Westfield Area Y Early Learning Center

First of all their enrollment is so low (many kids drop out after joining for one year). So kids make friends for a year & then there is a completely different class next year with 90% new students. Second, most of the kids in the school from 2nd grade to 8th grade are students of staff members (who work as teachers in the school), and their class average is 5-6 kids in each grade (so do the math – most of those are kids of faculty). The school is run completely by the vice principal because the principal is a veteran who owns the school & at this time is not involved with anything. There are no extra-curricular activities apart from a track team which literally uses the side walk at the front of the building to train kids. The vice principal claimed when we joined the school that we teach two other languages, Spanish & Mandarin to all kids. Not even once in two years my son learnt both languages at the same time. It was either spanish or mandarin & sometimes none because if their mandarin or spanish teacher goes on leave, then they have no back-ups. They will teach Spanish, then randomly start Mandarin & keep on switching based on teacher’s availabilities. Here is when it all fell apart for us - We went on a one week trip and I informed the teachers in advance that we were going on vacation & when my son went back to school, they took 3 exams on the first day he was back in school. They are so incourateous that not only did they try to teach one week worth of material to my son in one day, but then also took 3 exams the same day. This is fundamentally wrong & truly messed up. Talk about giving your child mental stress in school. When I reached out to the teachers & Vice principal, they kept on saying – “oh look at his scores, he did well”. My whole feedback was that you should have sent the study guides home so I could prepare my son for the tests. When I talked directly to the vice principal, she cut me off while I was explaining the situation, was completely defensive & absolutely rude on the call and SHE HUNG UP ON ME. The vice principal had no interest in listening to me, or taking any feedback. Don’t waste your money & don’t sacrifice your child’s mental state by sending them to this school. FYI - Most other reviews on websites are given by staff members whose kids go to this school. Teachers are not good either.

This school does not even hire teachers that are special ed certified. Their postings on ideed indicate that you may be "interested" in pursuing a certificate in special ed to apply. Really? Work hands-on with students without being certified. This is why this school is garbage and does not actually help any child make progress and succeed. How awful. They charge the sending district a fortune and a half and won't even hire certified teachers so that they could pay them less. DisGusTing!!!

I'm an 2013 graduate from this school, I'm very glad with the teachers and students,very good education. I always come back here thinking it as home