The Miami Valley School
- Private
- DAYTON, OH
Private School
The Miami Valley School Reviews
Rating 4 out of 5 82 reviews
Our family's journey at MVS has been nothing short of magical. Since our son joined at the age of 3, MVS has felt like a home away from home. I have two boys that attend the lower school, and everyday is an adventure for them! The intentional and warm interaction with students and parents creates a welcoming atmosphere. Academically, MVS's exploratory approach fosters a genuine love for learning, making education an exciting adventure. What truly sets MVS apart is the incredible support system—from the Parent Association to peer support, you always feel embraced. MVS is more than a school; it's a community that values connection, curiosity, and unwavering support.
Our son started at MVS as a first year high school student. I only wish I had started him at an earlier age. The teachers are fantastic and the experiences to exercise his own independence will prepare him well for college!
I have truly became a more intelligent, independent, sociable, and happier person since my time at MVS. I have grown in all aspects of my life and feel that it is very hard not to in such a welcoming environment.
So I only went to MVS for 2 years because I moved from Arizona to Ohio. This was my first time going to a private school and I was nervous being a new student. However, on my first day their were many students that came up to me and welcomed me and even showed me my classes. A lot was different than a public school. Their were advisories, lunches were longer, I got out of school later, and it was in such a secluded neighborhood. A couple of the best parts of MVS was that I made a bunch of international friends through the school and still we keep in contact, I was able to have such an awesome advisor, teachers that encouraged me through my classes and supported me, having a college counselor help me throughout the college process and even able to talk to my counselor when I was suffering with homesickness. The worst parts of MVS in my opinion is just that I had no time to rest. I felt very stressed and all over the place most days. Overall I would say that a change for MVS is diversity
If you're an immigrant and single parent like me, MVS is a good school for college preparatory. The school is enriched with educative curriculum to guide children in their everyday life.. Their teachers and non teaching staff are very supportive and ready to help.
small classes, caring teachers, diversity that reflects our global community!!!
true to their mission of immersive education.
education tailored to the individual needs of the student
true to their mission of immersive education.
education tailored to the individual needs of the student
A place where students from all over can thrive. I met so many different people that I never would have had the chance to meet in my local neighborhood school district. The small environment and attentive teachers were very important for me.
I loved my time here, but the issues come mainly with the administration and the issues that they see as pertinent, when the students don’t consider that. The education is great.
First off, I'll say that MVS USED to be a great school, and i had many great teachers.But there were a lot of changes in past 5-6 years none of which were for the better, and I assume it's only gotten worse since I left after middle school.Won't name names but the current leadership, particularly the leader of the lower school, completely wrecked it.Changed everything so MVS is not about anything it used to stand for and isn't delivering the same education to the kids.The staff changes constantly and they got rid of lots of great teachers and staff who made the school what it was.Now everything is about the image and attracting new students, when it used to be a school that really valued the students it did have a provided great education, taught critical thinking skills.Also always was weird drama with the admin/higher ups and lot of the issues at the school were kept very under wraps.Socially, just too small to have a normal or good experience.
We had not previously considered private school options for myriad reasons—cost and culture at typical private schools being the primary concerns. When we began looking for alternatives to public school, we were delighted to find an independent school that shares so many values with our family. MVS has so many different unique learning opportunities even in kindergarten (i.e. my son is learning Spanish and Mandarin, gets to visit the campus greenhouse, and has been on two field trips for immersion.)
One critical aspect for us was safety, and this school feels as safe as you can get. It's a positive community, with respectful parents and staff/administration that are all mindful of student health and safety. From what we've experienced, the leadership is communicative and transparent.
One critical aspect for us was safety, and this school feels as safe as you can get. It's a positive community, with respectful parents and staff/administration that are all mindful of student health and safety. From what we've experienced, the leadership is communicative and transparent.
I am constantly impressed by the Miami Valley School's strong community spirit. MVS is a family. It is easy to find people you connect with. It is a place you find lifelong friends, both as a parent and student. No school is perfect but MVS comes pretty close.
