JANET KRUEGER

School One gave our son a deep sense of self confidence. It is not simply the kind of one-dimensional confidence that comes from getting good grades or being popular in school. He was the kind of kid who found good grades to be rather hollow; he often believed he had not truly learned anything useful or produced something that was worthy of recognition in a traditional school setting.

At School One, the conversations in class and the writing assignments were at a different level. Students were committed to their opinions because they were pushed to be thoughtful, respectful, and to speak from their hearts as well as their intellects. They were taught to support their beliefs with convincing and well-documented arguments and to truly respect the beliefs of others. He became friends with students from very different backgrounds. The friendships he formed were profound and close, almost like siblings in the level of intimacy and support. I would often see him leaning playfully against one of his friends, laughing. He grew to know other students, teachers and most of all, himself. 

He left School One with a solid understanding of who he is in the world and what he cares about as well as with the ability to communicate his thoughts and feelings in rich conversations and in elegant writing.  School One gave him the intellectual, emotional, and personal foundation to be a successful, and most importantly, happy human being.

 

JIM RIORDAN

Currently in her sophomore year, my oldest daughter attends School One and has been a part of the School One Family for 14 months. To those of you wrapped in the embrace, the comparison of School One to a family probably sounds very natural. But for those of you who come new to the experience, I will explain the School One Family as a father of a School One student.

In September 2009, my wife and I brought our daughter, hollowed and rocked back on her heels from two years of junior high school, to her first day at School One. During her junior high school days, we had delved into many interventions intended to support  and allow her to create and grow in her own unique fashion. None worked and we became more and more desperate. Thankfully, that was about to change.

Within a few weeks after that first day, we began to see the rebirth of our daughter; and that rebirth continues. Now in the beginning of her second year of high school, we see her truly verging on adulthood, making thoughtful, insightful decisions, and taking personal responsibility for her own advancement.

Why is School One important to us? Without School One, we are convinced we would still be struggling to find our daughter as she would be struggling to find herself. With School One, our daughter thrives and grows.

 

GAIL SKOWRON

My son's years at School One were simply transformative.  The School One experience, of teachers intensely interested in him, his thoughts and opinions, and his success, significantly contributed to his personal and academic growth.  His teachers were able to catalyze in him the desire to learn, illustrating the W.B. Yeats quote

"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire."

School One provides the ultimate "safe" experience, embodying Miss Frizzle's watchwords "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy."   I'd say School One is perfect for kids who seem to be square pegs in the round holes of other schools, whose individuality and personal strengths need a more flexible environment.  But that is probably true for every child.  Our differences are our strengths, and School One celebrates its diversity.  

 

LINDA BARRETT

School One is special because each student is treated and accepted as a unique individual. The caring, concern and compassion of the teachers and staff enable the students to learn in a comfortable environment. The teachers and staff lead with their knowledge and also with their hearts. The teachers offer constant encouragement and do everything they can to help the students succeed. The teachers and staff keep the parents updated so that they too can help their child succeed in their high school journey. The after-school homework opportunity with a teacher present four days a week, the flexibility to leave the building during lunch, the check-ins with advisors twice a week and the small classes help the students succeed.

 

LINN BONN 

School One was a great option for my son. He likes doing things his way (not always with success). The public school system was very quick to label and pigeon hole. School One works with his personality while offering guidance and support. … As a parent, the best aspect was not hitting a "brick wall" when I had a concern. Administration and teachers are more than willing to work through issues with us.