The Harvey Academy

My son has struggled with schools since he was only 1.5 years old. He had been kicked out of 3 daycares by the age of 3, on an IEP by the age of 3, and had bad luck with 3 different elementary schools by 2nd grade. It seemed like everyone was quick to send him home or write him off. I found Limestone and for the first time he told me liked a school and wanted to stay. No school is perfect but this school and the staff really go above and beyond to try. I’m so grateful for them!

Both of my children attended JCS upon our move to Florida. One has gone through k-12 and the other 4 -12.My husband and I were pleased until 7th / 8th Grade. The Lower School was a loving and caring environment and the teachers were great. Once in the Middle / Upper School , everything changed. I cannot even begin to tell the absolute mess that the Upper School is. I know I am speaking for just myself , but please *know there are many others that have had the same experiences *. I am going to share hard facts here, with no exaggeration. - More teachers that I can even believe are unhappy there. The amount of teacher turnover is immense. Also, which surprised me very much, more then a handful of teachers blatantly shared that they were way underpaid and unappreciated, and shared this continuously throughout the year. This is NOT the kind of information that should be shared and the negativity reflected in our children's views of the school. One teacher even shared that she was well off enough to not even have to work so the terrible pay didn't matter, she was only there for the love of the students. - Turnover of President, Principal and Vice Principal is unlike anything I have even seen. ( We have two older children that went through NJ and PA school systems ). This is a huge problem for JCS. There was a serious issue at the end of the school last year. We were told the student would be placed on probation ( last day of school ) only to find out that he was never disciplined at all. - Teacher and Faculty students are 100% given special treatment, and get away with little to zero discipline. Please hear me when I say this. This is FACT. - PLEASE hear me when I say this. JCS does *not* abide by the laws in place for Anti Bullying (Florida Statute 1006.147, also known as The Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students) . My daughter was aggressively bullied in school and online by a male student *leader* over the course of 2 years. We followed protocol in reporting. We were told that "he's a good kid". We were told that my daughter was "over reacting" . Guidance never even took time to follow up. She became a different young woman, She was humiliated by this student during classes and then also by a teacher. Meetings with the Principal and President were shocking. ** NO ONE CARED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER**. I was bullied by the President himself ( wish I recorded )***. ( I filed police report ). Please, PLEASE know these are facts.

My children have attended Turtle River Montessori for the past three years, and it has been a wonderful experience. The teachers and administration truly care about their students and create an environment where they can thrive. My children are challenged academically and genuinely enjoy learning and asking questions. The teachers provide individualized attention to help each student succeed. The new middle school program has been especially exciting this year, offering a variety of off-campus learning experiences and community volunteer opportunities. Throughout the year, the school also hosts events that invite families to celebrate what their children are learning. Turtle River Montessori is a safe, nurturing, and joyful place for my children. We are so grateful to be part of this school community.

The best school in America for preparing youth with autism or Asperger, for life after school