Our family spent one year at STEAMspark. During that year, both of our children learned, made…read morefriends,
and enjoyed their teachers, and we appreciated many aspects of the school.
Those positive experiences continued into the summer program. Our son worked hard in the Mario Kart
tournament and won second prize. Afterward, he chose to get a gift for the student who finished third
because he felt that student had worked just as hard. He also particularly enjoyed the Jeopardy games
later in the summer.
Toward the end of the summer program, concerns arose regarding our son's behavior. We understood that
children sometimes struggle and welcomed communication from the school. Throughout the process, we
thanked staff for their efforts, acknowledged that perspectives could differ, and repeatedly asked how we
could work together to help our son succeed.
The situation escalated when our son was excluded from the remaining summer field trips. We accepted
the school's decision but asked what specific events had led to it, whether this consequence was part of an
established disciplinary process, and whether families were normally given advance notice. We also
requested an opportunity to review video footage that had been referenced during a private conversation
staff had with our nine-year-old son without advance notice to us.
On July 22, I sent emails seeking clarification and requesting documented examples of incidents so that we
could better understand what had happened and help our son going forward. Dr. Jovan Wells was copied
on those communications. On July 23, I wrote to her directly requesting dialogue and expressing concern
about how the situation had affected our son.
On July 24, without having received a response to our July 22 and July 23 communications, we
received a letter from Mr. Byron Wells, co-founder of STEAMspark, ending the enrollment of both of
our children and asking that July 24 be our family's final visit to campus.
Our son was already scheduled to transition to another school after the summer because STEAMspark did
not expand into upper elementary as we had previously been told was planned. Our daughter, however,
was expected to continue at STEAMspark, and the July 24 letter ended her enrollment as well
without identifying concerns regarding her.
For us, the most disappointing part was not that our son encountered behavioral challenges - children
sometimes do. It was that our repeated efforts to understand the concerns, obtain clarification, and work
collaboratively did not result in the dialogue we had hoped for before our family's relationship with the
school was ended.
There was also a disappointing final experience. The termination letter stated that our children's remaining
belongings would be "carefully packaged and mailed." Approximately two weeks later, their belongings
arrived with loose papers, a water bottle, and our six-year-old daughter's artwork and three-dimensional
projects packed together without protective separation. Some of her artwork was damaged. Because we
had been asked not to return to campus, we did not have the opportunity to collect and protect these
keepsakes ourselves.
There was good in our year at STEAMspark. I remain grateful for the teachers who helped our children
learn, make friends, and enjoy school. At the same time, the way our family's relationship with the school
concluded significantly changed our perspective.
This review reflects our family's experience, and other families may have a different one. Families
considering STEAMspark may want to ask about communication practices, progressive discipline, parental
involvement when significant behavioral concerns arise, and the circumstances under which the school
may discontinue enrollment.
