Question about two Lakewood boys schools

amother

Ecru

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 4:00 pm

I already know "good luck getting in there", etc etc etc.

My questions are as follows:
We are trying to find a school for my son who was in Yesodos (formerly oros yisroel) and most of his teachers and therapists feel he is ready for a mainstream school. After doing all our research and pulling all our connections, we narrowed it down to two schools.

1) If you were offered a slot in both Bais HaTorah and Ohr Yehuda (Rabbi Bender) for your brilliant but behaviorally challenging second-grader, which school would be more likely to work with you and your son, make him love Yiddishkeit, and make him feel cared about?
Answer only if you know enough about both schools to give and educated answer.

2) We are fortunate that both schools are agreeing to give us an interview in the next couple of days... any tips for the interviews?

3) What do boys this age wear for an interview? White shirt? Or any collared shirt?

amother

Ivory

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 4:44 pm

amother wrote:

I am a behavior therapist working in many schools in Lakewood and I speak to many parents of children struggle with behavioral concerns. I would try to get into a school that has more resources to help your child than either of these schools. Often bigger and more established schools are better equipped to deal with such things. Orchos Chaim is phenomenal and does sometimes accept children with challenging behavior. Yeshiva Ketana is excellent with such issues, but I don't know how old your child is and if they are open to taking a child who is not going into primary. The Cheder is also fantastic with helping boys get as much support as they need in school.

Good luck!

amother

Ecru

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 4:51 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you for replying.
My son is 7.5 and second grade. All the schools you recommended would not even speak with us, besides for telling us that their resources are only for their existing students who need them, they are not willing to take in new kids for this. We have zero influence, pull, or connections in those schools.
Bais HaTorah and Ohr Yehudah are both well established schools, and Bais HaTorah is certainly not a new school.
As an aside, we are being serviced by Brainbuilders, and they have been wonderful. I assume they would help us provide the necessarily support for my son.
So, back to my original question...

amother

Salmon

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 6:40 pm

I don't have personal experience with either school, but I think I would go with Bais Hatorah because since it is a R' Kanarek school, there is the chance that if they can't service you they can transfer you into either TA or SA if it is an absolute need for additional services.

A possible backup plan is a good thing.

12rivkyk34

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 8:24 pm

Agreed that colored shirt with collar should work just fine.
I think both schools have equal negative and positive. Bais hatorah has some great rebbeim, some not so much but do have resources as it is a bigger school and it's under rabbi kanarek which automatically makes it more established.
Bender is smaller so not as much available although they do have good catapult services working with rebbeim and may be less stuck on their ways and willing to work with brain builders.
Good luck regardless!!