Caters to wealthy families of neurotypical children in my low income neighborhood. Playground rarely used. I don’t know why this is a non profit when they charge thousands in tuition but offer very little in the way of scholarships.
Campus Middle School for Girls was a wonderful experience for my family and I. In the school's unique and friendly environment, I was able to excel in academics and have fun at the same time. CMS also helped me mature and learn as an individual and as a girl. It helped me prepare and do well in high school both academically and socially. Being at CMS helped make me a more confident person and it exposed me to many new areas I had not yet explored.
My daughter is a student at CMS and is thriving in the small, girls-only environment. The adults and the students are supportive and encouraging, creating an atmosphere for learning. This is a challenging, wonderful school. My daughter is enthusiastic about her homework in the evenings and looks forward to school in the mornings.
Review from Guidestar
What sets CMS apart from other educational settings is an in-depth understanding of how girls learn and succeed. Since 1994 (under the name of Home Hi), this school has given girls a demanding curriculum, especially in science and math; 30-40% of the students go on to major in college in math, science, engineering and medicine. It complements this with theater, music, fine arts and an excellent writing program. The robotics team has reached the State level , the volleyball program is enthusiastic, and it encourages students to not tolerate bullying! It is supportive, well-rounded and a resource that is often overlooked in the Champaign-Urbana community.
Campus Middle School for Girls is an exceptional example of what can be achieved when a group of committed parents and educators come together and build a school out of nothing but a great idea! Focusing on single sex education in the middle grades provides an environment for girls in their most fluidly dynamic years of development. The students of CMS are expected to work hard, encouraged to compete with the best, and allowed to explore where their heart guides them. A CMS graduate goes on to the next educational level with a track record of success and the foundation needed to be a leader in high school and beyond. This small gem of a school has sustained itself for 17 years by sheer energy and devotion and I hope it continues for years to come!
I briefly tutored an incredibly advanced 6th grader with 8th grade math. She was delightful as was everyone else I came into contact with at CMS. It is apparent that the teachers are thrilled to help students learn and is all around a great environment to teach, learn and volunteer in!
My daughter is in 6th grade and attends CMS. She absolutely loves this school. CMS does a great job in developing a well-rounded student. The academic program is rigorous and the afterschool activities are varied and interesting. My daughter loves the Robotics team. CMS also teaches life skills like knitting and cooking. CMS also does a great job of utilizing college students and activities from the nearby University of Illinois.
Our daughter attend CMS for all three years (6th, 7th, 8th). Wow, what a great experience for her and for our family!
First. the CMS experience begins with the great teachers and curriculum. All the kids -- whether high academic achievers or regular middle of the pack students -- are challenged to push themselves to higher plane of achievement. Some of the girls go on to University Laboratory High School. The others enter our local high schools and willingly choose the AP-prep course sequences.
Second, the girls at CMS are in a safe and wholesome environment. They receive the right amount of love, the right amount of firmness and leniency from the teachers and staff. They grow personally, while still being guided.
Third, the girls learn from one another -- in a truly diverse setting. This is no ordinary private school! You'll meet girls from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and "other" families. You'll see girls who are white, black, Asian and Hispanic. And because of the unique single-gender school setting, the girls easily mix across these social boundaries. The rest of our society could learn a lot from these kids!
Fourth, as a parent, my volunteer time was needed. And I consider that a bonus. I got to know the kids, the teachers, the staff, the other parents. To this day, two years later, I look forward to visiting with our many, many CMS friends. We are all different people, but we have one thing in common: the love of knowing that our girls grew academically, socially, athletically and internally through the shared experience of CMS.
Our daughter attended CMS for two years, for 6th and 7th grade. She loved her time there and learned immensely. Some highlights of the CMS approach include:
- small classes (no more than 13 per class in her time there)
- an emphasis on writing and research skills (easily overlooked in larger classes); the 6th and 7th grade English curriculum was consistently outstanding
- encouraging girls to have confidence in themselves as students and as leaders, particularly in areas like math and science where girls in co-ed classes often defer to boys
- close relationships with teachers and staff
- time for arts, textiles and music, in addition to the core academic subjects
- an effort to take advantage of the resources of the University of Illinois campus (to see plays, visit museums, art galleries, and simply enjoy other facilities, for skating, being outdoors, etc.)
In addition, the cost of this education was very reasonable, given the low student/teacher ratio. It was much more affordable than other independent schools, while being as diverse as public schools.
We highly recommend Campus Middle School for Girls to any family in east-central Illinois looking for a good middle-school education for their daughter(s).
Janet Morford
The small-scale nature of this tiny middle school for girls (grades 5-8) makes education very individualized, and the social scene very manageable. My daughter had a wonderful 8th grade in this very special school.Whenever I volunteered in the school (in classes, or for volleyball games), I was always impressed
As a former teacher and administrator at CMS I can confirm that this outstanding school is not only a jewel in the educational field but also a heaven for teachers. What can you ask more than great flexibility in your teaching, ongoing support from the principal and fellow teachers, interested and motivated students, and engaged parents. The pride the teachers are taking in providing the best possible curriculum and educational experiences for their students is the best guarantee in keeping up the high bar of expectations. Sadly I had to leave CMS as I moved out of town. Hard to find an equivalent work place somewhere else.
