Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
Tell me all about Lev Bais Yaakov!
Previous  1  2



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother


 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 8:33 pm
OOC, amother above me who got accepted to DRav Meir, Masores, Lev- are you the chassidish mother? I am curious how the schools felt about that, if it was an issue at all. Some schools want to know why you are sending somewhere so different than how you grew up, cautious about "rebels".
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 8:38 pm
No I am not the chassidish amother (yes it can get confusing). I'm the amother that bumped this thread up today. Perhaps I should have started a new thread?
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 8:42 pm
Got it. Curious if chassidish amother- OP- is here and if she can tell us what's doing.
Back to top

bubbebia




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 9:42 pm
My other DGDs are toddlers and 1 lives on Long Island and the others live in NJ. Regular schools are not in the cards for either of them yet and since they don't live in B'lyn I can't really help you out in any other way. Good luck. I bet she'll be fine!
Back to top

sajappel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 10:15 pm
We were there until 2010, with two daughters. The principal has changed since we were there. I found it to be a hartzige school, and I set a high store by that. It's a big trade off, because academically it was not up to their level. That said, both my daughters were there from K-8. They came away with excellent middos and a great foundation in what it means to be a Bas Melech. It's definitely a trade-off. IF you do go and your daughter is smart-to-gifted, make plans for her to get enrichment some other way, it doesn't have to cost money but keep that in mind.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 10:19 pm
amother wrote:
Got it. Curious if chassidish amother- OP- is here and if she can tell us what's doing.


Hi! Chassidish OP here.
We applied to Drav Meir and LBY and were accepted to both. I chose LBY.

LBY is stunning, brand new, beautiful play yards, classrooms, and library. The principals and dean were so warm and nice and informative. They used the opportunity to tell us about themselves. They use up to date learning methods like smart boards and group studies. They encourage individuality and DD will be able to mention a TV show or keep a cell phone in her locker without fear of being punished for it. It was my top pick before I even walked in but I applied to DM too out of curiosity mostly.

Wow. What a difference. Walking into Drav meir was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on you. We weren't shown the classrooms. We didn't meet the principals. We were escorted into the deans office where he mostly made dumb and somewhat patronizing small talk. Then he made a big show of telling us how proud he was of confiscating a phone from a third grader. He showed us the phone - a simple safety phone with four preprogrammed numbers to call. Was this a joke? We pretended to agree that it was terrible for a third grader to have an emergency phone that could only dial 4 phone numbers.

Then of course he was curious why we were going from chassidish to Drav Meir - did we want to become more modern? I explained we just wanted more educational options. Then he walked us out.

I will take an open minded warm atmosphere any day over a "better education." And IMO, kids do not do well with rigorous testing and high pressure studying that Drav Meir pushes. Interactive learning is much better.

So I chose LBY B"H and I'm super thrilled and really looking forward to it.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Nov 18 2013, 11:28 pm
amother wrote:
amother wrote:
Got it. Curious if chassidish amother- OP- is here and if she can tell us what's doing.


Hi! Chassidish OP here.
We applied to Drav Meir and LBY and were accepted to both. I chose LBY.

LBY is stunning, brand new, beautiful play yards, classrooms, and library. The principals and dean were so warm and nice and informative. They used the opportunity to tell us about themselves. They use up to date learning methods like smart boards and group studies. They encourage individuality and DD will be able to mention a TV show or keep a cell phone in her locker without fear of being punished for it. It was my top pick before I even walked in but I applied to DM too out of curiosity mostly.

Wow. What a difference. Walking into Drav meir was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on you. We weren't shown the classrooms. We didn't meet the principals. We were escorted into the deans office where he mostly made dumb and somewhat patronizing small talk. Then he made a big show of telling us how proud he was of confiscating a phone from a third grader. He showed us the phone - a simple safety phone with four preprogrammed numbers to call. Was this a joke? We pretended to agree that it was terrible for a third grader to have an emergency phone that could only dial 4 phone numbers.

Then of course he was curious why we were going from chassidish to Drav Meir - did we want to become more modern? I explained we just wanted more educational options. Then he walked us out.

I will take an open minded warm atmosphere any day over a "better education." And IMO, kids do not do well with rigorous testing and high pressure studying that Drav Meir pushes. Interactive learning is much better.

So I chose LBY B"H and I'm super thrilled and really looking forward to it.


Are you concerned that your dd will be the only one whose father wears a shtreimel?
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 10:09 am
It is a great school. Great atmosphere for a child to learn in, beautiful building, warm caring teachers and principals. The pre school is even better.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 10:31 am
amother wrote:
amother wrote:
amother wrote:
Got it. Curious if chassidish amother- OP- is here and if she can tell us what's doing.


Hi! Chassidish OP here.
We applied to Drav Meir and LBY and were accepted to both. I chose LBY.

LBY is stunning, brand new, beautiful play yards, classrooms, and library. The principals and dean were so warm and nice and informative. They used the opportunity to tell us about themselves. They use up to date learning methods like smart boards and group studies. They encourage individuality and DD will be able to mention a TV show or keep a cell phone in her locker without fear of being punished for it. It was my top pick before I even walked in but I applied to DM too out of curiosity mostly.

