Are you happy with your kids school?

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 2:06 pm

We are looking to relocate back to America largely due to the lack of school options in our current location.

My question is, are you even happy with your schools? I'll direct this question to mid of the road yeshivish families bc that's the kind of school we'd send our boys and girls to.
I want that warm, caring feeling in a school where the kids don't hate going eveeyday!

I grew up in a very small town (too small) but did have a wonderfully small school with a very warm atmosphere. Dh grew up the opposite- in a large city and very modern and went to a large school which he didn't have a great experience in. My childhood school has since closed.
I don't need something so small like mine, I don't mind a large school as long as the administration strives for warmth.

We are really open to anywhere, preferably the mid west/ east coast. Schooling is most important and after we figure that out dh will figure out how to relocate his job.

mha3484

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 2:12 pm

Yes. My child is young but not easy at all and I have mostly positive things to say about his school. No school is perfect but I have very few complaints and my friends don't complain a ton either. I am in Chicago. Our Bais Yaakov and its boys equivalent have a diverse parent body which is really nice. They are people to the left of me and to the right.

amother

Wheat

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:25 pm

My opinion is that in general, the more modern schools end up being a happier experience for children, as they tend to focus on warmth and individuality more than right wing schools. They also incorporate exciting programs and technological advances that enhances the learning for the children.

Our kids are in a modern orthodox school in northern NJ and we are incredibly happy there.

mommy3b2c

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:35 pm

amother wrote:

My childrens "heimishe" right wing school provides the most warm and loving setting for my children. Their goal is to help each individual child use their strengths to grow into the best that they can be. They have all sorts of amazing programs, technology and trips to make learning exciting.

Don't generalize.

How many right wing schools have your children gone to? How many modern orthodox schools?

seeker

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:36 pm

amother wrote:

That is a horrible overgeneralization. I've been in a lot of schools and have not seen this correlation to be true.

I'm reasonably happy with my girls' school. I don't think perfection exists so I'm satisfied. It's warm and attentive, has great educational programming as well as some extracurriculars, and a mixed/middle of the road parent body although the school itself is very right wing. Open to working with special needs though of course with mainstream limitations. Kids generally seem happy around there.

TeachersNotebook

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:37 pm

amother wrote:

Wheat, my experiences haven't shown the same thing. It's hard to paint communities with such a broad stroke like that. Sad

amother

Wheat

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:44 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

My children have gone to three right wing schools before they found their happy place in a modern setting. The qualifications are not even comparable.

amother

Pumpkin

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:45 pm

amother wrote:

While I personally agree with you, we switched to a more modern school and my kids are much happier. However I've heard many parents switch from the modern school to the bais yaakov and they are much happier. It's very individual, one school can be good for one and awful for another. It's not a general rule at all.

amother

Slateblue

Mon, Jul 25 2016, 7:54 pm

Clifton Cheder in Clifton/Passaic NJ. The school itself espouses right wing education, however the parent body are a very diverse type (within regular orthodox circles, modern orthodox families don't send there). It's relatively small, lots of attention. The girls school is only just beginning now, so wouldn't work for older girls.

amother

Burlywood

Tue, Jul 26 2016, 12:43 pm

thanks everyone for your input.

I know that there is no such thing as pefect and changes are there will be some issue with a school.

I just wanted to know the overall feeling that there is such a thing as being happy with your child's school.

I am so unsettled with my kids schools, and I've been telling myself for years "that's just how it is with schools." But recently I realized that's not true.

It's the difference in culture I really have been having a difficult time with. I would just hate to move my family across the world to find that no one is happy with their schools there either!

For this year it is too late to move. I would consider next year though (if this comign school year doesn't get better than last year)

Any suggestions of warm, attentive but academic schools for yeshivish girls and boys (not hard core yeshivish. More Middle of the road). Community closer to the East Coast preferable!

Thanks!

amother

Salmon

Tue, Jul 26 2016, 3:47 pm

in my experience, I found that the more right wing school in my community was not focused on warmth and ... instead the more "modern" school was much better for my children while the right wing yeshivish school we were not happy with because it was all about politics and money such that they only listened to your concerns if you were a board member or had a lot of money for the school!! this can happen anywhere but to the OP, you do realize that every person is different and also the children are different---it matters if the child is a bully or is vulnerable to bullying or is adhd or "more difficult child" and not as academic... because with my children, the schools had no problem accepting the "smarter" kids, but gave me a lot of trouble with my "not as academic" children and then made it so unbearable, we ended up switching ---a lot of schools want only the smartest richest kids!!

so I hope you,op, can find schools that you are happy with but everyone has unique experiences depending on the schools' politics/financial situation and also depending on the children's behavior and academic progress---I hope you can find schools that will help your children adjust and will be patient as they are adjusting--I personally, had a very "negative experience" which is why I would agree with wheat but I know deep down that it is a generalization based on my experiences.

good luck,

leah233

Tue, Jul 26 2016, 3:56 pm

amother wrote:

It is amazing how quickly an innocent neutral question for advice turns into an "us against them bash the right wingers issue"

If you feel your child's MO school is so wonderful go ahead and recommend it.Why does everything have to be turned into a fight?The OP didn't ask where NOT to send her children.Nor did you actually give her any recommendation.

amother

Wheat

Tue, Jul 26 2016, 6:24 pm

leah233 wrote:

Yes I did.