a highly variable experience from room to room or from year to year. The parent group is a strength, generally close-knit and involved. However, there has been considerable turnover of the students/families at Sage, on the order of 25% each year. In an effort to increase committment to the school, a greater percentage of faculty and staff are drawn from the parent group. This policy also contributes to the highly variable (both incredibly over and under qualified) nature of the faculty & staff. Show All CommentsShow Less Comments

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