Seneca Academy has gone out of business and will be closing its school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Depends on your public school and child.

They keep asking for donations everywhere and are blaming it on COVID when there is no way this could have just happened with COVID and they are still getting paid through the year. Its a bit gross to blame bad finances on the virus when they were going to have to shut down either way.

It wasn't just covid, you're right.

Not familiar with Seneca but I'm sure that fewer parents enrolled for 2020-2021 school year because of COVID. There is probably a down tick everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Depends on your public school and child.

They keep asking for donations everywhere and are blaming it on COVID when there is no way this could have just happened with COVID and they are still getting paid through the year. Its a bit gross to blame bad finances on the virus when they were going to have to shut down either way.

It wasn't just covid, you're right.

Not familiar with Seneca but I'm sure that fewer parents enrolled for 2020-2021 school year because of COVID. There is probably a down tick everywhere.

Sure, but if you look at Seneca's 990s (which I did because we were considering it), you'll see they had very little money to begin with. They don't have a dedicated development director, which I'm sure didn't help either.

My point is they had been in a very tough financial situation for awhile. COVID was far from the sole reason they are in such a terrible spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Of course my opinion is anecdote. But my kid actually went there. He went to Barnesville, too. And public school (we are in the Wootton cluster, so the schools are great). Seneca was by far the most rigorous of the three, and the structure of the IB program was set up to provide an in-depth inquiry for weeks into a subject, so the kids truly learned it. And the school was a true cross-curricular model.

No school is perfect, and no school is perfect for every child. But Seneca was very special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Of course my opinion is anecdote. But my kid actually went there. He went to Barnesville, too. And public school (we are in the Wootton cluster, so the schools are great). Seneca was by far the most rigorous of the three, and the structure of the IB program was set up to provide an in-depth inquiry for weeks into a subject, so the kids truly learned it. And the school was a true cross-curricular model.

No school is perfect, and no school is perfect for every child. But Seneca was very special.

Hi, PP. We were considering Seneca, but for obvious reasons it can't be on our list anymore. Should we bother looking at Barnesville, or is it not worth it?

It would be for K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Of course my opinion is anecdote. But my kid actually went there. He went to Barnesville, too. And public school (we are in the Wootton cluster, so the schools are great). Seneca was by far the most rigorous of the three, and the structure of the IB program was set up to provide an in-depth inquiry for weeks into a subject, so the kids truly learned it. And the school was a true cross-curricular model.

No school is perfect, and no school is perfect for every child. But Seneca was very special.

Hi, PP. We were considering Seneca, but for obvious reasons it can't be on our list anymore. Should we bother looking at Barnesville, or is it not worth it?

It would be for K.

So apparently the save seneca group has raised $30,000 in 12 hours, so don't totally rule it out.

Barnesville is fine for elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Of course my opinion is anecdote. But my kid actually went there. He went to Barnesville, too. And public school (we are in the Wootton cluster, so the schools are great). Seneca was by far the most rigorous of the three, and the structure of the IB program was set up to provide an in-depth inquiry for weeks into a subject, so the kids truly learned it. And the school was a true cross-curricular model.

No school is perfect, and no school is perfect for every child. But Seneca was very special.

Hi, PP. We were considering Seneca, but for obvious reasons it can't be on our list anymore. Should we bother looking at Barnesville, or is it not worth it?

It would be for K.

So apparently the save seneca group has raised $30,000 in 12 hours, so don't totally rule it out.

Barnesville is fine for elementary.

Yeah, I think for us to consider it, we'd need to see signs of longer term financial stability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Of course my opinion is anecdote. But my kid actually went there. He went to Barnesville, too. And public school (we are in the Wootton cluster, so the schools are great). Seneca was by far the most rigorous of the three, and the structure of the IB program was set up to provide an in-depth inquiry for weeks into a subject, so the kids truly learned it. And the school was a true cross-curricular model.

No school is perfect, and no school is perfect for every child. But Seneca was very special.

Hi, PP. We were considering Seneca, but for obvious reasons it can't be on our list anymore. Should we bother looking at Barnesville, or is it not worth it?

It would be for K.

So apparently the save seneca group has raised $30,000 in 12 hours, so don't totally rule it out.

Barnesville is fine for elementary.

Yeah, I think for us to consider it, we'd need to see signs of longer term financial stability.

I understand.

[Anonymous]

It’s terribly sad for the families and staff of a school having financial issues. People who are great at education might not be so great with the business side of things, or vice versa. In the worst case, the people running the place aren’t great with business or schooling. It sounds as though Seneca was a nice school. Good luck to all involved.

[Anonymous]

Hello all -

I had the pleasure of serving as Head of School at Barnesville for nine years, and my three sons attended, with the older two successfully matriculating to Poolesville Global Magnet and St. Andrew's for 9th grade, and the youngest attending until the time I departed. I also had the pleasure of working with Brooke Carroll when she was head at Seneca.

There are too many opinions, assertions, and allegations in this thread to address, but I did feel compelled to wade back into this forum to offer a few non-anonymous thoughts from my limited perch:

1. Seneca was a lovely school with a strong academic program. It was a gem of upcounty, and it will be missed.

2. Barnesville enjoyed partnering with Seneca over the years, and it felt to me like there was much more in common than different between the two schools. Would that we could have partnered more.

3. Barnesville, though smaller in enrollment than it has been in the past, continues to deliver an outstanding education to its students. I would without hesitation reenroll my children there. While a school can't be all things to all people, I particularly cherished its whole-child approach, the green and nature focus of the curriculum, and the community size that allowed for a sense of togetherness.

4. Smaller schools by their very nature are less tolerant of budget and enrollment swings, but I can say with certainty that the resources of my former school were, and are, well-managed.

Should Seneca families consider Barnesville? Yes, I think so, along with other local options, as cost and commute will allow. It may not be the perfect match for everyone, but I believe it has a great deal to offer.

I wish all Seneca's families the best in this time of transition and uncertainty.

- John

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not go public? Much better education and free.

Depends on your public school and child.

They keep asking for donations everywhere and are blaming it on COVID when there is no way this could have just happened with COVID and they are still getting paid through the year. Its a bit gross to blame bad finances on the virus when they were going to have to shut down either way.

I'm not sure what you're even talking about. This school year is still going, it's just online--like literally every other school. Families had started pulling their kids out for next school year, plus other lost income from other programs that can't run this spring and summer have contributed to the situation that the school is in--which are all symptoms of COVID-19. The pledged money is to help the school to be able to run next year, tuitions have NOT been collected for next year. If you have any questions because you're actually interested in the school, there are available ways to contact, but bashing a wonderful school online that's being affected just like all companies and families is just plain gross. Be better!

[Anonymous]

THIS SITUATION IS NOT SPECIFIC TO SENECA ACADEMY! Tons of small privates are having issues--this is a horrible situation and a huge hit to a lot of small business's pockets.

[Anonymous]

Fox 5 tonight at 10!

https://www.fox5dc.com/

[Anonymous]

Don’t count them out yet. They’re doing a big fundraising campaign right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:THIS SITUATION IS NOT SPECIFIC TO SENECA ACADEMY! Tons of small privates are having issues--this is a horrible situation and a huge hit to a lot of small business's pockets.

Which other schools are at risk?

[Anonymous]

I hope they make it... am tempted to donate. * COVID!