Our PK3 kid is there now. We are happy. We have to commute across the park to get there so that's the only pain. Parking can be tight but we've always been able to find a spot.

My child loves the school, his teachers, and his classmates. He comes home talking about the things he's learning and it's been neat to hear the things he shares (how to say hello in different languages, skyscrapers and blueprints, primary and secondary colors). Anyway, we're happy with the teachers too. Communication could be better but we do get emails from the teacher.

The lack of windows in the classroom does not seem to be an issue. Like others have said, my kid in DCPS has windows in his classroom but it's not like he's by the window gazing out of it. I worried more about the sad little outside play area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was part of a study done by the AppleTree Institute. My child was a part of the control group - we had won the lottery for AT but turned them down.

I would go to AT CH 2 times a year for the study and always during after school hours. There was definitely a lot of yelling as a part of the aftercare program.

Kids yelling is different from teachers yelling. Anyone who says that the teachers regularly yell is flat out lying.

Sorry that I did not clarify- it was from the adults. I am not sure if the adults supervising aftercare are teachers or if the aftercare program is contracted out. Either way the volume, word choice, tone were all noticeable in such a way that I was glad we decided to go somewhere else.

Different poster and sorry, I also need to call BS on this. Anyone interested, PLEASE go visit yourself. I don't know if PP went on a fluke day, or just had an impression that is vastly exaggerated, but adults yelling is NOT the norm in aftercare there and absolutely not the norm in classrooms. Go visit yourself, that is absolutely key. We are another family who had a great experience there.

+2

Anonymous wrote:Does this Appletree have recess at the park on Girard? The one where a dude ran into the park waving a gun and fired one shot last summer? There's a crew operating near 15th and Girard and Appletree is off my list for this reason.

Are you talking about the little playground behind AT, or the DPR park associated with the community center at the other end of the block? When we were there (SYs 13-14 and 14-15) recess was behind the AT building, but on warm enough days aftercare walked the kids to the DPR playground because it's bigger and better. It's a public playground so I did see other kids there, but NEVER anything like someone waving a gun and not even kids looking really shady. I once had to go into DPR because a kid was driving a motorbike in a circle and DPR staff got them off the playground, but that was it in 2 years of being there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was part of a study done by the AppleTree Institute. My child was a part of the control group - we had won the lottery for AT but turned them down.

I would go to AT CH 2 times a year for the study and always during after school hours. There was definitely a lot of yelling as a part of the aftercare program.

Kids yelling is different from teachers yelling. Anyone who says that the teachers regularly yell is flat out lying.

Sorry that I did not clarify- it was from the adults. I am not sure if the adults supervising aftercare are teachers or if the aftercare program is contracted out. Either way the volume, word choice, tone were all noticeable in such a way that I was glad we decided to go somewhere else.

Different poster and sorry, I also need to call BS on this. Anyone interested, PLEASE go visit yourself. I don't know if PP went on a fluke day, or just had an impression that is vastly exaggerated, but adults yelling is NOT the norm in aftercare there and absolutely not the norm in classrooms. Go visit yourself, that is absolutely key. We are another family who had a great experience there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was part of a study done by the AppleTree Institute. My child was a part of the control group - we had won the lottery for AT but turned them down.

I would go to AT CH 2 times a year for the study and always during after school hours. There was definitely a lot of yelling as a part of the aftercare program.

Kids yelling is different from teachers yelling. Anyone who says that the teachers regularly yell is flat out lying.

Sorry that I did not clarify- it was from the adults. I am not sure if the adults supervising aftercare are teachers or if the aftercare program is contracted out. Either way the volume, word choice, tone were all noticeable in such a way that I was glad we decided to go somewhere else.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - our daughter was at Appletree CH for two years and I have nothing but good (great) things to say about the place. Her teachers were great and she got a great base to start from. We're now at MV (along with two other Appletree kids from her class). Some of her old classmates ended up at Yu Ying and elsewhere and they're all doing great.

Anonymous wrote:My child was part of a study done by the AppleTree Institute. My child was a part of the control group - we had won the lottery for AT but turned them down.

I would go to AT CH 2 times a year for the study and always during after school hours. There was definitely a lot of yelling as a part of the aftercare program.

Kids yelling is different from teachers yelling. Anyone who says that the teachers regularly yell is flat out lying.

Anonymous wrote:Does this Appletree have recess at the park on Girard? The one where a dude ran into the park waving a gun and fired one shot last summer? There's a crew operating near 15th and Girard and Appletree is off my list for this reason.

I should add this was at noon on a Tuesday when the park was full of children. Mine included.

Does this Appletree have recess at the park on Girard? The one where a dude ran into the park waving a gun and fired one shot last summer? There's a crew operating near 15th and Girard and Appletree is off my list for this reason.