John F Kennedy High School

We left at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. After years of an overall positive experience, things changed fast and even before the worst of it happened I had resolved myself to looking for a new school for our kids. It all started when they placed my twice exceptional child in a class with a brand new teacher - she had never taught before and knew nothing practical or legal about special education or GT kids and it showed. She was gone nearly every Friday out of town for a wedding. My daughter experienced bullying and instead of handling it the principal said of the bully “she will get hers eventually.” Not what anyone likes to hear from school leadership. There was a weird push to participate in the Leader In Me program which is a child version of a self help course used by corporate professionals. There was PTA drama where the group was split in two and made it impossible for those of us trying to help students actually do our part. I tried to stay out of it and ended up getting yanked in by one of the most conniving parents involved. When I stood up for myself, my kids and I were shunned. Which was fine, because we were already done there. A shame that a school that experienced such an incredible turnaround and Renaissance period was so short lived and ruined within only six years. I feel as though the pandemic played a small role - we saw the writing on the wall well before Covid happened. Covid merely accelerated the inevitable. Everything so many parents and teachers worked to build is basically gone. Plenty of amazing teachers quit or were pushed out between 2015 and 2020. A friend visited this week to consider the school for her child who will begin kindergarten in August and she was not impressed. The latest rumor is the school is going to be absorbed by another one due to low enrollment. All the people credited with making this school “great” left it behind and have political careers, and still pat themselves on the back for the work they did there. Well the work didn’t hold up, so that should tell you something.

After starting Sabin as a kindergartner during Covid, my son is getting ready to finish out his 5th grade year at Sabin. It will be bitter sweet for him as he has shared with me that all of the teachers he’s had at Sabin are his favorite. My daughter is wrapping up her first grade year at Sabin and I know she will have an equally successful experience there because of the teachers and staff at Sabin. Everyone who works at Sabin puts kids first. It is truly a caring and nurturing environment where they focus on the whole child.We love Sabin!!!

I have 2 children at this school. We have been here for 3 years starting with kindergarten and now through 2nd grade. It has been really great for my advanced learning child. The Montessori model with mixed age classrooms, naturally fits fast learners. He gets exceptional support for his learning while being able to maintain and match his social needs right in his classroom. We were uncertain if the Montessori model would fit our 2nd child, but she has acquired confidence in her learning and has been emboldened to choose to learn. She has rapidly progressed in learning to read. This school has a lot of opportunities for parents to be involved if so desired and provides many ways for you to observe the methods used to help your child learn through classroom observations, special projects, and watch me work nights. There is a before and after school paid care option for working parents as well as after school enrichment classes on campus. I have been happy with their method for aiding children with resolving conflicts respectfully with each other. The communication is great and they take safety very seriously. I highly recommend this school.

Awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome