Anonymous wrote:

Why the split? Why did Montessori need to even fight it?

I think that article explains the split in a pretty even-handed way, but an oversimplification is that AMI believes that Montessori programs should be implemented as faithfully as possible to Maria Montessori's original lesson plans, and AMS believes that her lesson plans, while very good and a departure point, are in some cases inconsistent with modern educational research, and in those cases, modern research should prevail. I see merits to both positions.

As for why her son was willing to sue over it, I don't know. Charitably, he sincerely believed the AMS standards were harmful. Cynically, like all children of famous people, he probably wanted to maintain tight control over his mother's ideas, both for personal and monetary reasons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here.

Obviously this was an incredibly unfortunate incident, but I, as a parent, was satisfied with the actions Randy took to immediately notify the Franklin community of what happened and the follow up. I have have been running afterschool programs in DC for seven years, and while no one has ever lost a child under my watch, I do know that things like this can happen, and it doesn't make me feel that my child is unsafe at the school.

For those who'd like to know, there was a parent meeting, and it was decided that children would no longer go to the off-site playground. A committee was formed, including many parents, to improve the after care program. I have never gone to the woods with the kids, but they post photos on a class-site, and you can see that the students walk in a line and are wearing the bright yellow sashes to make them hard to miss if a student should go astray. It seems that they have three adults with each two-year old class. It's a wonderful program they offer and I am confident in my son's safety.

I would also like to echo what former and current Franklin parents have said about the quality of the program. My husband and I have been blown away at the care and attention my son receives. We adore his teacher, and are looking forward to him growing there over the years and sending our next child there. For them to shut them down over this would be a shame. Finally, the tuition does not seem astronomical for the service and we are grateful that we can afford it. I don't mind someone making a profit off running a school, but I do hope the teachers are well-compensated, as they are incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking professionals who deserve to make a good living.

Past Franklin teacher here. No, not well compensated at all. In fact, when I was there, there were no benefits...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here.

Obviously this was an incredibly unfortunate incident, but I, as a parent, was satisfied with the actions Randy took to immediately notify the Franklin community of what happened and the follow up. I have have been running afterschool programs in DC for seven years, and while no one has ever lost a child under my watch, I do know that things like this can happen, and it doesn't make me feel that my child is unsafe at the school.

For those who'd like to know, there was a parent meeting, and it was decided that children would no longer go to the off-site playground. A committee was formed, including many parents, to improve the after care program. I have never gone to the woods with the kids, but they post photos on a class-site, and you can see that the students walk in a line and are wearing the bright yellow sashes to make them hard to miss if a student should go astray. It seems that they have three adults with each two-year old class. It's a wonderful program they offer and I am confident in my son's safety.

I would also like to echo what former and current Franklin parents have said about the quality of the program. My husband and I have been blown away at the care and attention my son receives. We adore his teacher, and are looking forward to him growing there over the years and sending our next child there. For them to shut them down over this would be a shame. Finally, the tuition does not seem astronomical for the service and we are grateful that we can afford it. I don't mind someone making a profit off running a school, but I do hope the teachers are well-compensated, as they are incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking professionals who deserve to make a good living.

Past Franklin teacher here. No, not well compensated at all. In fact, when I was there, there were no benefits...

One of our babysitters was a teacher at Franklin. Same story: not well compensated and no benefits.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate fact remains that AMS didn't originate from a good place. That was extremely disturbing to me when I researched it's shameful beginnings. I therefore have more trust and confidence in AMI.

It began when she was asked BY AMI to adopt the program for America. AMI didn't like the new program (among other reasons, because she thought teachers should have college degrees!) so she started it as a separate program. Calling that history shameful seems silly and hyperbolic, to me, and still hating it five decades later seems wholly irrational, especially given that even AMI has long since abandoned that position.

Who do you believe asked Nancy Rambusch to "adopt the program for America"? No one.

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here.

Obviously this was an incredibly unfortunate incident, but I, as a parent, was satisfied with the actions Randy took to immediately notify the Franklin community of what happened and the follow up. I have have been running afterschool programs in DC for seven years, and while no one has ever lost a child under my watch, I do know that things like this can happen, and it doesn't make me feel that my child is unsafe at the school.

