33 High Point Road
Westport, CT 06880

Three years ago today I read reviews about students standing up in science classes and being sent an email home. My child wouldn’t even be on the wrong side of a teacher prompting an unjust punishment, I thought. However, in my child’s final year, counselors have provided insufficient help and answers to her problems, and my email had a letter from the science teacher saying my child was very disrespectful. As a single parent, and someone who was told by said teacher that they never notified my child of their “disruptive action, while only table-wide” I feel that my time is wasted on a school I must have my kid go to, as I have no money for private school. Additionally, after these meetups and debacles with the science teacher, my kid started developing stress like she never had before. Violent face touching, overt sharing of personal info, in an attempt to assimilate, a felt need never encountered by my kid before. Finally, the substitute of the troubling science class once said “Ye is a genius”. As a Jewish immigrant fleeing from Yemen, it’s not great to hear speech like this in a destination where you think you’ve made it like Westport CT.

For two years, Long Lots teachers missed that my son is dyslexic. Every time I asked for a meeting with the reading specialist, they refused because of his high test scores. Bright kids can have learning disabilities too. The school did identify him as a gifted student, but offered no enrichment for 1st or 2nd graders. He was extremely bored in school. My daughter, who was an advanced and avid reader in 1st grade, was miserable with the books she was given. I asked her teacher several times for a reassessment, but was assured she had been assessed correctly. It took me 3 months to discover that they thought she couldn't read at all. (Parents do not have access to the classroom, nor would the teacher send books home until December.) Their explanation for the “oversight” - she was shy during the assessment. She had always loved school until 1st grade at Long Lots.After almost 2 years at Long Lots, I hand-delivered a letter to the principal about our experience and concerns. I never got a reply. When I notified the principal's office my kids were transferring to a local private school, they had no interest why. A few students had significant behavioral problems that were disruptive in the classroom. Lunch was chaotic and loud. Supervision during recess was not adequate. Classwork focused on lots of worksheets - little opportunity for creativity, intellectual curiosity, etc. A few positives: my kids and I made some very nice friends we still see, the classroom atmosphere was generally good, and teachers were professional.

Parents of freshman and junior girls. We moved from city over Covid. There seems to be lots of families recently transplanted from nyc and brooklyn. We loved our city schools but we feel these are just as good about Staples , Bedford and Long Lots. Our staples girls are really thriving and well supported by teachers and staff. A lot of last years seniors ended up in Ivy League colleges.