Lakewood Girls Schools

JoyInTheMorning

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 3:31 pm

I'm admittedly a very MO person, so I couldn't see myself trying to get a child into a Lakewood school. However, I'm curious as to what strong in academics means. In my MO world, a school with strong academics offers several languages besides Hebrew, has kids taking Algebra I, and often Algebra II, in middle school, so that kids take Calculus starting in 11th grade (and often even in 10th), offer computer programming, and in general, have many AP classes.

This is quite different than the Bais-Yaakov type school that I attended, where only a few watered-down college classes were offered in 12th grade, and a weak version of Algebra I was taken in 9th grade.

On the other hand, if girls want to get college degrees, I'm thinking that it would be very helpful for them to take lots of AP exams and take college-level courses in high school, because then they would have to spend much less time on a college campus. So, my question is: how do Lakewood schools with strong academics compare to MO schools?

Chayalle

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 5:00 pm

JoyInTheMorning wrote:

The BY school I attended was not far off from what you describe - not so many languages were offered but they did have French and Hebrew, many girls took Algebra pre-high school and were taking pre-calculus in high school, and APs were offered in 12th grade. Computer programming was offered, though you'd laugh at what was available back then. The subjects were taught by competent teachers with degrees.

I don't know of any such high schools in Lakewood, though I do know of students who clep various subjects during their high school years to get a head start toward a degree. The high school my DD's attend offer computer courses such as graphics, quickbooks, word processing, etc...

I think when people talk of strong academics in the yeshiva world, they refer to students being ready for college programs at graduation. They should not have to take a non-accredited course to catch up in, say, chemistry or English, before they take the actual course for credit.

amother

Mauve

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 11:56 pm

Moreshes is perlsteins second school. He opened that school to take in all parents that the vaad tried to force into his first school. So it's a school where a lot of parents couldn't get in elsewhere. Sometimes that ends up being good because you have like
Minded parents who want to work on building up a school to make it a great school.

The only thing I would look into is does he care about the school? Does it have the resources to help a child if a child needs extra help?

friendly1

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 10:17 am

Why is the lakewood yeshiva system such a disaster? Why should anyone be refused entrance into their yeshiva of choice if they live in the community . No one should have to use "protektzia" to get into any Toradik school. It is total "rishus" to refuse a child. I hold the principals resposable. They are creating kids at risk! The community should not tolerate such "sinas Chinum"

debsey

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 10:25 am

amother wrote:

Go where your wanted trust me from xperience!!

100% agree! A motivated school with a less "top" reputation, where the administration likes the parents, the kid fits in socially, and the school genuinely cares about THIS kid is 10 times better (make that 100 million times) than a "top" school that doesn't want you and won't exert themselves past the basics to help.

Chayalle

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 10:29 am

friendly1 wrote:

There's a way to look at things. The cup is either half empty or half full. The Lakewood Yeshiva system is educating thousands of children. I would hardly call that a disaster.

You don't get into Harvard just because you want to go....and you don't necessarily get into your yeshiva of choice, especially if there's no room. If a school has classroom space for (I'm making up numbers) 50 children and they get 100 applicants, 50 children are going to get turned away. (or more like, 40, and the classrooms end up crowding...)

B"H at this point there are lots of new schools, and it seems like every child can get into a school - maybe not their first choice. Consider that this is how new schools succeed.

I remember how a few years ago my SIL's oldest child got into a new school. The school has B"H grown since then and is some people's first choice by now. And SIL couldn't be happier with the school than she is. We could shout at BF and the other schools who turned them down for lack of space...or see the Hashgacha in Hashem directing them to a school that is an excellent fit for them and that they are very happy with, B"H.

You seem to have an agenda that ain't so friendly, friendly1. I'm not sure why you want to stir up antagonism against Lakewood's schools with your posts in this thread. Not saying the system's perfect, friend, but it's got plenty of people trying really hard to do a tough job.

debsey

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 10:32 am

amother wrote:

You seem to have the classic Lakewood defensiveness. I grew up here and am well aware of how this works. Most likely every school has working parents but they only get in with pull and/or money (in certain schools)

The schools that want a very yeshivish crowd want to cater to that crowd. Nothing wrong with that. Bnos Melech is ultra-yeshivish. They have plenty of working parents, but those parents are all willing to abide by Bnos Melech's over the top policies. Same with Ohr HaTorah or any other of the "super-yeshivishe" schools. If you belong in YTT, why would you even WANT to send to Ohr HaTorah? I'm pretty yeshivish, but I would not want to send to Bnos Melech! I don't want my daughter hearing that it's assur for a Mommy to wear eye makeup or tights that are less than 70 denier. I don't live by those rules, so why would I confuse my child?

It's not about working/learning. It's about living according to certain chumros or not. There's no benefit to putting a child into a school where the parents don't belong. It can only cause conflict and confusion.

Chayalle

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 10:35 am

amother wrote:

Years ago, when my oldest was entering primary (she has already graduated high school), one of her good friends WHOSE FATHER WAS LEARNING IN BMG did not get into school until the week school started.

My cousin, who lived in a yeshiva-apartment-style place with her learning husband and 5 kids B"AH, didn't get into any of the "older" schools and sent to a new school, where she's B"H very happy.

You can contend that it's those who are working who aren't getting in...and I counter that it's a matter of numbers. Schools have a limited number of slots, and they are going to accept those they feel are the best fit for them, and there's alot of factors they look at. It's not a clear division between working/learning, and hasn't been for a LONG time.

sky

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 11:40 am

friendly1 wrote:

Lakewood is huge community - with 30,000 children in private schools, and its growth has only been over the past 20 years, with the past 15 years exploding. Schools haven't been able to grow fast enough or open quick enough.
In retrospect I think the community is doing amazing in terms of what they have done in this short time period. NY was built up over 100 years, the growth in Lakewood is so much faster. 10s of established families are moving from Lakewood daily and expecting a full community - schools, mikvas, etc, I think it is difficult to grow fast enough to meet that demand. Hopefully those that are moving with will start contributing and building up Lakewood as well.

JoyInTheMorning

Wed, Sep 14 2016, 6:23 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Thank you, Chayalle. That makes sense.