So grateful that MVS is in my family's life. I cannot wait to see how my daughter will thrive here.
So grateful that MVS is in my family's life. I cannot wait to see how my daughter will thrive here.
Academically challenging and socially diverse school. The class sizes are small and the educators truly care about their students. When your children go to MVS it is a commitment from the entire family. Each of the divisions have their own merits in the growth and development of your children. I appreciate the academic rigor and the social awareness they teach. The immersive education is unparalleled.
MVS used to be a very good school. But over the years with changes in the administration it has gone significantly down hill. Several of the teachers have left and many others were forced out by the administration. Students have expressed concern several times only to be ignored or punished. Just writing this could easily get me expelled. Many seniors have had their college application severely damaged due to teachers leaving and not being able to get recommendation letters from the teachers they want. The school has switched the teachers writing recommendation letters for students without informing the students as well. The overall culture of the school has also become increasingly polarized with many students feeling unable to speak their opinions for fear of being ostracized. Several students have expressed that they do not feel safe going to MVS, believing that the administration unfairly targets them.
This school is unique in a variety of ways, most importantly due to their Immersion program. The class sizes are small and teachers really know their students and go above and beyond to help them in so many ways. I felt extremely prepared when I started college, definitely more prepared than most of the other first-years around me, especially when it came to college-level writing. The arts department at this school is amazing and I loved how hands-on my science classes were, especially chemistry. The school community is tight-knit and very diverse compared to the surrounding suburbs.
Education is great. Love that it is smaller and intimate BUT anything kind of goes here. It is extremely liberal and I am not a political person. But a lot of the Worldly agendas are pushed here. It’s confusing to the kids. The kids have WAY too much freedom here. A lot of the times they are left unattended. Bullying is definitely an issue and the staff really doesn’t handle discipline when it’s needed. I don’t like my child having that much freedom when things can happen. When adults aren’t around. I think this school is nice but when you look under the lights there are some things. I think they marketing is great to get people in. But you really MUST be an involved parent and see what’s going on if you child goes here. Our time is up here now.
This school is in decline. The academics are awful and many students are behind. This school isn't worth the money. Many of the students are mean and the leadership can't run the school effectively.
The faculty and administration truly care about education and the children in their charge. No place is perfect, and this school is not for everyone. We had two children enrolled, but only one is continuing at MVS because it is the best environment for that child. The other child struggled socially and academically, but it was still a positive experience overall. We enrolled our children at MVS not because of the prestige of a private school or because of the college acceptance rate. I wanted my children to love learning, to become lifetime learners, to be educated global citizens, to get to know and care about people from different backgrounds and locations, and to have life affirming experiences in the classroom and beyond. MVS fulfills those expectations better than any other school in this area.
The lower school is very poorly run. Teachers fail to do basics task on time, leadership is only focused on maintaining an appearance and the school community doesn't seem to be very cohesive.
Our family has been attending MVS for 11 years . We have 5 children who benefit most from the exemplary teachers! Despite their very different personalities and strengths, I feel like each of our children are known, loved and valued. The parents are also wonderful! People want to know each other and are eager to help teachers and each other in any way possible. The music department is amazing as is art. While the number of sports offered is limited, it's great that ANYONE may participate! This has inspired my children to try new things and I know that would not have been possible in a larger environment.
MVS is not what it used to be! The staff is constantly changing, the academics are inconsistent year to year and the leadership focused on appearances to attract new students/donors, with minimal focus on the actual students educational experience. Drugs, casual sex, as well as bullying, are common in the Upper School. K-8th grade are okay but the Upper School is not a safe place for many students, especially females. The politics are very liberal. Conservative views are not accepted. Agendas are pushed on the students. The students have high test scores because they are see tutors on their own and train for the tests independently. They have mandatory summer sessions when they are juniors and a mandatory year long class just focusing on applying to college. That is a positive but for the money, hire a college placement company. Much less expensive, and emotionally damaging, with the same end result.