The Park School, Brookline | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

I find it acutely hard to believe that anyone would have such an unfortunate experience at the Summer at Park camp! My children have been going to this camp for three consecutive years now and have become a part of what I feel is a ‘summer family’. Never once have either of my children come home complaining about being bullied in any way. In fact, the friendships and relationships they have formed while at this camp has moved beyond the boundaries of summer at park property lines, these friendships continue into the Winter months, too. It is such a delight for me to watch as they return each summer to their favorite staff and/or counselors. I have quite often mentioned to my husband that on the days that I drop off and collect the kids, that those counselors have as much of a smile on their faces as they did that morning at drop-off. As for ‘Queen Mary’ (yes, I too call her that), this woman runs an entire camp! One day I asked how long some of her employees had been at Park only to learn that they return year after year after year. One of the reasons why I bring my kids back each year is because of the stability in seeing the same familiar faces. So, I ask this question: If Queen Mary is ‘rude and dismissive and has staff, counselor’s and campers call her Queen Mary’ then how does she keep staff happy enough to have them continuously return, year after year after year. I have never heard anything so preposterous in a very long time. Yes, she is constantly on-the-move and yes at times she may be otherwise occupied while trying to coordinate streams of cars picking kids up, staff asking questions, children running for her hugs, but dismissive? I couldn’t disagree more! She has been nothing short of lovely to me and my family and I am saddened to read such a negative and outrageously offensive review about a woman who shows nothing but respect, time and happiness toward us.
While I am sorry for your not having a great experience I am definitely not sorry for the fact that there are many other camps out there for you to choose from!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

If you enjoy paying for a camp that is completely disorganized and where you as a parent will be treated with disrespect and where your child will be bullied, then Summer at Park is the program for you. The administrators of Summer at Park cannot keep track of invoicing, loses required forms, do not answer the phone, and allow certain foods in one session, but not in another. Mary Russell, the Director of Summer at Park, can only be described as rude and dismissive. In fact, she unapologetically refers to herself, and has all the counselors and campers refer to her, as Queen Mary. My child came home from camp one day asking me, “Who is Queen Mary?” When I asked why, she replied that the counselors told her that, “Queen Mary is in charge of the whole camp, all the counselors and campers and all the mommies.” The Park School purports to be a “community in which the dignity of each child, teacher and parent is respected.” I find it incongruous that The Park School finds it acceptable for the director of its summer program to refer to herself as a monarch and even more disturbing that she is permitted to treat everyone, including parents, as her subjects. Summer at Park’s statement that it has a zero tolerance for bullying, when put into practice, translates into simply a complete and total denial that bullying is happening without anything more. It is very unfortunate that The Park School does not value its own reputation enough to ensure that it is not tarnished by the summer program.

I go there and I love it very nice teachers and students no bullying zone so we’re safe here come too