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[quote=Anonymous]In my experience lots of things happening within a school can make it feels frayed at the edges and tense or to use your words,"like a factory". Remember, in the application process the school is putting its best foot forward. I think it helps to really check a school out before signing the contract. I am not speaking in terms of outplacement and % pass on AP exams, etc... but other things that reflect on how well run or NOT well run a school may be:

1) Who is the Head and how long have they been in their position? This will give you a good idea of how well a school will live up to its prior reputation. Recent turn over in administration: who left, why did they leave and how exhaustive was the search to replace them ? Did the school find the best qualified replacement or just who they could get quickly ?  Lot's of recent turnover in Admin. can forebode several things: many long term staff wont like the changes at the top and may become underproductive, unhappy, less effective. There may be a lot of staff turn over.

2) In the case of admin. leaving, find out why they left . There may be financial reasons or school mission drift reasons that Admin. left. A school's rep tends to stay about 7 years longer than it is warranted ( "resting on laurels syndrome") So, first order of business is find out from parents who have older kids in the school who left, why they left and if they as old timer parents feel that the school has changed for better or for worse ? Best to know this info before the contract deadline date.

2) How big is the school's endowment ? Perhaps the "we feel like its a factory " feeling is because the AD is being told to fill spots. This is bad for a school in many ways: it is a set up for a lot of kids/parents who may be "high mait" types to get spots in the school because the school needs their $$$$ Catering to these types for financial reasons can make Admin. turn defensive after a while as the PITA parents wear them down. This burning out in face of helicopter parenting can give a non- PITA parent the impression that his/her child's school is a uncaring. Perhaps they are just worn down from all the PITA parents and their lawyers filing law suits over grades and such nonsense.

3) How polite are there people at the front desk when you walk in or call on the telephone? If you smile sweetly but are greeted by angry Sue and sister snap at you, then that is your first clue that your school has poor management. [/quote]

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