Relocating to Monsey where to send DD age 6

amother

Wed, Jul 10 2013, 2:49 pm

We are a yeshivish family relocating to Monsey. We have a DD 6 entering first grade. We have spoken to a number of people and it seems like our options are Yeshiva Spring Valley or Chofetz Chaim of Pomona. I understand that Yeshiva Spring Valley is very large and is the defacto community school and the Choftez Chaim of Pomona is smaller and newer and somewhat more right wing.

The people in the area in which we would live appear to send to both schools - any pros or cons? Where would you send?

amother

Wed, Jul 10 2013, 2:57 pm

I work in YSV and I will tell you it is a top notch school. It is big, but, class sizes arent huge, and the teachers are all dedicated and involved in their students. Education is great, and it is a very well run school.

Good Luck

vet techy

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 2:10 pm

PM me if you still need info. I sent my girls to BYCC for many years. I also have many friends who send to YSV.

naturalmom5

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 2:26 pm

This is probably academic . As I know Leah Zaks personally . She only takes if you have very big protexia

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 3:29 pm

I will tell you what I did. I asked 7th and 8th graders about the schools I was looking into. The school that the girls loved the best was BYCC because of the fun atmosphere.

Unfortunately since they moved into the new building the simchas hachaim for the students went downhill completely. Academically it is a really great school. If Mrs Zaks thinks that you fit into her vision of what parents should be in the school, you have no problem getting in.

If you want to talk to someone from BYCC talk to a current 5th grade and up parent and ask them your questions.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 3:43 pm

I know older girls who go to BYCC and YSV. The girls at BYCC are NOT as fine . The girls at YSV even though YSV is supposed to be a community school.

Certain BYCC girls have tznius issues - uncovered legs and low cut shirts. Shirts are around 3 inches below the neckline.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 4:05 pm

A very happy YSV parent here (also alumnus, and have siblings who attended)

One thing though, if you are super yeshivish you may not be happy there. They have a realistic internet policy (as opposed to banning it, supervise your children). Some of your daughter's classmates may eat (gasp! horror of horrors lol) cholov steam. A few even own televisions. My own experience has been that the children and their parents have great middos.

BYCC is definitely more right wing (if you're moving from Lakewood for example you might feel more comfortable there) It's a smaller school which had its benefits. The people I have met who send there are also very nice.

I have heard through the grapevine that it could be difficult dealing with the administration at BYCC as it is a "family run" school as opposed to YSV which is a giant institution run by a board etc... (which comes with its own set of issue) But I have never actually met someone who had said issues so I'm not sure if it is just a rumor started by a few disgruntled parents. (I've heard rumors about YSV as well and as I said I'm very happy there)

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 4:38 pm

amother wrote:

I have 4 girls that graduated BYCC and 1 still there, I have to say they are very fine girls as well as all their friends yes there might be a few girls that are not but the majority are fine. I know plenty YSV girls also and some are fine and some not. So unless you have proof I think saying they are NOT fine in BYCC might be lashon hara.

AS far as tznius, I know girls in YSV that have some issues as the way they dress. I am sure BYCC does also but none of my kids friends do.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 4:50 pm

Are we all talking about the same YSV??? I have some kids who went/still go there, and a kid whom I pulled out.

As far as the internet issue, the policy was changed mid year from no internet allowed in any way, shape or form, to "under supervision". It was changed because all the parents were lying. Certain parents, to tell the truth. The ones with money.

My dd was sent to the office daily for almost a year and no phone call was ever made. The teacher thought the office called, the office thought the teacher called. No apology. She missed hours of class over that year, no word from anyone. I heard later that my daughter wasn't the only one in this situation either.

I send there, honestly, out of peer pressure. Also because I think its the best there is, under certain circumstances. But if I felt there were better options, I would send elsewhere.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 4:50 pm

I know girls from both schools with tznius issues. Can't blame the schools, it's a generational thing I think.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 5:01 pm

The girls dress like their mothers dress. I see pairs of mothers and daughters and they are dressed the same. My step dd dresses like smutt... so does her mother. But I see it all the time, and its not just a MOnsey thing.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 5:02 pm

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 5:41 pm

Do not send to BYCC.
Do not send to BYCC.
Do not send to BYCC.

