Although these examples are true, the names used are fictitious.
Finding the Right First School: Karen Fletcher came to see us about her three-year-old twins, Sarah and Kevin. She was new to the Washington area and had been bombarded by friends with advice about the importance of enrolling in the "right" nursery school in order to have a shot at a good college. The Fletchers were concerned for their children's futures, but also concerned that private school tuition from nursery school on would impose a real financial burden on the family. Public school had not even been considered yet..
Sarah and Kevin had very different educational needs. Sarah was a ball of fire, constantly on the go with a wealth of ideas and a vocabulary to match. Kevin was deliberate, careful, and contemplative. Could the same school possibly be right for them both?
Jennifer Napoliello, age 17
Fears For A Teen's Future: Toward the end of Jennifer Napoliello's junior year of high school, her father called in great distress. He explained that Jenny had been hanging out with a bad crowd of kids, her grades had been steadily sliding, but worst of all, the lines of communication between Jenny and her folks seemed totally severed. We asked the father if drugs and alcohol might be involved, but he felt sure she didn't have that kind of problem. He told us how talented and sweet his daughter was, but also how misguided she had been for the last three years. Her grades just didn't reflect her talents, and she had been dating this one boy who was nothing but trouble. In short this young lady's troubles seemed to run from the classroom to her home and beyond...
Troy Jackson, age 15
Reconnecting a Disconnected Student: Troy Jackson was 15 when we saw him. His mother had called us because his grades were falling, and he seemed to have lost all interest in, or connection to, his school. No matter what she tried, his failure to do homework had become the subject of one long, daily fight. He'd flunked once, and his habits hadn't changed; it was looking as if he wouldn't make it to tenth grade. Troy's mother knew that something was wrong. Was it a problem with his motivation, or some kind of disability? She didn't know whether she was handling it all wrong; she only knew that everything she had tried had failed. Also, given how tight money was for them, she needed to spend her limited funds in the most effective way
Ruanne Kazinsky, age 12
An Honors Student Making Choices: Ruanne Kazinksy is just entering those interesting "teen years." She currently is in the 6th grade in public school. She and her parents are worried about the size of her classes and the perceived bad influences of middle school, and say they are willing to make the commitment to a private school to assure closer supervision and smaller classes.
Ruanne is a good student who has never had any trouble in school or out, but her parents are new to the private school world and confused by both the choices and the process. They are looking for insight into which school setting would best nurture Ruanne's sense of self-worth and her budding academic inquiry.