Best independent, parochial and charter schools in NE Ohio (Cleveland, Akron. Canton)
photo courtesy Hathaway Brown School 2015
There are dozens of private and parochial schools to choose from, way more than you would expect from a region our size. And while we know we are just begging for criticism when we offer our choices for the “best” of, this list has been developed after spending more than 30 years working every day with executive level transplants transitioning into Cleveland, Akron & Canton and these are the schools that work well with students transitioning in from out of town, have a healthy mix of white collar executive families, have excellent academics and extracurriculars and close enough to the suburbs that have the housing selection our clients are typically seeking
INDEPENDENT:
Andrews Osborne Academy– co-ed, grades 7-12, boarding & day, Willoughby
Birchwod School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, southwest side of Cleveland (near the airport)
Hathaway Brown School – girls, PreK-12, Shaker Heights
Hawken School – co-ed, grades PreK-12, Lower & Middle School in Lyndhurst, Upper School in Gates Mills
Laurel School – girls, grades PreK-12, Shaker Heights
Lake Ridge Academy – co-ed, grades K-12, North Ridgeville
Old Trail School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Bath
University School – boys, grades K-12, Lower & Middle School in Shaker Heights, Upper School in Hunting Valley
Western Reserve Academy – co-ed, grades 9-12, boarding & day, Hudson
MONTESSORI
Cleveland Montessori School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood
Hudson Montessori – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Hudson
Lillian & Betty Ratner School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Pepper Pike
Montessori High School at University Circle – co-ed, grades 9-12, in University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland
Ruffing Montessori School – co-ed, grades K-8, Cleveland Heights
Ruffing Montessori, Rocky River – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Rocky River
CATHOLIC
Archbishop Hoban – co-ed, grades 9-12, Akron
Beaumont School – girls, grades 9-12, Cleveland Heights
Communion of Saints (formerly St. Ann) – co-ed, grades K-8, Cleveland Heights
Gesu – co-ed, grades PreK-8, University Heights
Gilmour Academy – Catholic, co-ed, PreK-12, Gates Mills
Lakewood Catholic Academy – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Lakewood
Magnificat – girls, grades 9-12, Rocky River
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin – co-ed, grades 9-12, Chardon
Our Lady of the Elms – girls, grades 7-12, Akron
St. Christopher – co-ed, grades K-8, Rocky River
St. Dominic – co-ed, grades K-8, Shaker Heights
St. Edward – boys, grades 9-12, Lakewood
St. Francis of Assisi – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Gates Mills
St. Hilary Catholic School, co-ed, grades K-8, Fairlawn
St. Joan of Arc – co-ed, grades K-8, Chagrin Falls
St. Ignatius – boys, grades 9-12, Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland
St. Raphael – co-ed, grades K-8, Bay Village
St. Rita – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Solon
Seton – co-ed, grades K-8, Hudson
Walsh Jesuit – co-ed, grades 9-12, Cuyahoga Falls
CHRISTIAN
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, c0-ed, grades 7-12, Cuyahoga Falls
Lutheran West – co-ed, grades 9-12, Rocky River
Valley Christian Academy – co-ed, grades K-8, Aurora
Westside Christian Academy – co-ed, grades K-8, Westlake
JEWISH
Agon School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Beachwood
Fuchs Mizrachi – co-ed, grades PreK-12, Orthodox Jewish day school, Beachwood
Gross Schechter Day School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Pepper Pike
Hebrew Academy of Cleveland – co-ed, grades PreK-12, Cleveland Heights
SPECIAL LEARNING NEEDS
Lillian & Betty Ratner School – co-ed, grades PreK-8, Pepper Pike, services for learning disabled students
Julia Billiart – co-ed, grades K-8, Catholic (but accept all faiths), specialize in students with learning disabilities
Lawrence School – co-ed, K-12, Lower Campus in Broadview Heights, Upper Campus in Sagamore Hills, specialize in learning differences & attention deficit
CHARTER SCHOOLS
the highest ranked charter schools in the region are the Breakthrough Schools which have 8 locations in Cleveland for grades K-8