We are also at Franklin...

We are at Franklin Montessori in Gaithersburg. Even though all families had paid tuition through May, our school decided to furlough teachers in late March (after the school rightly closed in mid-March). Franklin later, after significant pressure from parents who were upset that the school had decided to not pay teachers AND maintain its stance of providing no tuition breaks, offered only to families who asked for a refund a "credit" for two months tuition to be applied against future tuition. Franklin is still charging full tuition despite not being open: some monthly payers were able to use the credit to offset the last two tuition payments of this school year, while annual and semester payers must return to Franklin for the 2020-21 school year if they want to use the credit. The only families who will receive a refund in lieu of the credit are the families whose children will be in first grade for the 2020-21 school year and thus will be ineligible to attend Franklin.

After receiving PPP funding in early May, Franklin has returned to paying teachers. Franklin is offering distance learning in the form of 30-minute Zoom sessions on MWF; 15-minute Zoom sessions on TR; and one 15-minute, one-on-one session per child per week. As I mentioned above, Franklin is charging full!?! tuition for this distance learning program, regardless of whether a child participates.

Recently Franklin received permission from the State of Maryland to open for in-person care for children of families of essential workers. Families in the infant/toddler program can send their children from 8:30am-3:30pm. Families in the primary learning program have two options: Half Day (A): 8:30am - 11:30am or Half Day (B): 1:00pm - 4:00pm. Franklin is charging full tuition to families who are eligible for and decide for their children to attend this program. Franklin is continuing to charge full tuition to the families of workers who are not deemed essential whose children can only participate in the distance learning program mentioned above.

Numerous families have written to Franklin's leadership to request more information and many families, some of whom have written and called Franklin multiple times since March, have not received any communication. There has been at least two group communications to Franklin from a large number of parents that Franklin has answered only with form emails that have not addressed the parents' concerns.

Are your schools taking such a minimal approach to distance learning and/or a strong approach to tuition?

Any recommendations the parents can take for next steps? (media attention/legal action?)

Is there any way to know if Franklin received the PPE loans? At first they said they couldn’t discount tuition until they found out about the loans but since they’ve said nothing, which makes me think they did receive. We prepaid to them, huge mistake! I hear they are offering discounts individually to families or families are just not paying. I was furloughed and husband took a 20% paycut but we don’t get any money back.

Anonymous wrote:PP. are they opening in phase 2?

Not following guidelines of the county I guess just cdc recommendations

PP. are they opening in phase 2?

Franklin gonna open June 22nd.lets bring the pitchforks!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

I'm going to agree with this. How would Franklin respond if I said I'm going through financial difficulties, I've decided I can only pay you 20% of my tuition cost. I'm sorry, it's out of my control.

Um, I emailed them and asked for a specific discount (much more than 20%, including one month free), and they gave it to me no questions asked. I'm starting to think you're a troll.

um, i'm beginning to think you work for franklin. i know of 100 plus families in every room in franklin that have not gotten such treatment. boiler plate responses if they are lucky to even receive one. not a single instance of relief greater than 20% and a free month....never.

I don't work there, my kid has only been there since January of this year. I doubt we're all that special in Franklin's eyes - we just asked for certain discounts and got them. Sorry that hasn't been your experience...or the 100 plus (?) families in every room.

so am i. there are over 100 families across every single room in franklin that have not shared your positive experience. many have been with the school for several years with more than one child enrolled.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

I'm going to agree with this. How would Franklin respond if I said I'm going through financial difficulties, I've decided I can only pay you 20% of my tuition cost. I'm sorry, it's out of my control.

Um, I emailed them and asked for a specific discount (much more than 20%, including one month free), and they gave it to me no questions asked. I'm starting to think you're a troll.

um, i'm beginning to think you work for franklin. i know of 100 plus families in every room in franklin that have not gotten such treatment. boiler plate responses if they are lucky to even receive one. not a single instance of relief greater than 20% and a free month....never.

I don't work there, my kid has only been there since January of this year. I doubt we're all that special in Franklin's eyes - we just asked for certain discounts and got them. Sorry that hasn't been your experience...or the 100 plus (?) families in every room.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

I'm going to agree with this. How would Franklin respond if I said I'm going through financial difficulties, I've decided I can only pay you 20% of my tuition cost. I'm sorry, it's out of my control.

Um, I emailed them and asked for a specific discount (much more than 20%, including one month free), and they gave it to me no questions asked. I'm starting to think you're a troll.

um, i'm beginning to think you work for franklin. i know of 100 plus families in every room in franklin that have not gotten such treatment. boiler plate responses if they are lucky to even receive one. not a single instance of relief greater than 20% and a free month....never.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We couldn’t pay full freight while the school was closed so we asked for a reduction and Franklin gave it to us. It was that simple. Maybe instead of complaining about things beyond anyone’s control, you have an adult conversation with the school and reach an agreement.

Agreed. I haven't lost my job and I'm fine with paying for a full year at my son's school. Because I love the school and I want it to stay in business. But I know not everyone can do that. So I hope that when those folks who are experiencing financial difficulties do reach out, schools work with them. And I hope parents like me who love their schools continue to pay as they can. These are crazy times. We are all trying our best to survive them.

+100

Plus if schools and daycares lay people off or furlough them the teaching staff will look for other jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

I'm going to agree with this. How would Franklin respond if I said I'm going through financial difficulties, I've decided I can only pay you 20% of my tuition cost. I'm sorry, it's out of my control.

Um, I emailed them and asked for a specific discount (much more than 20%, including one month free), and they gave it to me no questions asked. I'm starting to think you're a troll.

Anonymous wrote:maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

I'm going to agree with this. How would Franklin respond if I said I'm going through financial difficulties, I've decided I can only pay you 20% of my tuition cost. I'm sorry, it's out of my control.

maybe if the school would respond to emails that could happen. charging full price for distance learning and giving a 20% discount isn't going to cut it.

good for you if a 20% discount works but it doesn't work for many. it is within their control. they run a business and i am a customer. providing support or asking for support is one thing. doing so without an agreement is theft. and no those negotiation channels are not open. don't try to make people feel bad because they actually want something in return for the money franklin is taking.

Anonymous wrote:We couldn’t pay full freight while the school was closed so we asked for a reduction and Franklin gave it to us. It was that simple. Maybe instead of complaining about things beyond anyone’s control, you have an adult conversation with the school and reach an agreement.

Agreed. I haven't lost my job and I'm fine with paying for a full year at my son's school. Because I love the school and I want it to stay in business. But I know not everyone can do that. So I hope that when those folks who are experiencing financial difficulties do reach out, schools work with them. And I hope parents like me who love their schools continue to pay as they can. These are crazy times. We are all trying our best to survive them.

We couldn’t pay full freight while the school was closed so we asked for a reduction and Franklin gave it to us. It was that simple. Maybe instead of complaining about things beyond anyone’s control, you have an adult conversation with the school and reach an agreement.

franklin only sees their side and makes decisions unilaterally. families are struggling too. supporting your school is one thing. taking money without providing services is theft.