Chicago elementary school

amother

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 7:14 am

Were looking into moving to Chicago. We have a five year old son and trying to figure out school options. He has ADHD and would do better in a smaller class setting with more individualized attention. We are middle of the road yeshivish. Any suggestions?

Oldest

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 10:19 am

For how you are describing yourself, you would probably match best hashkafically with YTT. I don't think the class sizes there exceed 20-25 kids per class. It is a great school! With great rebbeim and teachers.

Your other options for boys schools are Yeshiva Ohr Boruch (aka Veitzener Cheder-chassidish) or Arie Crown (more modern/day school type)

mha3484

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 10:24 am

YTT. Ohr Boruch is not for a kid like that. I have a kid with severe ADHD who is doing great there and another kid with more learning challenges and also doing really well. You can PM me for more specific info. My son in pre1a has 22 kids in the class and they do a lot of center time and small group instruction so no kid falls through the cracks.

mha3484

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 11:02 am

Yes. Its not for a mainstream yeshivish family. I have friends that have their kids there for pre school but they switch for pre1a. There are no rebbeim which to me is a real negative. I want my boys to have a yeshiva experience.

amother

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 11:21 am

mha3484 wrote:

why is it not for a mainstream yeshivish family? it it hashkafically not in line? or is it just that most yeshivish families send to the other schools?
my son had a very mainstream cheder experience with a rebbi this year and it was a disaster. im thinking that a less structured environment and a warm morah might be amazing for him.

mha3484

Tue, Jun 08 2021, 11:33 am

Its a lovely school. Its very mixed crowd. There is no one hashkafa. The women who run it are chabad. The families are a little of everything. Some chabad, some modern, some just frum. I dont know any yeshivish families who send there after pre school.

The school situation in Chicago is very different. We have an umbrella organization called the Associated Talmud Torahs that provides oversight and continuing education to all of our schools. They work with the JUF to administer a program called REACH that is in all of our schools. They provide special education services. We also have a full resource room and title one. Plus therapies. YTT and JDBY especially have really taken the lead on offering as many services as they can. The rebbeim are exceptionally well trained. I think most parents are happy with the education so they dont send to Montessori.

Ohr Borch/Veitzner Cheder is much smaller and more heimish. They have a new menahel this year who is supposed to be great but over all they are not known as a school that handles kids with issues at all.