Forum Index
»
Private & Independent Schools
Lowell, Green Acres, Burgundy Farms
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
What kinds of issues? Behavorial, social, or academic? |
Anonymous
| We are at Lowell and I would not classify very many kids as "special needs". Not sure what that was like a few years ago, but in my kid's grade there are very few special needs kids and their needs are ones that need OT support. |
Anonymous
I think, the immature boy thing... Should he be held back? Nothing obvious. |
Anonymous
I must be one of those weird parents who wants her children to be in classrooms with special needs kids. |
Anonymous
|
It's not an issue of whether there are special needs kids in the schools - every child has his or her own needs and gifts and of course it is a great thing to have kids of all ranges. The question raised by 10:06's comments is that perhaps the teachers have to spend a disproportionate amount of time tending to a few rather than tending to the whole. This is an issue, whether at a progressive or traditional school and a failing of the system. Schools need to have philosophies, approaches, and teachers who are qualified and are respectful of kids' needs of all ranges -- not just those with "special" needs, "high" needs, or even those who may be qualified as "gifted."
|
Anonymous
I don't mean to drag this on, but was the boy admitted to Green Acres or were the parents told that that they should apply elsewhere because it's not a good fit? |
Anonymous
We moved on to a more traditional (relatively speaking) private school. |
Anonymous
I really think that it was indirect, maybe a hint, or "do you think that this would be the right place for him?" |
Anonymous
10:06 here: This exactly what I meant. At the time that we were there, there were lots of high needs kids (at least in my child's classes), and Lowell just didn't have the resources to address the needs of these kids AND the needs of the rest of the kids simultaneously. As a PP mentioned, that was a couple of years back and perhaps it's different now. |
Anonymous
|
PP 10:06, if you don't mind elaborating, what did your child dislike about Lowell? You mentioned that he said that the teachers raised their voices (unacceptable as far as I am concerned), but what else about it seemed not to work for your son?
Also, to the PP whose children attend the school and is very happy with it, what do your children seem to love about it? Thanks for your rich description, I wish we could get someone on this board to comment about the other two in such detail. |
Anonymous
As an administrator at one of the schools mentioned in this thread, I hate to ask a dumb question, but here goes. Why don't you (... wait ... for ... it ...) ask the admission office -- at Green Acres or anywhere else -- when you have questions like the ones I'm seeing here. For instance: 1) How does the school consider late/early/middle birthdays in early grades? 2) What is the school's policy on behavioral issues? 3) What does the school define as a "special needs" child, and what kinds of "special needs" do you accommodate? 4) What do you mean by "a good fit" for your school? 5) If you have concerns that a student or family is not "a good fit," either during the admission process or after a student has enrolled, how do you work with the family when differences arise? Most admission officers and other administrators are only too glad to hear your concerns and respond to them, especially before your child is admitted and enrolled. We don't want you to feel that you've chosen a poor match for your family any more than you do! Most broad hearsay (Green Acres doesn't take kids with "issues"; Sheridan has a lot of rules; XYZ school has a lot of bullies; etc.) has at least 19 other perspectives besides the one you've heard fifth-hand yourself. I always teeter between surprise and amusement when these broad pictures emerge, and parents are more interested in the response of "Anonymous" on this board than in the school's perspective. Just ask! 8^) |
Anonymous
|
To pp, this is a forum that comes with the freedoms that we cherish. That means, it will continue.
We appreciate your input, but if I were you, I would read these threads and not take them personally. But they should offer some feedback to all the schools mentioned. |
Anonymous
| Very few admissions offices have more than 40 seconds with each caller. |
Anonymous
Hey, kids... I wasn't for a moment suggesting that the forums should be shut down (is that what it sounded like?! Egads!), and I really didn't take any of it personally. All I'm meaning to offer is that there is a way to get answers to some really good questions -- from the people who have experience with the questions. Every school has parents whose viewpoints will match your own and many whose perspectives don't. While the information here may be valuable, you never know with this "anonymous" system who's got which ax to grind and whether the viewpoint comes from somebody with information that makes sense TO YOU or somebody with a vastly different perspective. (And I'm not meaning to be personal -- we all have some ax or another to grind!) I know that admission offices are rushed, but if you ask good questions, I'd be surprised if you don't get the courtesy of a thoughtful response. And if you don't, that tells ya sumthin' right there, don't it?! Sorry if I sounded exasperated earlier. Just trying to steer people in the right direction. I'm sure you do the same things when somebody asks about an area in which you have some professional experience! Cheers... |
Anonymous
|
Also, to the PP who is an administrator: I am sure that folks have asked questions of the admissions offices, read the schools' literature, etc... but at least some of us are trying to gather additional information from parents so that we can see if what the school promises is actually delivered. Don't take it the wrong way, no one is saying any of the schools are purposely misleading anyone...but sometimes schools have challenges in meeting or sustaining their missions--or, conversely, do an excellent job of fulfilling their missions--and a forum like this is a way to elicit some of that info.
Personally though I would love it if administrators from EACH of these schools would take a look at this thread and comment. If there is something going on here that really is inaccurate or grossly misstated then it would be in everyone's best interest to set the record straight. Look at how many people have viewed this thread -- if I worked at one of these schools and I saw how uncertain people were about them I sure would want to comment. At least some of us here are looking to affirm our belief that a progressive education is the way to go and that the schools mentioned here are not only viable options, but GREAT options. So if concerns mentioned here are unwarranted, I'd be the first to want to know that. |