It is a family run school with very little real hadracha and policies. The rules are created on the whim of the moment by the principal who is, dare I say this, very moody and hard to deal with.

YSV is a great choice. Or look into bas mikrah.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 5:44 pm

amother wrote:

I graduated BYCC. And I'm 24 so it wasn't that long ago either. It is a terrible place. I was miserable, as were most of the girls. Unless of course, you had money in which case the principal adored you and all was right in the world.
I have friends who have taught there recently and unfortunately not much has changed.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 5:47 pm

amother wrote:

It is a family run school with very little real hadracha and policies. The rules are created on the whim of the moment by the principal who is, dare I say this, very moody and hard to deal with.

THIS

imanewmom2010

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 7:11 pm

I am from monsey and went to bas Mikvah as well as my 4 sisters. One of which just graduated and will be going to bym next year. I think it has a great group of students who come from a variety of types. There is much less peer pressure on terms of dress and style then bycc and ysv. There are heimeish, yeshivisb and frum. If you are yeshivish and not fancy type and don't plan on spending lots of money on your kids cloths do not send to bycc. I feel like there lots of politics between students. The students are very pressured academically and I think I did just as fine in bym. Ysv has many students with TVs and definitly not yeshivish although they have a yeshivish class mostly for the children of rebbeim.

amother

Tue, Jul 16 2013, 8:10 pm

I have a lot of experience with YSV, as a former student, as a former substitute, and my siblings just graduated from there. my mother works there.
I also know C"C quite well, as I have close family and friends who send there, and a friend who subbed there etc.

I consider myself quite yeshivish.

Some points:
*Both schools have fun, science fairs, projects, trips, etc.

*Both schools give a wonderful education, both in Limudei Kodesh and Limudei Chol. equal.

*if your deciding factor is level of yeshivishness, then there is not much difference-anymore. while chofetz chaim USED to be definitely more yeshivish and insular, in recent years it has had more of the less yeshivish crowd filter in as well. you now have a mix of girls, in both YSV and Chofetz Chaim, of yeshivish, a little less yeshivish, and some "not very fine". the percentage of each type will vary from year to year, in both schools, so you cant really say that one school is overall more yeshivish. I would say to disregard any advice that chofetz chaim is better for a yeshivish family-not necessarily, not anymore, not exclusively.

*YSV, though its large, is not your typical "de facto" school- it will NOT accept just any one, I know families who were rejected. they try to crack down on families whos mothers dress immodestly, etc, although its not foolproof, they do not have an open door policy.

*of the 2 schools, YSV also has a WONDERFUL benefit- it has checks and balances in government, so to speak. between Limudei Kodesh and Limudei Chol, they have abt 4-5 principals, so its not one person deciding my-way-or-the-highway, and there is also a board. in terms of any decision- a child's punishment, which class to be put in, a chinuch decision, academic decision, tuition, etc you can always appeal a decision, etc, you have more people to work with. its more of a democracy.

*The advantage many people will give to Chofetz Chaim is that its small, which is of course wonderful because of personal atention, not getting lost in the crowd, etc. To YSV's credit though, its quite hard to get lost in the shuffle over there too. yes its big, but the class sizes arent, and they have many fantastic teachers over there. So YSV offers you the same personal attention, though with more children in the actual building- which, now that I think of it is a benefit in and of itself because if you arent thrilled with your daughters class, you have 3 more to choose from...

*Middos, and emphasis on it is exactly the same in both schools. both stress derech eretz and middos, and both schools have girls who are wonderful, and both have girls who are chutzpadik brats. I substituted in YSV for a while, and met the range of girls- and compared notes with a friend who was teaching in Chofetz Chaim- we both had similar experiences of chutzpah etc and in the same percentages. its not a school thing, its a generation thing. (mothers, please teach your kids Derech Eretz!!)

*I do love YSVs overall chinuch style- while some people find them too strict, there are all types of people, and I actually like their style and how they try to soften their words, refrain from "banning" when they say something is not allowed or shoud not be done. they will be firm, but they try not to come across as cold and overly strict.

thats what I thought of off the top of my head, any more questions just ask