Joslyn Castle

I think the primary grades Pre-K-5 are great but question when kids get into middle school. For middle schoolers (6-8 grades) there is only talking at lunch, and one recess during the day. No talking in hallways, home room or when switching classes. They are not supposed to even talk at P.E or art. They are graded on how they act in mass and older students are required to sit by and help discipline the K, 1 and 2nd graders. They have some kind of church twice a week for an hour plus religion class. Lunch is 15 minutes for middle schoolers. They get 2 bathroom passes a week per class. The school issues "Passports" that publicly shame kids if their behavior doesn't meet their satisfaction. The middle school teachers have a group chat that talks about behavior of kids and who should be issued a Passport. There are limited opportunities for middle schoolers: no math club, drama club, etc, really only sports are offered. There is no foreign language. The school has a lot of days off which makes it hard for working parents, and there is no remote learning. There is a lot more time spent on discipline vs learning. The kids sit 4 at a table at lunch, even if that means a kid as to sit alone at a table by themselves because a maximum of 4 kids at lunch are allowed to sit together so one child might sit alone at lunch. The principal makes sure to have the one child sit alone without any friends at lunch if more than 4 are seated at a table. There is no communication between the teachers and the parents. The teachers send kids to the office, so they don't have to deal with actually learning how to discipline kids and gaining respect with the kids which leads to the kids have limited respect in return. Once some teachers have it out for your child, they will continuously get in trouble even if they didn't have any part in the wrongdoing. They don't want kids to be kids; and have unrealistic expectations for kids' natural fun behavior. The newer teachers issue detentions regularly and publicly shame kids in front of their peers for subjective behavior. And the school asks for a lot of donations so the church can fund other things besides the school. And the Principal looks at the cameras in the hallways to watch what the kids are doing.