Bridges - Opinions Needed

[Anonymous]

Bridges Parent Here:

This time last year I was asking the same question and getting the same Apple Jacks commercial answer:
"Why do you love it?"
"We just do!"

For this reason, I'm going to write a decent response to your question.

This is my 3 year old's first year, and I have to say that it's hard to explain. I'm a first time parent, so it's possible that what I like so much about the school is common everywhere. It's also possible that the changes I've seen in my daughter are the result of her turning three, which seems to be the starting point for the 'information sponge' era. That's all possible, but I'm not willing to chance it and put her in her neighborhood school next year (a supposed 'Holy Grail' WOTP school).

So why do I like Bridges?

I was turned off by the open house last year. The principal came across as cold, the facilities and location weren't as attractive as other schools I'd visited, and the teacher that I visited didn't seem engaged with her students at all. A few months after crossing them off my list, my daughter was diagnosed with high functioning autism, and everyone swore that Bridges was THE place for her.

The first week or two was rocky. Things were chaotic, they lost paperwork, the teacher didn't want any parents to drop in for at least a month...I just didn't get a 'right-fit' vibe. 30 days later, I couldn't stop singing their praises. The kids in my daughter's class have a form of cohesion that you only see in the military or something. She cried one day when I dropped her off, and two kids ran up to her to give her a hug and console her. Her class is a mix of 3 and 4 year olds and the older ones lead and help the younger ones. When she shows up to Before Care, different kids run up and debrief her on what they're playing before inviting her over. It's touching, to say the least.

Academically, they don't have a rigorous plan compared to some other schools. Theirs is more of a play based approach that seems to cater to the kids' interest from month to month. When looking for schools, I worried because my daughter already knew most of the stuff that appeared to be on the various curriculum. She knew her numbers up to 60, all shapes and colors, and she could read by the time she started school (not a snowflake brag--all of this is partially how they diagnosed the autism). I worried that she'd become bored, but she LOVES her school. When she can't get what she wants from me, she calls out for her teacher at 7 in the evening. She couldn't fathom why she couldn't go to school during the snow days.

All of the staff is super friendly including the before and aftercare workers. It isn't staffed by teachers, rather they're hired through a different service. It's usually the same faces, although some days it appears that they rotate people between campuses (I think). Regardless, they all ask and expect a hug from the kids when they arrive and leave each day. They have activities planned for each day, and the monthly newsletter has a section that talks about what they'll be working on that week. You can also see their artwork or projects posted up on the wall. One month was superheroes, and she came home with a cutout of herself in a cape. I think this month has something to do with rhinos because they're all over the wall. To answer someone else's question, there is no before or aftercare on staff development days or parent teacher conference days.

As for the Sharpe building. The principal has stated that they've already met with an architect to draw up plans for a thorough renovation should they be awarded the building. The building would be shared with another charter system until the Bridges program finished "growing."

On the special needs front, I can't recommend a better place. She is high functioning, but she started the year with a severe speech delay. She was also socially averse to kids. It's only half way through the year, and she's gone from barely using two word phrases and parroting our speech to speaking in 5-7 word sentences 75-80% of the time. She's also shed her shyness and interacts with all of the kids. Of course each child is different and the special needs team there acknowledge that she's progressed well beyond their expectations, but they deserve so much credit. I've watched them work with her, and I feel like I should be paying them for the effort and energy they put into working with her.

I could really go on and on, but I've already made this too long. I think it's a great program. It may not work for everyone, but it works for us.

[Anonymous]

PP, thank you so much for your detailed answer. I really appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

I hadn't considered Bridges, but this sounds great. When did they expand the grades?

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks so much for this reply!

[Anonymous]

Bridges is currently PK3 - 1st grade and will add a grade each year until it reaches 5th grade. My DD is not special needs and having a great experience academically at the school. The first couple of days were a little chaotic feeling generally, but the classrooms were never chaotic feeling. The rationale for not allowing us in the rooms to hang out in the first month was that they wanted to get the kids acclimated to the classrooms and the routine. Once that was done, there has been very much of an open-door policy. We are thrilled they are expanding to 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

PP given that Bridges' focus has been on early childhood, do you think they will have difficulty making the stretch to 1-5 grade and everything that implies (academic focus, preparing for the DC CAS and MS, etc.)? I'm still trying to rank my "list" and long-term potential (through 5th) is one of the factors I'm weighing. I loved what I saw of early childhood but am wondering how they will expand their philosophy to the upper grades.

[Anonymous]

It is definitely a leap of faith - but this is the way I feel about all of the charter schools. I am always surprised when people talk about academic rigor with respect to a school that has only been around a couple of years. Very few of the charters have a track record so it remains to be seen how this great experiment will work out. And, on top of that, what your kid needs in the early years might change later on. It is all so hard to predict, I think. What I can say about Bridges is that it is a careful, smart, dedicated and professional group of people running the school and I am taking the leap of faith that they will approach designing an elementary school program as carefully as they have designed a preschool program.