Disappointed…read more
School:
I enrolled my two daughters last year, one in Kindergarten and the other in 1st grade. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed with the experience that I withdrew them just one month into the school year.
My youngest, starting Kindergarten, was expected to know how to read from day one. The class was tested with multiple-choice questions on the first day, and if answers weren't correct, students were placed in timeout. She was even told directly that she wasn't doing well, which severely impacted her self-esteem. She was placed in timeout daily for unreasonable reasons, for example, not mimicking a YouTube dance video perfectly during playtime. Her teacher, who was new, offered no constructive feedback and only stated, "We are preparing her for first grade." But Kindergarten is supposed to teach children how to read, including sight words, not punish them for not knowing how on day one.
At pickup, I was repeatedly told in front of my daughter that "she didn't do well today." It felt demeaning and inappropriate. When I raised these concerns with school leadership, I was told, "This is our curriculum. No changes will be made." At that point, I politely let them know that my children would no longer be attending.
Camp:
We had tried the camp the year before. It was extremely expensive, and nearly everything was an additional cost, including activities and meals. Popcorn, snow cones, hamburgers, hot dogs, the activity of the day, usually runs $20 (water day, field trips). We paid for McDonald's Happy Day $7 for a 4-piece nugget meal (which does not cost $7), and my kids came home without the toy. I asked and they said it was removed. A few days later, the camp store was selling the toys for $1. Shameful. Funny part, not many were purchased, so by the end of camp, they were giving them away. They sell everything at the camp store like a Goodwill. I understand that they were trying to raise funds for school, but that's just tacky. Without paying for extras, the kids spent most of their time either sitting inside watching movies or running in circles on the track under the Miami heat. My children described it as "feeling like going to prison." The counselors were mostly teenagers with little oversight or engagement.
