Review of Our Savior Lutheran School - Plantation FL
Our family enrolled at Our Savior Lutheran School hoping for a nurturing, values-based environment that would support both academic growth and children's individual needs. Unfortunately, our experience raised significant concerns--particularly for families with children who have learning differences, ADHD, or emotional regulation challenges.
The school does not provide accommodations for disabilities and appears, at a philosophical level, not to recognize learning disabilities or neurodiversity as valid frameworks. The prevailing belief is that children with learning or neurodevelopmental differences should simply be "pushed harder" to reach their full potential, rather than supported through accommodations or evidence-based interventions. For example, when discussing dysgraphia, the assistant principal stated directly that speech-to-text accommodations would not be allowed, explaining: "If it were my child, I would make them do as much handwriting as possible because they will need to handwrite in high school." This approach reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of disabilities and the role of accommodations, which exist to provide access to learning--not to reduce expectations.
ADHD is similarly misunderstood and is often treated primarily as a behavior problem rather than a neurological difference. Children with ADHD are frequently labeled as troublemakers, and families are pressured to medicate children to make them more manageable, rather than the school adapting instructional strategies or supporting regulation skills.
Emotional regulation difficulties are routinely interpreted as defiance rather than distress. I personally witnessed a third-grade teacher yelling at a visibly upset and emotionally dysregulated child who was crying and clearly needed calm support and assistance with regulation. There was no effort to help the child feel safe or supported--only reprimand.
Bullying is another concern. There appears to be a significant amount of peer bullying, yet the school does not consistently prioritize prevention or intervention. Families may find that bullying concerns are minimized rather than actively addressed.
Academically, the school places a strong emphasis on compliance and behavior management. There is little differentiation for students who are advanced. For example, children who excel in math are not offered enrichment, breakout groups, or advanced instruction, which can result in capable students being held back rather than challenged.
Communication with parents is limited, and collaboration is not strongly encouraged. Instruction is not tailored to individual learners, and there is a firm belief that teachers are the ultimate authority in the classroom. Administration does not meaningfully guide or redirect teachers, even when concerns are raised. While the principal was kind, polite, and collaborative in conversations, very little changed in practice. Ultimately, families are expected to adapt to the school's way of doing things, rather than the school adapting to the needs of individual children.
The religious curriculum is very conservative. Children are taught that certain television shows are ungodly, and religious teachings include messages such as childbirth pain being framed as a punishment of women. Religious beliefs are presented as firm truths rather than explored through discussion, and these beliefs influence classroom instruction and disciplinary approaches.
There are some individual teachers who are caring and well-intentioned. However, the overall philosophy of the school is rigid and traditional, with limited openness to modern, research-informed educational practices.
This school may be a good fit for families seeking a highly conservative religious education for children who are typical learners--children who are able to sit quietly, follow instructions, regulate their emotions independently, and meet expectations without accommodations. It is not a good fit for children with special needs, neurodivergent learners, emotionally sensitive children, or families who are still in the process of identifying whether their young child may need additional support. The school does not appear well-equipped--or particularly interested--in recognizing or addressing learning differences or neurodiversity. read more
