New school -- Fusion Academy -- anyone heard of it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just read about a new school (new to DC, I'm not sure how long it's been around in other places) where the model is 1:1 teaching. Its website doesn't have as much information as I'd like -- no discussion of cost, or number of classes kids take, among other things -- but I'm intrigued. Anyone know anything about it? http://www.fusionacademy.com

thanks for posting this. I registered for their informational event on May 14th!

[Anonymous]

I also researched them, and I wasn't thrilled with the model as it relates to the teachers. Read the job postings and see if the requested qualifications line up with the qualifications you want in your kids' teachers (they might -- just didn't for me).

On glassdoor, reviews from teachers say they get paid by the student and have lots of uncertainty about whether they can get enough hours, and they aren't paid for prep time. They also claim that the school tries to keep them under 30 hours to avoid paying them benefits. Not a way to have happy, committed teachers, in my way of thinking. I don't want my kid's teachers to be stressed-out pieceworkers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also researched them, and I wasn't thrilled with the model as it relates to the teachers. Read the job postings and see if the requested qualifications line up with the qualifications you want in your kids' teachers (they might -- just didn't for me).

On glassdoor, reviews from teachers say they get paid by the student and have lots of uncertainty about whether they can get enough hours, and they aren't paid for prep time. They also claim that the school tries to keep them under 30 hours to avoid paying them benefits. Not a way to have happy, committed teachers, in my way of thinking. I don't want my kid's teachers to be stressed-out pieceworkers.

Thanks for posting this. Important issues to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also researched them, and I wasn't thrilled with the model as it relates to the teachers. Read the job postings and see if the requested qualifications line up with the qualifications you want in your kids' teachers (they might -- just didn't for me).

On glassdoor, reviews from teachers say they get paid by the student and have lots of uncertainty about whether they can get enough hours, and they aren't paid for prep time. They also claim that the school tries to keep them under 30 hours to avoid paying them benefits. Not a way to have happy, committed teachers, in my way of thinking. I don't want my kid's teachers to be stressed-out pieceworkers.

Thanks for posting this. Important issues to consider.

Yes but please also keep in mind that all the centers are run at the local level, so one center might be fantastic and another mediocre.

I'm willing to give it a look-see and maybe/hopefully because its in DC, they will have a pool of highly qualified teachers?

[Anonymous]

My son has general anxiety disorder and our psychologist mentioned that he is doing well compared to some kids with anxiety, who can't function to get to school. So perhaps its more common than you think.

[Anonymous]

Bump! Anyone at this school this year? I know it's early to form opinions, but any impressions about middle school would be helpful. TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump! Anyone at this school this year? I know it's early to form opinions, but any impressions about middle school would be helpful. TIA

I met the head of the school and the admissions officer for the new DC campus. I was really impressed by both of them. If you read the reviews of their locations around the country, the overall reviews are positive.

[Anonymous]

I have a child in the Middle School at the DC campus. I have been extremely impressed/happy! My child has gone from being extremely miserable at school to waking up excited and eager to get to Fusion each day. All work is individualized and done at school - no homework - which is a HUGE plus. The entire staff is very energetic and accomendating . I can not say enough good things about Fusion! My only complaint is that there is no regular school on Fridays. However, some activities/clubs/field trips are being planned for some Fridays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child in the Middle School at the DC campus. I have been extremely impressed/happy! My child has gone from being extremely miserable at school to waking up excited and eager to get to Fusion each day. All work is individualized and done at school - no homework - which is a HUGE plus. The entire staff is very energetic and accomendating . I can not say enough good things about Fusion! My only complaint is that there is no regular school on Fridays. However, some activities/clubs/field trips are being planned for some Fridays.

PP this is 6:54- the one who met the head of the school and admissions person.

I am considering Fusion for my Middle Schooler as well. Can you help explain how their tuition works? I know it's by credit hour, but I can't really figure out how to translates that into what an annual tuition would look like.

[Anonymous]

This is 08:04. The tuition is $4000 per class per semester (a semester is 1/2 a school year). So, for example, if you take 5 classes the tuition the tuition is $20,000 x 2 which is $40,000. Plus if I remember correctly there was a $1,000 registration fee - which I believe if just a one time thing . If you are enrolled full time all homework cafe sessions (where the students spend approx an hour per class doing HW in) are included. So, it costs more or less (probably slightly more but all work is individualized) than any private school specializing in special needs. I hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

I am considering Fusion for my 10th grader. Any recent feedback? If classes are 1:1, how does the social piece work? Any feedback would be so helpful. I plan to attend an info session, but would love to hear more from parents before I go and receive a sales pitch. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am considering Fusion for my 10th grader. Any recent feedback? If classes are 1:1, how does the social piece work? Any feedback would be so helpful. I plan to attend an info session, but would love to hear more from parents before I go and receive a sales pitch. Thanks!

Hi PP. I think that you walking in thinking you're going to get a "sales pitch" sets you up for a negative experience/impression from the start. Try to walk in to the meeting or tour with an open mind, instead of a suspicious mind, that way you can form your own real opinions of whether or not Fusion is the right fit for your child.

With that said: We are also considering Fusion for DS. This social piece is actually the only thing holding us back from pulling the trigger. They have a lounge where the kids hang out between classes and socialize or do homework. It doesn't seem like quite enough for our very socially awkward 14 year old, so if we did Fusion we would have to supplement with some sort of social outlet.

I went to one of the informational sessions for the new campus in NW, and frankly was very impressed. There were no hard-sale tactics going on. They were very open and honest. And there were a lot of interested parents there asking tough questions, which they took in stride and answered as best they could without coming across as being forceful or fake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is 08:04. The tuition is $4000 per class per semester (a semester is 1/2 a school year). So, for example, if you take 5 classes the tuition the tuition is $20,000 x 2 which is $40,000. Plus if I remember correctly there was a $1,000 registration fee - which I believe if just a one time thing . If you are enrolled full time all homework cafe sessions (where the students spend approx an hour per class doing HW in) are included. So, it costs more or less (probably slightly more but all work is individualized) than any private school specializing in special needs. I hope this helps!

this is very helpful PP, thank you!

[Anonymous]

Sorry,8:26, but that has been my experience with most every school I have visited -- telling parents what they want to hear and promising they can meet their child's needs. My daughter is attending one of those schools right now -- a private that promised they could accommodate her learning differences -- a very highly gifted child with Aspergers and lots of anxiety -- but now we are finding out too late that they can't.

So that's why I am cynical. I hope my experience with Fusion will prove me wrong because I am pretty desperate and wondering if there is any school in this area that will work.

[Anonymous]

I enrolled my child in one of the DC area campuses (I'd rather not be too specific...) for just a single class to complement online/homeschool curriculum. She has a history of school refusal related to anxiety/depression, and -- double whammy -- also has a busy acting career. So we had two reasons to do it. She was struggling to do online schooling alone; is in tenth grade. We weren't TOO interested in the social piece because her peer group is other kids who train in acting/dance/voice and she is plenty active socially, but the homework cafe is a nice place to be. So far it is working for us. The cost is steep. Would love to register her there FT but can't afford $40k a year.