If anyone would like a different perspective on the Ellis School from what you would get at an Open House (particularly anyone considering sending their daughter to Ellis Pre-K), I urge you to contact me.  It’s true that many girls have a wonderful experience there, but many do not. When we were exploring schools for our daughter, we wanted to hear both positive and negative anecdotes about the programs under consideration, and in fact we posted to this list multiple times to gather such information.  It’s the only way to make an informed decision and hopefully avoid a very expensive mistake. Thus, I would be happy to pay it forward and help somebody else make the right decision for their daughter.  Ellis can be a great place for the right type of girl.  But the truth is that the Lower School has serious administration/management issues, and there has been some appalling treatment of children (and their families) who don’t fit the Ellis mold.   If your daughter already has the social and emotional skills of a child 2-3 years her senior, then yes, Ellis may be “supportive,” “challenging“ and “accepting of her exactly how she is”.  If she does not, that description will be utterly laughable. In the words of a child development specialist, Ellis is a “developmentally inappropriate” place.  You are paying for a fancy name and a bunch of unnecessary bells and whistles but you are most certainly NOT paying for a nurturing and supportive environment.  This is important for prospective families to know.  I wish I had.