For those who'd like to know, there was a parent meeting, and it was decided that children would no longer go to the off-site playground. A committee was formed, including many parents, to improve the after care program. I have never gone to the woods with the kids, but they post photos on a class-site, and you can see that the students walk in a line and are wearing the bright yellow sashes to make them hard to miss if a student should go astray. It seems that they have three adults with each two-year old class. It's a wonderful program they offer and I am confident in my son's safety.

I would also like to echo what former and current Franklin parents have said about the quality of the program. My husband and I have been blown away at the care and attention my son receives. We adore his teacher, and are looking forward to him growing there over the years and sending our next child there. For them to shut them down over this would be a shame. Finally, the tuition does not seem astronomical for the service and we are grateful that we can afford it. I don't mind someone making a profit off running a school, but I do hope the teachers are well-compensated, as they are incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking professionals who deserve to make a good living.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Franklin parent here.

Obviously this was an incredibly unfortunate incident, but I, as a parent, was satisfied with the actions Randy took to immediately notify the Franklin community of what happened and the follow up. I have have been running afterschool programs in DC for seven years, and while no one has ever lost a child under my watch, I do know that things like this can happen, and it doesn't make me feel that my child is unsafe at the school.

For those who'd like to know, there was a parent meeting, and it was decided that children would no longer go to the off-site playground. A committee was formed, including many parents, to improve the after care program. I have never gone to the woods with the kids, but they post photos on a class-site, and you can see that the students walk in a line and are wearing the bright yellow sashes to make them hard to miss if a student should go astray. It seems that they have three adults with each two-year old class. It's a wonderful program they offer and I am confident in my son's safety.

I would also like to echo what former and current Franklin parents have said about the quality of the program. My husband and I have been blown away at the care and attention my son receives. We adore his teacher, and are looking forward to him growing there over the years and sending our next child there. For them to shut them down over this would be a shame. Finally, the tuition does not seem astronomical for the service and we are grateful that we can afford it. I don't mind someone making a profit off running a school, but I do hope the teachers are well-compensated, as they are incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking professionals who deserve to make a good living.

Past Franklin teacher here. No, not well compensated at all. In fact, when I was there, there were no benefits...

One of our babysitters was a teacher at Franklin. Same story: not well compensated and no benefits.

Add me to the list of persons seriously disappointed with the gross lack of appropriate compensation of Franklin Montessori teachers. Over-worked, underpaid and no benefits. Considering their tuition, someone is certainly making a killing on this scam. Perhaps the absentee owner?

Anonymous wrote:The posters on this thread are just strange with their obsession with "Mr. Franklin." I am assuming you have no child at the school since you dislike the owner so much. I wonder what your connection is - disgruntled former employee, high school ex-girlfriend? I don't expect you to answer, but move on.

Anonymous wrote:So they forgot a student at the park two years ago, tightened protocol so it wouldn't happen again, and it happened again anyway?! I don't understand how this is possible. They aren't supposed to leave until they check the class list, and there are extra people to help find kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they forgot a student at the park two years ago, tightened protocol so it wouldn't happen again, and it happened again anyway?! I don't understand how this is possible. They aren't supposed to leave until they check the class list, and there are extra people to help find kids.

They need to pay more teachers, but won't.

asamel01 wrote:Original poster here. I am not exactly sure of how long the child was left, but I was at the park from 3-6 and it was a good amount of time from when the last class left until I discovered the child, who was so hysterical she could not even tell me her name. Had she not had the Franklin scarf on, she would have gone into police custody and her parents would have shown up to get her only to realize no one knew where she was. Can you even imagine the panic as a parent? The police were called and arrived just as the owner Randy whisked the child away. Randy was rude and ungracious (I held the crying child in my arms for at least 15 minutes) and she admitted to my face that the girl had been left behind. The police interviewed me and then said they were heading straight to the school. Keep in mind that there is a police hunt for a man who has been trying to lure school children into his car in this exact neighborhood. She would have been easy prey because she was scared and helpless.

Anonymous wrote:I'd hope the issues have been resolved. The original post is from 2016. If you'd like recent confirmation, then call the school or visit them. Again-it has been 3 years so hopefully they have rectified the situation