Wow. What a difference. Walking into Drav meir was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on you. We weren't shown the classrooms. We didn't meet the principals. We were escorted into the deans office where he mostly made dumb and somewhat patronizing small talk. Then he made a big show of telling us how proud he was of confiscating a phone from a third grader. He showed us the phone - a simple safety phone with four preprogrammed numbers to call. Was this a joke? We pretended to agree that it was terrible for a third grader to have an emergency phone that could only dial 4 phone numbers.

Then of course he was curious why we were going from chassidish to Drav Meir - did we want to become more modern? I explained we just wanted more educational options. Then he walked us out.

I will take an open minded warm atmosphere any day over a "better education." And IMO, kids do not do well with rigorous testing and high pressure studying that Drav Meir pushes. Interactive learning is much better.

So I chose LBY B"H and I'm super thrilled and really looking forward to it.


Are you concerned that your dd will be the only one whose father wears a shtreimel?


No. I thought about it but when I think of all the concerns I had with different schools, the hat my DH wears really doesn't matter.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 11:38 am
my dd is in the preschool now...and I have to say it is the warmest most caring school I have ever come across. The preschool teachers are phenomenal and so loving, I almost wish they can go with dd when she has to go to elementary school. For me I had a choice between here and a more academic minded larger by. From people I spoke to the other bais yaakov, is not as warm and caring. we chose lev, because I would rather my daughter be in a loving warm environment and a little less academic. I want her to enjoy going to school and to have a good experience.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 11:43 am
My daughter is in first grade in Lev. I am thrilled. She has an amazing class. Its a very warm school and I think they improved their education. She reads in Hebrew fluently, is learning to read in English as well as writing in both languages. I was very nervous when I first sent her but I am extremely pleased with how things turned out.
Back to top

allrgymama




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 7:37 pm
My sister was an assistant in the kindergarten there (back before 2010, so I don't know how it may have changed), but I have the memory of it being more Montessori styled? Also, she loved it.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 7:48 pm
It's no longer Montessori. That totally changed.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 9:20 pm
amother wrote:
amother wrote:


Are you concerned that your dd will be the only one whose father wears a shtreimel?


No. I thought about it but when I think of all the concerns I had with different schools, the hat my DH wears really doesn't matter.
From someone with (very very similar) experience, down the line it might matter... it might be confusing to your daughter not to "fit in".

I am sure you thought this through, it's just not such a typical scenario so I wanted to stick in my 2 cents.

Good luck!!
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Nov 19 2013, 9:49 pm
amother wrote:
amother wrote:
amother wrote:


Are you concerned that your dd will be the only one whose father wears a shtreimel?


No. I thought about it but when I think of all the concerns I had with different schools, the hat my DH wears really do matter.
From someone with (very very similar) experience, down the line it might matter... it might be confusing to your daughter not to "fit in".

I am sure you thought this through, it's just not such a typical scenario so I wanted to stick in my 2 cents.

Good luck!!


Yes, I've thought it through and don't feel like explaining my entire thought process at the moment. But DH and I feel that this is the right decision for our family.
The short version is, DH wears a shtreimel out of respect to his father and grandfather (who switched to a shtreimel late in life, so it hasn't been in the family all that long either.)
I will add that all families are different. Some kids will have divorced parents. Some will be rich or poor. Some will be confident or shy. And some will be chassidish instead of litvish.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Fri, Nov 22 2013, 2:37 pm
my DD is in Pre1A in Lev. Here are some things I think people should take into consideration when looking into the school:

1. Lev has a reputation for being a warm school which is one of the main reasons we chose it, what we did not know is that Lev is one of the very few Bais Yaakovs in Flatbush which does not have universal PreK. Meaning that while all other kindergartens cap at 24 students for one teacher and I believe 3 assistants, my DD's class had 32 students with 1 teacher and 2 assistants. The school has a new policy which they started last year to take that many students because a bunch of families from the older grades moved to the 5 Towns and Monsey and they need to "replenish" the school.

2. People mentioned the school is not very academic, in practical terms that means the school is a full year behind in academics from Prospect and Massores.

All the said:

Morah Michelle is the principal of the Pre School and she is absolutely phenomenal. She is involved with every single student and is always available to speak to. Also, the parent body is very nice. My DD usually has a lot of play dates and the kids in her class are all very sweet.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Fri, Nov 22 2013, 2:39 pm
Sorry, same amother as above. I miss spoke. My DD's Kindergarten had 1 morah and 3 assistants, not two.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Fri, Nov 22 2013, 3:37 pm
I'm the amother with the daughter in first grade. The pre 1a moved very slowly however, I don't think they are a full year behind. My daughter reads fluently in Hebrew and is writing in Hebrew as well. She is learning to read in English and does some English writing. She has also done addition and subtraction with single digits.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Sat, Nov 23 2013, 7:09 pm
I don't know if they are a year behind...but when my friend sent her daughter(very bright) to BYA for high school...the Lev girls were behind than the girls from other schools.
Back to top
Page 2 of 2 Previous  1  2 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Bais Yaakov of Queens vs Bnos Malka
by amother
4 Yesterday at 4:20 pm View last post
Top Bais yaakov school for girls with dyslexia in America
by amother
16 Tue, Mar 26 2024, 6:11 pm View last post
Binas bais yaakov 3 Mon, Mar 25 2024, 5:35 pm View last post
Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam High School
by amother
8 Sun, Mar 17 2024, 12:34 am View last post
Any update on our cherished Gadol Rav Yaakov Hillel, Mekubal 1 Tue, Mar 12 2024, 7:37 am View last post