@DonFefe I agree with everything you said. My experience has only been with local day schools, private and public. But in 3 towns. I have found that faculty and sometimes PTA makes a difference. We have encountered schools that won’t brook criticism, or seem to only take account certain parents’ input. I guess, subconsciously I was aware of that when I looked at BS for both my kids. When we decided which schools to attend and apply to, I was drawn more to schools that seemed like they genuinely were trying to get to know the kid and help the kid reach his potential. IMO, I’m handing over my kids, who are more precious to me than anything, so I better trust them.
Well I think this is super structured. Maybe military school or other schools are more structured? My younger son goes to a school (Gow) for LDs. Formal dress 6 days/week, Saturday classes. He gets up at 6:45am, chores have to be done before breakfast. in class by 8;10. In dorms from 3-3:30 to change for sports for 2 hours. Change clothes for dinner (dinner dress code required). Dinner is from 5;45-6:30. Most kids have required supervised study hall (dress code applies) from 7-9pm. Lights out by 10pm for his grade. They are locked out of the dorms when they aren’t suppose to be there. Because he is a new student and hasn’t earned privileges yet, he has to turn in his laptp and cell phone to his hall’s charging station by 10pm. He wasn’t allowed any other devices. Wifi is turned off from 10pm to 7:30 am anyway. Cell phones are only allowed to be used in the dorm rooms. Sunday morning they have room inspection. Early lights out for everybody on Sunday by 9pm.
He’s only been there for 2 weeks and he doesn’t hate it as much as he thought he would. So this is where your point is made: he likes the teachers! Given DS’s experience, this probably means that he feels that he is taken seriously and they hear what he is saying. So far, the changes to his programming reflects that they are very responsive to what his abilities and potential are. So yeah, totally agree with you. I think loose or strict rules, whatever kind of mission statement a school states they have, it comes down to the people who are there.
I guess for the folks on this board, how do you make this assessment on 0-2 visits? I’ve found this board and talking IRL to current parents help.