Franklin Montessori Darnestown Rd, MD closed for 3 months, no proactive tuition adjustments.

[Anonymous]

Are other schools handling this differently? One PP posted one example, but I don’t see a big wave of other folks saying they got refunds from their schools. This is similar to private elementary-high schools, isn’t it? Are those places, like Maret or Sidwell, giving refunds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here, was on the Parent Franklin call with Josh Obler. 100% in support, and would pursue social media about this after hearing that nonsense call. "we can't pay you back because we have a lot of dept". So it's our responsibility ? We needed to get the driveway redone and I'm pretty sure he said they used PPP to pay for school maintenance not their fantastic teachers. If they had just been open and honest from day one (rather than ignore multiple emails and calls), maybe some parents would have offered support, but they gave us nothing. How about "we're in debt now, can't pay you, but agree to pay you back once we are finically stable again". Big fat zero. Welcome to Franklin, where parents pay for shady business practices!

Plus 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are other schools handling this differently? One PP posted one example, but I don’t see a big wave of other folks saying they got refunds from their schools. This is similar to private elementary-high schools, isn’t it? Are those places, like Maret or Sidwell, giving refunds?

I’m a Franklin DC parent. The issues for me are 1) some parents could opt out of payment of they paid monthly, but those of us who paid semi-annually got no refund or discount, and 2) they are now offering school but only from 9-12, despite requiring full tuition And in clear violation of their contract under which they are required to teach/care from 730-6pm. If they offered full day or treated families equitably, I’d have less of a concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are other schools handling this differently? One PP posted one example, but I don’t see a big wave of other folks saying they got refunds from their schools. This is similar to private elementary-high schools, isn’t it? Are those places, like Maret or Sidwell, giving refunds?

I’m a Franklin DC parent. The issues for me are 1) some parents could opt out of payment of they paid monthly, but those of us who paid semi-annually got no refund or discount, and 2) they are now offering school but only from 9-12, despite requiring full tuition And in clear violation of their contract under which they are required to teach/care from 730-6pm. If they offered full day or treated families equitably, I’d have less of a concern.

What do they say about this differential treatment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are other schools handling this differently? One PP posted one example, but I don’t see a big wave of other folks saying they got refunds from their schools. This is similar to private elementary-high schools, isn’t it? Are those places, like Maret or Sidwell, giving refunds?

I’m a Franklin DC parent. The issues for me are 1) some parents could opt out of payment of they paid monthly, but those of us who paid semi-annually got no refund or discount, and 2) they are now offering school but only from 9-12, despite requiring full tuition And in clear violation of their contract under which they are required to teach/care from 730-6pm. If they offered full day or treated families equitably, I’d have less of a concern.

What do they say about this differential treatment?

Absolutely nothing! That’s what is so frustrating, we’ve gotten no communication from them. I’m so disappointed. Buyer beware.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Franklin parent who asked for reduced monthly rate and got a discount, I am sorry to hear other families have not been treated the same. I completely understand your frustration. We ended up withdrawing for the rest of the school year and don't know about the fall. Have they released the revised enrollment agreement for 20-21?

[Anonymous]

At our daycare provider (a center run by a 501(c)(3)), we did not have to pay for April or May. The center demanded June tuition even though it was clear to parents they were going to be closed. We paid as to remain in good financial standing, and I'm glad we did so as it was a criteria in selecting which families were going to be selected for summer and fall enrollment (since they had to reduce capacity). However, we did receive a refund of June tuition when it was definite that they were not going to be open in June. We have not been asked to pay July yet. Parents who pulled their kids due to communication and other problems did receive security deposits back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lesson to you to never prepay. Because bird in hand ya know mean

Don't prepay for anything...AirBNB's, VRBO's etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We prepaid too and monthly people are just not paying. I will not make that mistake again. It’s beyond annoying.

Never prepay tuition. Hoping you save a few bucks now costs you over 5k

Don't ever prepay for anything, tuition, airbnb's vrbo's etc.Keep control of your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We prepaid too and monthly people are just not paying. I will not make that mistake again. It’s beyond annoying.

Never prepay tuition. Hoping you save a few bucks now costs you over 5k

We pre-paid for the full year! Such a mistake.

Wow, big money. NEver prepay. Always keep control of your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here, was on the Parent Franklin call with Josh Obler. 100% in support, and would pursue social media about this after hearing that nonsense call. "we can't pay you back because we have a lot of dept". So it's our responsibility ? We needed to get the driveway redone and I'm pretty sure he said they used PPP to pay for school maintenance not their fantastic teachers. If they had just been open and honest from day one (rather than ignore multiple emails and calls), maybe some parents would have offered support, but they gave us nothing. How about "we're in debt now, can't pay you, but agree to pay you back once we are finically stable again". Big fat zero. Welcome to Franklin, where parents pay for shady business practices!

Obler is a joke and a snake oil salesman. Do NOT enroll your kids here! Even before this, management was a nightmare. COVID-19 was more of the Shady sneaky behavior.

This!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is at Franklin Montessori’s DC school. We have been utterly disappointed with the school’s communication, or lack there of. We have emailed the school every week or so to get information on tuition reimbursement or discount for the next year. We did not have distance learning until mid-April and it was only once a week, initially led by parents, and then after complaining to the school, by a teacher aide. We paid at the beginning of the year, and regret it. Families we know that paid monthly just stopped paying. It is absolutely wrong to treat families differently. I’m happy to support the school, but you can’t just offer a discount to the families who paid and not those that paid semi annually. We are now looking at alternative schools. We are just disheartened by the school administration.

Join the club. Franklin's administration is an abject failure and Obler is a liar and a cheat. And it is the most expensive preschool in the area. Lesson to all - NEVER pay Franklin in advance and don't sign the new contract for 2020-21. It's a rip off and gives you no rights in the event there is another closure or pandemic. Stand up for yourself - there is NO other preschool that is treating its parents like this.

And this!

[Anonymous]

PP is a troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Franklin parent who asked for reduced monthly rate and got a discount, I am sorry to hear other families have not been treated the same. I completely understand your frustration. We ended up withdrawing for the rest of the school year and don't know about the fall. Have they released the revised enrollment agreement for 20-21?

They did. It's basically written to say you must pay for the entire year's tuition regardless of any future shutdowns. Or you can pay $1100 - $2200 for an insurance plan that will provide a 50%-100% CREDIT for time missed. DO NOT SIGN.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Franklin parent who asked for reduced monthly rate and got a discount, I am sorry to hear other families have not been treated the same. I completely understand your frustration. We ended up withdrawing for the rest of the school year and don't know about the fall. Have they released the revised enrollment agreement for 20-21?

They did. It's basically written to say you must pay for the entire year's tuition regardless of any future shutdowns. Or you can pay $1100 - $2200 for an insurance plan that will provide a 50%-100% CREDIT for time missed. DO NOT SIGN.

Yikes. Are parents going through with this? Pushing back? This is disappointing, we really loved our teacher and had had such a positive experience at the school before all of this.