WES is under enrolled. They can't attract enough new students to fill the available seats.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a ms student at the school who is close to being done there. I have witnessed what happens when parents complain; I am not risking that for my child. I want my child to finish strong, and we can then leave. So, yes, I am not going to be brave in this instance.

What happens when parents complain?

I can give you two personal experiences:

1) There is a mother of a middle schooler who fought hard to get her son some instructional accommodations two years ago. Since that time, whenever she walks in the building, I have personally seen teachers and administrators make comments about her and roll their eyes. Just because teachers and administrators use initials, doesn't mean the rest of us can't figure it out. She is openly discussed in the front office - the one there in the lobby. Staff have been overheard referring to the students as a "whiner" who will go home and complain.

2) There is another parent who has several students at the building who voiced concerns about the handling of the teacher firing last year. She is now referred to as the "crazy alcoholic."

Those are the things that happen.

This ^^ was our experience. Wife was very active at school and had picked up that one just doesn't complain at WES. No one is going to listen to you and if you do, you get labeled "difficult mom/difficult kid" and then your situation just spirals down until you decide to pack your bags and leave. We left due to outrageously mean, tough, unkind teachers and administrators. To be fair, we both went in and talked to the then-headmaster and said we would be leaving in a year (taking full tuition x 3 kids + other contributions) if he didn't do something about the mean girl cliques, the mean teachers, the boys that he wound not counsel out, and the internal gossip. He did nothing - he always sided with the teachers. We left a year later taking our money with us.

This happened to us as well. They know that they can always replace you and your child(ren).

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Enjoy .

Not PP. You need a life to enjoy if you are posting this on a Friday at 11:21pm.

Ok. Enjoy .

Just seeing all of this and there are too many things that are simply false on this thread to try and refute (I have better things to do; apparently detractors have nothing better to do). You go to your school and we'll stick with WES. Our kids are having a blast and learning a ton.

13:04, you might want to get your facts straight. I have a child in 3rd grade at WES, and there are two classes.

We left due to a teacher that should not be working with kids! If you think 3rd grade is bad, just wait until you get to 4th.

Why was the teacher fired last year? I asked the front office what happened to dcs teacher-he was our teacher. I was told "not to ask".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a ms student at the school who is close to being done there. I have witnessed what happens when parents complain; I am not risking that for my child. I want my child to finish strong, and we can then leave. So, yes, I am not going to be brave in this instance.

What happens when parents complain?

I can give you two personal experiences:

1) There is a mother of a middle schooler who fought hard to get her son some instructional accommodations two years ago. Since that time, whenever she walks in the building, I have personally seen teachers and administrators make comments about her and roll their eyes. Just because teachers and administrators use initials, doesn't mean the rest of us can't figure it out. She is openly discussed in the front office - the one there in the lobby. Staff have been overheard referring to the students as a "whiner" who will go home and complain.

2) There is another parent who has several students at the building who voiced concerns about the handling of the teacher firing last year. She is now referred to as the "crazy alcoholic."

Those are the things that happen.

This ^^ was our experience. Wife was very active at school and had picked up that one just doesn't complain at WES. No one is going to listen to you and if you do, you get labeled "difficult mom/difficult kid" and then your situation just spirals down until you decide to pack your bags and leave. We left due to outrageously mean, tough, unkind teachers and administrators. To be fair, we both went in and talked to the then-headmaster and said we would be leaving in a year (taking full tuition x 3 kids + other contributions) if he didn't do something about the mean girl cliques, the mean teachers, the boys that he wound not counsel out, and the internal gossip. He did nothing - he always sided with the teachers. We left a year later taking our money with us.

Third grade has been very weak for years.
Tepid academics and a mean teacher. The kinder teachers
didn't last for some reason.

Using early childhood as an example, the website claims there are 48 enrolled, but the actual enrollment this year appears to be 6 in nursery, 12 in transition and 19 in kindergarten, which totals 37. That makes 11 fewer than reported.

In primary (grades 1-3), there are apparently 20 in first grade, which is the same number as last year's kindergarten. Last year, there were 21 in first grade in two classrooms, but this year there is just one second grade class. Last year, 24 in two second grade classrooms but this year just one third grade classroom. The fact that second and third grade have shifted from two sections to one suggests that approximately 20 students who would have continued in those grades have also left. 11 plus 20 is 31.

Not sure about enrollment in the higher grades, but even assuming the best case scenario for WES, it appears overall enrollment is down by more than 30.

No dog in this fight. I just need to feel like I can rely on a school's website to tell me the truth about who they are.

Yes, I think enrollment is way off now. Word is out about WES. Even the Early Childhood group sees lower enrollment numbers these days. Used to be, EC was healthy but transfers out began shortly thereafter.

Wasn't it in the 325's a few years back?

20:23 here. PP, you may be right but then the school should just take the number 277 off of its website. It strikes me as dishonest to post last year's enrollment if that is not the correct number for 2014-2015. Any prospective family would check the website and believe that there are 277 students enrolled for the current academic year.

I seriously doubt WES is going to offer an exact enrollment figure.