Reviews of Waterford School (School)

Annor Benson

Leaving my volunteer assignment the other day I met a girl skipping down the hall and smiled to myself. She was clearly happy to be at school, as are we. My son in second grade is challenged academically in an appropriate way and absolutely has blossomed with the array of specialists that are so often missing from other schools. He loves science, computers, library, music, art, PE and dance. He feels confident and secure because he gets to know the other students in his small classes as well as the teacher. As a former educator I appreciate the thrice yearly conferences with his teacher. As a parent, I love the opportunities to get involved as a volunteer and was grateful to have a built-in community when we moved. When my son realized we pay to have him attended Waterford, he quickly and vehemently asserted "But it's worth it, right mom?" Absolutely son, absolutely.

ben lonsdale

As an alumni of The Waterford School, I feel I was given much more than a solid education. I had an incredible experience for my learning and personal development. I spent each day in a safe and encouraging environment building rich and lasting relationships with family, friends, genuine faculty and administrative staff that I am still in touch with 20 years after my graduation. Waterford cares more about the individual student, their personal passions and what drives them, than fitting the student into a mold. I can truly say Waterford helped shape who I am today and how I see myself and others. This is why I now send my kids to Waterford. Ben

Juan Esteban

The Waterford School is a top notch private school in Utah ranked #2 in the whole state and unmatched by other public and private schools. Many of it's graduates are known to apply and get admitted to ivy league schools. in overall this school has graduated very successful individuals.

Evan LaForge

This is an amazing school. Everything has been finely tuned to optimize the educational value.

Ryan Downard

At first, The Waterford School was the perfect nursery school for my son. My husband and I are successful public school graduates, so paying for private school seemed foreign. We truly thought that after a few years of preschool, we would transfer our child to our local public school. Fast forward nine years, and my sons are both at Waterford in the sixth and fourth grades. We have two wonderfully average boys who are challenged to find their greatness and fuel their passions. The Waterford Faculty and Staff create a place where a true love of learning can take root and flourish. Each year that passes, I am more impressed at the quality of experiences offered at this campus. The Waterford School teaches more than an exceptional curriculum, it polishes and hones great people. Although writing the check is sometimes painful for our family, we feel that the experience and education at The Waterford School is the best gift we could possibly give to our children.

Lisa Sintz

We love Waterford! Our kids have thrived here. We've watched our two students become talented and skilled in areas we would have never known to expose them to otherwise. The environment allows them to be free to be themselves while encouraging them into who they can become.

Chrisy Ross

Waterford is a special place. The breadth and depth of education and experiences students receive impresses me every time I visit the school -- year after year. We chose Waterford in 2002 and believe it's one of the best decisions we've made as parents. We relocated from Colorado, having never been to Utah. Over the years we've had job opportunities in a few of the western states. After visiting other independent schools, we felt so strongly about the education received and time spent at Waterford, that we've chosen to stay put...because of Waterford. Our sons have an enthusiasm about a variety of subjects: Latin, AP Chemistry, Orchestra, Chinese, Human Geography, Robotics, Science, Crew, P.E., etc, and I could go on. The faculty are dedicated educators, incredibly skilled and passionate about the subjects they teach and the sports they coach. Our sons are truly life-long learners and are better, more complete, and on their way to wholeness as human beings because of their Waterford education. I encourage any family to schedule a campus tour and see if the school is a good fit for their student(s).

Kristin Hodson

Admittedly I was skeptical about private school when I first started looking into it. I created my list of "tough questions" and was ready to find the system and schools weakness. I started looking into Waterford two years prior to my son starting Kindergarten. I started reaching out to the Admissions team and threw my questions at them. Each question was seen as valid and worthwhile of a thoughtful answer. They took the time to answer my questions promptly and thoroughly. After my initial questions were answered, I decided to go and take a tour of the school during one of their open houses. I was sure this was where I would find the school's weakness and expose the reason why it just wasn't going to work for us. I presented my final question and sure enough, they answered it thoroughly and thoughtfully and I had nothing left as to why this school wasn't going to work out. The tour more than exceeded what I was looking for and everything fell into place that this was right school for our family. Since my initial inquiry, I now have two children at Waterford and soon a third. From the Administrative team to the faculty to the recess and lunch staff, my expectations not only have been met but have been greatly exceeded. I have found a wonderful community of supportive families and a school that really puts children first with their whole development in mind: character, academic, emotional and physical. I love the specialists that teach them science, art, music and dance in experiential, hands on ways. Waterford continues to be a place where I can ask tough questions and seek support and they consistently respond in a thoughtful and thorough way. If you are considering private school, I can't recommend Waterford enough. It is more than a liberal arts school. They are a community that wants to collaborate with you and your family to help your child achieve their potential and discover their greatness.

