SHOCKING DIARY: Not Accepted Into Lakewood Schools

5mom

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 10:38 am

I'm not trying to be dense here, I just really don't understand.
Teachers and rebbeim are desperate for jobs. Students are desperate for classroom slots.
While startup costs are high (and yes, I do know something about this) it seems obvious that the community could start ten more schools without impacting the market. Why isn't it happening?

Chayalle

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 10:48 am

5mom wrote:

Because people want to send to the older, already established schools.

There's a new school that has room, but no one wants to go there. I heard they have like 3 9th graders, and a handful of 10th graders.

Personally, I wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of opening a school, especially seeing how difficult it is - looking at this school as an example. Good people opened it, and are going thru so much trying to keep it afloat.

Mevater

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 11:00 am

How friends and neighbors don't crack up and get depressed just seeing these kids without schools, and just go on living their lives, is difficult to understand. Cancer, divorce and other health and very serious issues are harder to solve and help with, but finding spaces in schools for kids, shouldn't be an impossible dream. This is unbelievable. And this goes on for a year or longer? Insane.

Chayalle

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 11:34 am

5mom wrote:

People would rather keep children home than go to the wrong school?

Yes, though I'm not saying that that's the situation for ALL of the girls who are not yet placed. Some of them genuinely don't have a school. Some are not willing to accept the school being offered. Some may have even tried the school being offered and it didn't work for them.

I know one girl - she was in DD's class. The posters around town urge us to call our childrens' school and tell them to take these girls. I'm pretty sure that girl would not consider the high school DD attends, otherwise I would make the call.

MagentaYenta

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 12:35 pm

From what I've been reading, everyone is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Of course the blame game figures into the the whole discussion as well, IMHO it shouldn't.

I have family in Lkwd and I've heard this tale so many times over the decades. It's certainly getting worse and not better.

I don't have a dog in this fight, I public schooled with tutors (none of my kids are out at strip clubs eating cheeseburgers on Friday nights).

I'll just add a tip about interest based problem solving. When groups meet to explore IBPS they meet in the middle first. They agree and identify all of their common ground and then problem solving can take place. Blame has no part of the problem. Is your main issue access to education? Teacher standards? (etc.)

Good luck to everyone. My heart goes out to you all.

naturalmom5

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 12:40 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

From what I've been reading, everyone is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Of course the blame game figures into the the whole discussion as well, IMHO it shouldn't.

I have family in Lkwd and I've heard this tale so many times over the decades. It's certainly getting worse and not better.

I don't have a dog in this fight, I public schooled with tutors (none of my kids are out at strip clubs eating cheeseburgers on Friday nights).

I'll just add a tip about interest based problem solvin

g. When groups meet to explore IBPS they meet in the middle first. They agree and identify all of their common ground and then problem solving can take place. Blame has no part of the problem. Is your main issue access to education? Teacher standards? (etc.)

Good luck to everyone. My heart goes out to you all.

Most intelligent comment in this thread

Mama Bear

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 12:56 pm

Ican't understand why there can't be one huge community school instead of 85 gabillion little schools where still studnets dont have place. Boro Park has Bais Yaakov, Williamsburg has Satmar, Pupa, etc., schools were no one is turned away for lack of space. Yes, there are rules in schools, so I can't give the right to someone who isnt accepted into school bc they arent a fit. But lack of space should NOT be a reason. let six of the lakewood schools combine and get an old public school building or something a little out of the immediate neighborhood, and let there be that one large school where any kid gets accepted.

It's so sad.

Btw, P.S.: I was really debating moving to Lakewood lately, because for all their faults, the way they take care of the special needs population puts Brooklyn to shame. There is no such thing as a special needs child destroying their family - between SCHI, the Special childrens center, and the wonderful girls that dedicate their lives to this, it would be a yeshuah for my family if we could move. Alas, I don't think a twice daily commute of 2+ hours would be possible for my husband or my family. But my point is that Lakewood has certain mailas that Brooklyn doesnt. but this school business really needs a miracle.

Chayalle

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 1:08 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

there really aren't a bunch of little schools in Lakewood.

Lets see:

Bais Kaila 2-3 classes per grade
BY - I think 5 classes per grade
Bais Shaindel - 4 classes?
Bnos Bais Yaakov - 2 classes
Oros - 3 classes
Shiras Devorah - 4 classes
Ateres Batsheva is the newest school and very very small

And Chassidish schools
Bais Leah - not sure but it's not small
Bnos Bina - 1 class

So the schools are not that small. And I doubt anyone in Lakewood would want them to combine into one big factory. The benefits of smaller, well run schools with a bit of individual attention, are huge.

PinkFridge

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 1:21 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

I adore the bolded line. And hear the good will in your last line.

PinkFridge

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 1:23 pm

Mama bear, what Chayalle said about community schools. I live out of town and I'm not sure how it would work if the 2 major schools (JFP, not Tzioni, Chassidishe, etc., essentially community schools) were to merge.

And the schools grow so fast! B"H, it's beautiful, but mind-boggling and complicated.

penguin

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 1:25 pm

I can't give details since I can't be anon but suffice it to say DH was approached by several people for help because they didn't get in to the school they wanted. But they did get into a school.

And as noted above, once they saw Choice A wouldn't work with all possible pressure, they went back to Choice B or C which was now full. Whose fault is that?

Chayalle

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 2:06 pm

penguin wrote:

I see alot of both sides of the coin.

Should parents have no say in where they send their kids to school? Should they not try to get their kids into school A if they feel that it would be in their child's best interest? I see alot of resentment in Lakewood felt by parents who feel they were never given a chance.

OTOH, by not going with choice B or C they can end up without a school for their child.

Cookie Monster

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 2:17 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Mama Bear is suggesting REALLY big schools. Think 10-15 parallel classes. That's how it is in both Satmars. I'm not sure this can work in Lakewood where it's not Chassidus based schools, but it does work in Williamsburg.

chaiz

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 2:20 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

You do realize that economies of scale do not apply to human beings? Schools are not factories where bigger is often better. Too big schools have many potential huge issues.

sky

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 2:24 pm

Cookie Monster wrote:

I don't think many people want their children in such large schools. I like the feeling of a small school and didn't want to send to the school in town with 11 parallel classes even though it is a fantastic school. (there is an elementary school in town with at least 11 parallel classes).

Also, how long have these schools been around? For a brand new school to grow to 10 classes in a few years isn't always smart (as I said before there is a school that is about 10 years old that now has 6 parallel classes, I'm not sure it is the smartest thing).

Chayalle

Thu, Oct 29 2015, 2:27 pm

Cookie Monster wrote:

There are schools like that in Yerushalayim - like Bais Yaakov Yerushalayim (the yashan) where I believe there are classes divided by type to some extent. But that's an enormous undertaking. I can't imagine it happening in Lakewood. (and IIRC it's very hard to get into the Yashan even though it's so huge.)