Reply to S/O - Avoid Focus School

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Are you really having serious second thoughts because of a random comment by a friend without looking at the school itself?

My kids are in a Focus school. There are pluses and minuses. On the plus side - smaller classes and more support staff. I think my children have benefited from the diversity of the school. They have friends of all different backgrounds. My above grade level kid has been accelerated. My at the bubble of at and below grade level kid has been supported, for the most part - the support falls off when the below reaches at, which causes a cycle of stagnating for a while. Communication with teachers has for the most part been fine. Some use Dojo, some don't, but for the most part every responds via email pretty quickly and the administration is responsive when they need to be. The minuses I've seen are more on the social side. It was hard to get RSVPs to Birthday parties in the invite the whole class years. Playdates and other outside of school socializing hasn't been that high. It took a few years for my kids to find their social groups. There aren't as many after school clubs and while we have a strong PTA, it is a small group of us that keep it going. Overall, I like where we live and have been satisfied with the school.[/quote]

Our experience has been very different but its school/teacher specific.  We are at a very closed school. Our classroom does not allow for parent volunteers.  Smaller class sizes are great.  Most of the kids are very nice, good kids.  I don't notice huge disparities in the kids as most aren't dressed in fancy clothing (exception is mainly jackets).  Agree with outside socialization.  School has lots of after school things through the PTA but we never do them so cannot speak to the quality.  Teachers good about responding to email but do not always answer the question.   They do not communicate with parents about what is going (i.e. weekly newsletter) and the only feedback is the report card and it doesn't seem like most of the kids can get past a "p" no matter how hard they work.  There is no acceleration and if anything kids are held back in "groups" below what they are capable of doing.  Strong PTA but its a closed PTA.  They say they want new members but when you go to meetings, they aren't exactly welcoming and no matter how many times I try to get involved when they say they need a volunteer, I never hear back from them.  School is fine but I wouldn't rave about it like others do.  [/quote]

Are your kids at Fairland? I have a friend who had the same complaints and that's where her children go to school.[/quote]

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