Will Appletree ever expand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear more about what people like about apple tree. I was also concerned that it sounded too academic focused from a rep i spoke with, a lot of focus on reading.

Funny, that is what I found attractive about it! That is one of the advantages of having lots of schools. It, in principle, gives one choices to fit what works for your child and your family.

I too am very interested to hear how people have liked Appletree. We are considering the Columbia Height location as a choice for PS3. Any sense of which types of kids have thrived versus which have not?

We attended Appletree at Columbia Heights, and it's funny, your question gets to the heart of the thing that impressed me most about Appletree: the wide range of kids who seemed to thrive there.

I'm the parent of the child who'd already done PS3 a year earlier (Dec bday and more flexible pre-school around ages). So we were really really trying to get her into a PK4 program even though she'd still be 3 by 9/30. Wasn't happening. And I know everyone believes their child is a brilliant superstar (as each parent should believe!) but we'd gotten plenty of external feedback about her vocabulary, plus she went to an awesome daycare (in our previous city) where they started Spanish and French at 2 yrs old and she already knew the days of the week, most of her alphabet sounds, etc. So we REALLY wanted a place that would meet her where she was and keep her moving, and we were really worried.

At the same time, in her class, there were kids who not only was it clear this was this their first time in an organized classroom setting, but they clearly didn't have many boundaries set for them at home. We also saw some concerning behaviour by a couple of parents/grandparents early on at drop off and were worried what their kids would be like in the classroom.

Honestly, and I am super critical most of the time, I was absolutely impressed and thrilled with how the 2 lead teachers and 3rd assistant teacher handled the classroom. I saw EACH of the kids who were both superstars, and the kids I had personal worries about, change over the course of the year. Also, there was a LOT of turnover unfortunately, so that by mid year it seemed like 1/3 of hte class was all different kids, but the teachers rolled with that as well. There was a kid in the class who was, well, everyone joked that he might as well teach the class himself, he was so smart and already doing PK4 level work at a year-end level. But they met him where he was, and he kept advancing (or so said his parents). There was one kid, sweet boy but SO hard to manage his behavior... he eventually settled in so well to the routine. I believe he really benefitted tremendously as well, although I didn't get to know his grandma as well to be able to talk to her. But we did at one point report something serious abotu her (and her behavior to the child) to the teachers, they talked to the principal, the principal and teachers met with the grandma, and whatever happened, we saw changes (positive changes) in her behavior almost immediately. I'm guessing it was a difficult but positive meeting. I was very very impressed.

We also loved the high level of developmental/academic feedback we got. My MIL is an elementary school principal in NYC, and when I sent her our child's first report from Appletree, she was all kinds of impressed with how it was organized, how detailed, and how much both qualitative and quantiftaive (where appropriate) feedback we were getting.

The only downside of CH, honestly, was the fact that the classrooms are in the basement, with no windows. That bummed me out a lot at first, but then I was surprised and amazed at how at drop off every day... the classroom was so alive and engaged, we didn't really notice. And our child loved it from day 1.

We got into our 1st choice charter for PK4, and while we didn't hesitate for a second to accept the spot, my DH and I had a lot to say to each other about how much we were going to miss Appletree and how we wished whe could keep her there 1 more year while holding the spot at the other school (which obviously we knew was impossible, but that's how much we wished she could have that 2nd year).

So that's it, that's what we liked. And Ms. Tanya the Assistant Principal (I think that's her title - she's definitel running the school though) has a big scary bark sometimes, but she is warm and wonderful and every thing she promised us the school delivered on. Really love the model of Appletree and our experience was so good.

This is so helpful, thanks. I'm wondering what you thought of the "sit and watch" chair and in general at the criticism I've heard that there is not a lot of free play/child-initiated learning (obviously it's fun--they don't sit at their desks all day--but one criticism I've heard is that the lessons are teacher- rather than child-led). Also, do you have any experience with the after-care at the CH location? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP, forgot to clarify re: who thrives and who doesn't, I honestly can't think of any "type" of child that didn't thrive in my child's classroom. There were kids who came in with pretty big challenges, and many of those challenges were still there (because they were way bigger than a school can address), but I also saw them seem to do better, have skills at the end of the year that they didn't at the beginning (like morning sign in, and being able to focus on the carpet, and not seeming off the chain at pick up). And as I said, the "super brilliant" kid who was also pretty shy and introverted, he seemed to do really well, my DC is an extrovert and super social and (we think) very very smart, and she did well... the class had all types, and they all seemed in a better place by year end.

And when my kid went to "sit and watch" (time out) several times in one 2 week period, I appreciated the conversations we had with the teachers abotu why they thought it was happening, what was going on, what they suggested we do. It helped, and she hardly had any more sit and watch the rest of the year.

I have worked closely with schools for most of my career and our child is our only so far so I probably have an excessive interest in the classroom dynamics re: all the kids, not just mine, so I talked to the teachers a lot and spent a little more time lurking in the mornings watching things than most parents probably do. That probably sounds creepy! But what can I say... it's important to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear more about what people like about apple tree. I was also concerned that it sounded too academic focused from a rep i spoke with, a lot of focus on reading.

Funny, that is what I found attractive about it! That is one of the advantages of having lots of schools. It, in principle, gives one choices to fit what works for your child and your family.

I too am very interested to hear how people have liked Appletree. We are considering the Columbia Height location as a choice for PS3. Any sense of which types of kids have thrived versus which have not?

