Wednesday, December 08, 2010
emailed conversation about boarding school options...
From: MR [mailto:XXXXX@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 9:54 AM
To: Steve Bozak
Subject: Boarding school options for JR
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 9:54 AM
To: Steve Bozak
Subject: Boarding school options for JR
Stephen,
Here is an update of our progress and a couple of questions. I am working today in the office but have time tomorrow late am to talk. See notes on this week with JR in Red below.
SR
1. #58473635
Have spoken to S and have school references that I am checking. My gut is I like this one best currently, because it is closest. Will talk to references on Saturday and hope to schedule a visit on campus next Friday or Saturday. Do you think there is a positive to visiting during a school day, or is a Saturday visit as productive? Yes, I think is would be more in lightening visiting schools while the student are there. Likely some students will take you around the campus. What I like to look at is the kids in class rooms and eating in the lunch room. Along with their style of dress, behavior, etc...
There were some 1999 articles about "hazing" issues at XXXX, I don't believe everything I read and there was substantiation that the problem had been worked thru -- any concerns of this kind? How many kids have you personally placed here? Any issues? Any success to report?
No, Concerns with hazing or anything else. You’re right about not believing everything on the web. But I have every year sent about 2 kids to G.R. and all successful, I had one boy leave early but not because of any problem at the school. They have been successful, and moved on to college, happily and much better than if the child was in public school.
Have you spoken with LK or MD? I have spoken to LK only, and she was right on track positively with the same information I have been collecting. So that just reinforced that I do have a clear picture of everything, no surprises, I still would like to chat with MD.
If you would like to speak with JR again he will be available on Saturday all afternoon. Would you like his cell number? YES I will be glad to call him, send me his number please.
We have taken a bit of a step forward in Chemistry this week, but in so doing-- missed turning in homework in French. When turned in the best possible grade is an 80%. Also missed turning in an outline in Speech, which even with a perfect delivery brings an almost failing grade. This is the behavior pattern coupled with lying about how this all fits together -- usually deflecting the account for the grade somewhere other than himself. Does this strengthen your recommendation for GR, or suggest another closer look at one below? This strengthens my recommendation for G.R. with the normal daily structure at G.R. his lack of attentiveness should be well taken care of.
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> 2.school# 58474657
> Why was this one on your list? What do you think the school strengths are in relation to JR?
This one is boarding and day ... my initial reaction to this is the two subsets may not be productive, can you speak to that, from your experience? Those who "get to go home" and those "who don't?"
I find when the school is mostly boarding, then the school has a much better control over the students , Day students can sometimes bring in troubles, OH, does help kids academically, I think that they might take a little worst child then GR. I have sent only one a year to OH, and they are a bit Christian. Baptist I think. But the kids certainly are not. At least not the ones I sent,
About going home from boarding school, at first the child is interested in going home on free time but soon after he finds new friends, he is likely to want to go to friends homes over vacation. Be careful about that. Avoid it if possible,
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> 3. school # 27367451
My first impression of this is too small, is there an advantage to the size?
Parents often hope for a bigger school and are often surprised to hear most boarding schools are about 100 kids total. Sure the larger schools have more opportunities but both good and bad. The smaller boarding schools the kids can’t get away with much.
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> 4. school # 8857690
This one we haven't discussed at all, why was this one on your list? What do you think the school strengths are in relation to JR? Size seems about the same at Ohio
This school is near me. In Troy NY England style or New England style atmosphere, Lots of sports but I have not heard of them having food ball. And I think they are lower cost than average. ( Only because they have been slow to raise the price. )