When i moved to Urbana Champaign i visited all private and public schools in the area for my daughter. However the moment i walked into CMS my daughter and I felt that our search was over... and rightly so. She is new to US but CMS has given her a great feeling of comfort along with top class education. She is thoroughly enjoying herself and has made so many friends which was only possible because of the friendly,caring and a homely atmosphere not just from the teachers but also the lovely girls in her class and school.... a great place for your daughter with a very well rounded curriculum and amazing teachers.
I am a parent of a new sixth grade student. We are very happy with our experience at Campus Middle School so far. The small class sizes mean that the teachers have the time to pay attention to the specific strengthens and weaknesses of each student. As each week passes, our daughter becomes more confident, creative, and self-directed in relation to her school work, and she grows more and more excited about working to meet the challenges her teachers set. This school is providing our daughter with a holistic education that is touching all aspects of her life in a positive way. We couldn't be happier.
As a former educator in Urbana-Champaign, I worked with students who attended the Campus Middle School for Girls. The impact of the program has been felt through out the community and is a true asset to our twin cities. Thank you for your hard work and effort at making our girls strong and confident women!
Campus Middle School for Girls is excellent at giving these girls the opportunity to learn in a great environment. The teachers are always smiling and from my experience, the girls are always excited to learn. CMS is doing a great job of getting these children involved in their schooling.
I have 2 daughers; one graduated from CMS last year, and the other is currently a student there. They have both had a wonderful experience both academically and socially. The academic program is terrific--the girls do a lot of hands-on learning activities, field trips, etc. that really help them to engage with the material. In addition to subject content, they learn study skills and time management, so they have really become excellent students. The social environment is very warm, friendly and supportive. The girls have developed very close friendships with their classmates, and have become very comfortable being themselves at school. Teachers are excellent at what they do, clearly want the girls to succeed, and are willing to help them in any way they can. All in all, CMS has been wonderful for my daughters and their classmates; we wish CMS had a high school so that they didn't have to leave!
I am a volunteer as a tutor for the Campus Middle School For Girls. My job is to help students that are either struggling or excelling in class get individual attention that is tailored to their needs. This is incredible because these are the students that typically get shuffled through the education system and not developed to reach their fullest potential. The amount of care that each student receives from Campus Middle School for Girls is unlike any school I have ever had the pleasure to work with. The result is a drive for excellence seen in every student that attends the school. This organization is truly remarkable in the amount of respect that flows between student and teacher. It deserves the highest of praises for their achievements.
Tutoring here is a wonderful experience! Everyone is very nice and the overall atmosphere is one of empowerment for all of the students.
I cannot speak highly enough about Campus Middle School for Girls. My oldest daughter attended CMS. She had an amazing academic and social experience. She read (and enjoyed) difficult books such as "The Crucible" and Shakespeare's "Richard III". She raised quail eggs, and dissected frogs and squid. She learned Algebra. She sewed a quilt, learned to draw, and wrote and acted in a play. She played volleyball, went to state with the Lego Robotics team, and played saxophone in an ensemble. She made the best friends a middle school girl could ask for. She was encouraged to do her best, and she grew in self-confidence.
Now my middle daughter is at CMS and she is enjoying the same benefits. I'm so glad to have a place like CMS in my community.
I wanted my daughter to get a stronger hold on her academic skills before getting swept up in the big public middle school/ high school that is her only other option in our town. I was surprised that she didn't hesitate to go to a girls' school but she has grown so much in this setting! There's nowhere to hide in a small group of 10 girls in her class, and so she's been encouraged to be herself and take responsibility for her opinions in such a good way. I love to hear how the girls accept each others' individuality even though they keep each other and the teachers under the magnifying glass. My daughter is growing tall in the space provided for her by this school experience. We are so lucky to have Campus Middle School for Girls!
I volunteer here as a coach for one of the two FIRST Lego League teams at Campus Middle School. I am so impressed by the students here, the girls have a great knowledge for their age! I feel this school is a testament to the value of smaller, more closely connected class sizes.
My eldest daughter attended CMS for two years, and now my second daughter is enrolled. They both thrive in that environment--small classes, lots of individual attention, and attention to the whole child including character, not just academics. The all-girl environment instills confidence, informs them that girls count, and allows them to compete without being self-conscious. The current principal is wise, calm and loving.
My daughter attends Campus Middle School for girls. After attending school there for a couple of days, she told me "It's like a big family there and it feels like home".
The school is dedicated to teaching challenging academic programs in a nurturing, highly-individualized environment. We chose this school based the academic program that is designed to fit the individual child.
Campus Middle School for Girls has an environment that allows girls to develop self-confidence and leadership skills. It is a place where girls develop high aspirations for themselves while taking classes that specifically target teaching and learning strategies that resonate with girls
Girls from Campus Middle School are well-prepared intellectually and mentally for the challenges of high school, and they often enter advanced programs and graduate at the top of their class.