Bee Ridge

During a recent school tour, I was concerned about the safety procedures. Visitors were allowed to enter the building and classrooms without ID verification or bag checks. This made me uncomfortable because school safety is extremely important for families.The staff member who led the tour explained that the person responsible for issuing visitor badges was absent that day. However, it was unclear why there was no alternative safety procedure in place. Allowing visitors to enter student areas without proper verification seems like a serious security risk.I believe Ashton Elementary is a well-known and respected school, which is why this situation was surprising. I hope the school reviews and strengthens its visitor security procedures to ensure student safety.

We enrolled at NewGate drawn in by the promise of a beautiful Montessori education, hoping to stay for years. What we found was a crumbling organization plagued by years of poor leadership, financial mismanagement & a Board entirely disconnected from the realities of the school.The teachers were the heart but nearly all have now left due to job insecurity, burnout, lack of support & fear-based leadership. Staff were pressured to take on roles they weren’t qualified for, fired without explanation, restricted in communication or left in tears. Events were thrown together last-minute, often dumped on overwhelmed staff or parents.Safety failures were shocking: an unauthorized adult allowed on campus, a dangerously placed toddler dropoff area, poorly handled bullying & virtually no real security measures. Parents raised the alarm but were ignored, dismissed or gaslit. Communication? A disaster. Emails went unanswered. Concerns brushed aside. Community members who asked hard questions were disregarded.The Board promised to meet with each teacher to hear concerns-never happened. Instead, they pushed a narrative of “unity” while trust crumbled. Families were alienated. Teachers were isolated. Transparency dissolved. All while tuition hovered at $21-$26k, parents asked repeatedly to donate more, fundraise more, support more-despite deteriorating facilities & no fiscal accountability.Then came “NewGate NEXT”-a desperate rebrand. The Board pressured parents in March to pay in full for the next year before announcing staffing, location or leadership plans. It reeked of financial desperation. Families paid thousands without knowing what they were signing up for. Many now feel trapped. Committed to a school without the teachers they trusted.The Board seems deluded-spending time blaming others for “taking” staff & families instead of reflecting on the toxic culture they enabled. As the 2024-25 school year ends, NewGate is nearly unstaffed. Enrollment is critically low. Years of damage from unchecked Board decisions have left the community fractured.After months of advocacy, parents succeeded in bringing in a new Head of School, Sandy Wirth. But the task ahead is enormous. Unless the Board acknowledges their failures & steps aside or reforms drastically, the school may not survive.I share this out of deep regret & concern. Many are afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. But others deserve to know the truth. We wish someone had warned us.

In these challenging times, the school has proven to be a beacon of safety and reassurance for parents. Their commitment to continuous communication, relentless reevaluation of safety protocols, and consistent follow-through is nothing short of exemplary.What's more, the intimate class sizes foster deep connections between teachers and students; it's evident that the instructors know my children profoundly and individually. This nurturing atmosphere has been a cocoon of positivity, where my kids feel genuinely cherished and empowered. The environment is not just educationally stimulating but also emotionally positive.Seeing my children blossom into the best versions of themselves is a joy I attribute to the school's unwavering dedication. They haven't just taught my kids; they've helped them grow with love and confidence. For this, I am endlessly grateful.

We love this school for the wonderful, caring teachers, the advanced curriculum, and the music and sports that are offered. This school is outstanding, and we recomend it highly.