Sara Wilcox

As we began the search for an alternative to our public school, we were blown away by the curriculum, test scores, and accomplishments of the Waterford School and their students. What “sealed the deal” was our first visit to campus. The students were happy, engaged, and enjoying the learning process. Eleven years later, with both our children in high school, we can say with conviction that enrolling them in Waterford is the best thing we have ever provided for them. Each new year our children have seized the opportunities and challenges presented to them by the amazing Waterford faculty. As our oldest has started the college selection process, we are confident, and more importantly he is confident, that he is fully prepared for college. We are so thankful for all that Waterford has provided for our family.

Chantal Dolan

We have two children ages 10 and 11 and strongly recommend the Waterford School to parents searching for the best school for their family. When we relocated from the Bay Area in California, Waterford stood out to us as by far the best private school in the Salt Lake Valley and we believe that Waterford compares favorably to top private schools anywhere in the country. Our children are very happy at Waterford and, as parents, there is nothing better than having happy children. The variety of enriching experiences our children have at Waterford is remarkable, but when asked what they love most about Waterford, our children quickly said in unison, 'the teachers!" We agree. The teachers at Waterford seem to be able to find what is unique and special about each child and bring out what is best in them. We feel lucky to have our children learning and growing in such an amazing environment.

Simon Luedtke

Best school in Utah. I attended through 7th grade until I moved and the education there placed me years ahead of most students in math, science and English

Blu Haws

Very clean with a basic setup making for easy navigation. Wife and I went for a friends wedding and everything but the rainy weather was great.

Caitlin West

I find myself reflecting positively on my Waterford education almost daily. I called my parents last week, more than 10 years post graduation, to thank them again for caring so much about giving me a quality education. Waterford taught me to love learning, and I still do. My education has and will continue to benefit me for life.

Stacy Aldous

The opportunities for exploration, learning, and growth at Waterford are truly remarkable. The class sizes are small and teaching is discussion-based, but there is so much more to it than that. The teachers connect with the students in a way that encourages them to give their very best in all subjects. My children have found their learning to be meaningful and have gained academic confidence through their classwork at Waterford. Their years at Waterford are happy and fulfilling. They cherish their Waterford education and recognize the advantages it gives them in college and beyond. Waterford is an outstanding school in every way.

Kristin Stockham

We LOVE this school, its remarkable faculty, leaders and the parent community. The Waterford School is an amazing institution solidly grounded on the principles of a liberal arts education. We have four children and each has been enriched by their own personal experiences at at Waterford. Our college student still refers to her Waterford classmates with awe. She is loving her college experience, but she finds a true grounding and inspiration in the quality of people she connected with while at Waterford. She also compares every teacher to her Waterford teachers, they have set a high caliber bar. Fans of public school, we originally came to Waterford for what we thought would be just one year, after moving to Utah. We quickly fell in love with the depth and breadth of the academic program and the arts. Waterford is an institution that is constantly refining, building vertical curriculum and thinking forward. If you are studying the planets in science, often history, math and art will correlate. With a 32-year history, the school is on solid footing and looks forward with vigor to an exciting future. We are thrilled to be a part of that future!

joel bardill

This is the best education

Elizabeth Lyon

I'm an alumna with eight years under my belt. I had an excellent experience at Waterford. It was foundational in helping to shape who I am: the School, my peers, and my mentors all influenced my interests, my self-confidence, and my disposition of examining life fully and closely. I feel I was as well-prepared as I could be for a rigorous college experience, which went on to challenge me appropriately. I still cultivate relationships with my peers and former teachers, who have morphed into friends. Most of all, Waterford helped to enrich my life: it gave me a forum where I learned how to paint and write write poetry, I was introduced to birding and the stillness that comes with watching birds and observing nature, where I could play volleyball and succeed as a student-athlete. I could contemplate literature and history and science, all with highly passionate teachers who care about their students and their students' successes. In short, Waterford gave me the foundation for a well-lived life, and I continue to build on that foundation today.

Heather Scott

After moving from the East Coast to Utah eight years ago, we were looking at private schools and received the recommendation of Waterford from a colleague whose sons had attended from Preschool through Upper School graduation. When the time came for our daughter to start school, we enrolled her in Waterford’s preschool class, and could not have made a better decision for our family. That daughter is now enjoying first grade, our younger daughter is currently in PreK-4, and we look forward to our son starting preschool in a year. In making our decision, we visited other schools in the area, and talked with families of children at those schools and also those at Waterford. It was important for us to find a school that offered a diverse group of students and families, with a challenging academic environment, that also cared for each student and fostered individual growth. Waterford has surpassed our expectations in every way. The students are remarkable, and are consistently raising the bar for one another. The qualifications and experiences the teachers bring to the classroom are outstanding. The administration sets an enthusiastic tone for the school and demonstrates genuine care for each student and family. Finally, the campus – reminiscent of the New England campuses we enjoyed – provides a beautiful and safe environment for our children to learn. There is certainly more than one path to a great education, but for our family Waterford has absolutely been the right choice, and we feel so fortunate to be a part of its community.