We attended Appletree at Columbia Heights, and it's funny, your question gets to the heart of the thing that impressed me most about Appletree: the wide range of kids who seemed to thrive there.

I'm the parent of the child who'd already done PS3 a year earlier (Dec bday and more flexible pre-school around ages). So we were really really trying to get her into a PK4 program even though she'd still be 3 by 9/30. Wasn't happening. And I know everyone believes their child is a brilliant superstar (as each parent should believe!) but we'd gotten plenty of external feedback about her vocabulary, plus she went to an awesome daycare (in our previous city) where they started Spanish and French at 2 yrs old and she already knew the days of the week, most of her alphabet sounds, etc. So we REALLY wanted a place that would meet her where she was and keep her moving, and we were really worried.

At the same time, in her class, there were kids who not only was it clear this was this their first time in an organized classroom setting, but they clearly didn't have many boundaries set for them at home. We also saw some concerning behaviour by a couple of parents/grandparents early on at drop off and were worried what their kids would be like in the classroom.

Honestly, and I am super critical most of the time, I was absolutely impressed and thrilled with how the 2 lead teachers and 3rd assistant teacher handled the classroom. I saw EACH of the kids who were both superstars, and the kids I had personal worries about, change over the course of the year. Also, there was a LOT of turnover unfortunately, so that by mid year it seemed like 1/3 of hte class was all different kids, but the teachers rolled with that as well. There was a kid in the class who was, well, everyone joked that he might as well teach the class himself, he was so smart and already doing PK4 level work at a year-end level. But they met him where he was, and he kept advancing (or so said his parents). There was one kid, sweet boy but SO hard to manage his behavior... he eventually settled in so well to the routine. I believe he really benefitted tremendously as well, although I didn't get to know his grandma as well to be able to talk to her. But we did at one point report something serious abotu her (and her behavior to the child) to the teachers, they talked to the principal, the principal and teachers met with the grandma, and whatever happened, we saw changes (positive changes) in her behavior almost immediately. I'm guessing it was a difficult but positive meeting. I was very very impressed.

We also loved the high level of developmental/academic feedback we got. My MIL is an elementary school principal in NYC, and when I sent her our child's first report from Appletree, she was all kinds of impressed with how it was organized, how detailed, and how much both qualitative and quantiftaive (where appropriate) feedback we were getting.

The only downside of CH, honestly, was the fact that the classrooms are in the basement, with no windows. That bummed me out a lot at first, but then I was surprised and amazed at how at drop off every day... the classroom was so alive and engaged, we didn't really notice. And our child loved it from day 1.

We got into our 1st choice charter for PK4, and while we didn't hesitate for a second to accept the spot, my DH and I had a lot to say to each other about how much we were going to miss Appletree and how we wished whe could keep her there 1 more year while holding the spot at the other school (which obviously we knew was impossible, but that's how much we wished she could have that 2nd year).

So that's it, that's what we liked. And Ms. Tanya the Assistant Principal (I think that's her title - she's definitel running the school though) has a big scary bark sometimes, but she is warm and wonderful and every thing she promised us the school delivered on. Really love the model of Appletree and our experience was so good.

This is so helpful, thanks. I'm wondering what you thought of the "sit and watch" chair and in general at the criticism I've heard that there is not a lot of free play/child-initiated learning (obviously it's fun--they don't sit at their desks all day--but one criticism I've heard is that the lessons are teacher- rather than child-led). Also, do you have any experience with the after-care at the CH location? Thanks!

We posted at the same time - so please see my comment above re: sit and watch and our child. There was also a "calm down spot", and honestly, I think in a classroom with that range of kids who have had no/some/highly managed classroom experience before PS, you NEED sit and watch and the calm down spot. It's how they teach emontional regulation and behavior actions and consequences, and I think they used it well and not excessively.

They spent a lot of time in "activity centers" which is play-based learning, so I'm not sure where they "they don't play!" impression comes from. It is probably much more structured than most PS and PK, but I didn't at all find it to be badly so. We got LOTS of artwork back, and they also used the curriculum themes in their play. So some of hte activity centers during the "solar system" unit (can't remember what it was really called but solar system was part of it) had different things during that unit than it did during "dinosaurs". Yet when it was activity center time, the kids chose which centers they went to and they did what they wanted in the centers (sometimes with engagement, but not direction, from teachers).

We used aftercare and while I wished it was more structured and a bit more substantive, I never had any complaint about it and my kid was always happy and busy when I arrived to pick her up. One thing I did like was that sometimes they combined some PS and PK kids for certain aftercare activities - I always liked my kid being with older kids and there was never any problem there either.

No one asked about this but another thing I loved was the "graduation". I'm pretty sure I never "graduated" from PS or PK, but they had a ceremony for each and it was SO MUCH FUN (not to mention quite the parent fashion show as well - lots of "star power" in the room, including a parent wearing Lady Gaga-esque lobster heels - whoa! LOL!). But the graduation was so sweet.

[Anonymous]

And sorry, but had to add this last bit, sometime in the 1st term of PS, our daughter was at home and said something about a "continent". I asked her if she could name a continent, and she paused, thought, and came up with "Africa, Asia, Europe, and America" (we gave her credit for "America" ). She also could tell me which planets were closest to the sun and furthest, and that that meant Mars was very hot and Neptune very cold. But what was great about it was, it wasn't just memorization or reciting, she could have a conversation abotu planets and continents and differences between them. I was way way way impressed by that.