Alternatives for Children reviews?

I've seen some mixed reviews on here for Alternatives. We toured this week, and I was very impressed by the cleanliness, facilities, and staff, but I'd love some BTDT advice. I don't know where else to consider if not there. DS has a speech delay so we are looking into an integrated preschool for next year when he is 3.

Thanks!

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

That is the only attractive thing about the program...IT LOOKS nice.

Have you also looked into Just Kids, or NIS??

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Message edited 2/15/2012 9:27:00 AM.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

I have just begun and am about to start calling for tours. I have a list. I too would love to hear the complaints about Alternatives. All three of DS' therapists highly recommend it.

There is also Building Blocks in Commack (which is too far for us).

Just Kids should not take 45 minutes to get to.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

I have my oldest son that goes to Alternatives and loves it. He has done so well there and keeps surprising me with his progress. He is speech delayed. The teachers have been great.

Just kids 2 of my girlfriends had horrible experiences with. One moved her child out within weeks.

NIS I heard is great also.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

I really think with any school it comes down to luck of the draw. If you get a good teacher/therapist your golden. If you don't then you have a problem. If I was looking for another school I would ask the administration on how they handle issues with a teacher/therapist. Will they move the child if need be, do they contact parents of changes in the classroom, are they open to team meetings, etc.

When we started Alternatives we loved it. We had an awesome teacher, very into the needs of the children, had a great OT and speech therapist. By November they switched the teacher out of the room and brought in a new teacher fresh out of school. There was no overlap or transition for the children. That new teacher quit in a month. Another new teacher was brought in who never taught preschool before. Again no transition for the children. Now this teacher may have been a good grade school teacher but teaching preschoolers is a differnent ball park all together. She did not now how to deal with all the issues/potty training, stimming of certain students, transition problems etc. The class was out of control and nothing was being taught to these kids.

the class was a 12:1:1 capped at 10. All the kids were about 4 years old or turning 4 that year. In January they brought in 3 2.5 year olds all non verbal and acting out. The class only had one aide and they could not handle it. The younger kids needed to be supervised at all times so the older ones had no 1:1 attention at all. This is about the time my DD stopped speaking completely at school. Not one word. She was very verbal before this. Also in this time they switched out her speech therapist because the therapist had to many cases. THe new therapist had no idea what to do to help her start talking again. Basically they washed there hands of DD.

More than half the parents in this class complained to admin all the time, almost daily about the lack of stability in the classroom, the lack of education, the need for more aides in the class, why were the young children enrolled in that class, why can't we move our kids to another class etc. but they fell on deaf ears or if the admin saw us in the hallway she turned around and walked the other way so she wouldn't have to hear it.

I could go on and on about the crap meetings we had, their non existant plans but I would would be typing for weeks lol.

I also have friends there that LOVE it, but they lucked out with great teachers and therapists that work for their child so they did not need to "change" anything after placemement.

The computer lab, OT gym and music was great. Definately one of the pluses for the school.

If your looking for an intergrated class and just for speech I think you should be fine, anything else, I would seriously consider someplace else.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Toured it for typical pre-school and it seemed really nice. REALLY expensive though, which surprised me, since I thought they would provide a discount as they need the typical children to make up the integrated/inclusion classes. My friend sent her son with special needs there and loved it.

NIS is a great school too

Message edited 2/15/2012 1:40:05 PM.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Alternatives is a beautful school but if you have other options I would look into them. I highly recommend Just Kids. They have three locations.

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?

I also toured here this week! And I have to say, I also don't think I'll be sending DD there. Now, she did go there for the music class when she was 2 and I LOVED it!!

But the class they want to put her into is a 6:1:1 and many of the kids have their own 1:1 aides so there are many more adults in the class. I just felt that they were going to be placing DD into a class of children that are much more medically involved than DD, and that it will be restrictive for her. Right now she is in a 10:1 class and has a 1:1 aide. It is and EI class, but feels more like an integrated class to me. I know that DD will most likely never speak, but she needs to be around children that do speak because her receptive language WILL continue even though her expressive won't. So I need to be very careful about where she is placed...I don't want her in a class of nonverbal children because I'm afraid that will hold her back.

And they never told me they have almost enough iPads for almost all the children. They simply said they have them and they are used in the computer lab. Never said they are used in speech therapy. They said the speech therapists would show the computer lab teachers what to do with DD.

I still LOVE the music teacher (Miss Beth). If she were going to be the class teacher I'd enroll DD tomorrow, but I really didn't get a great feel from the teacher in the room they want to place DD in.

I was also told that they sort of push, or steer the parent to the class where they have an opening or where they are trying to fill, rather than placing the DC where is most appropriate for them, and possibly telling the parent there are no openings in the right class for their child.

The therapy rooms looked very nice, well equipped, and organized.

I did LOVE LOVE LOVE the sensory room...I want one in my house!!

Re: Alternatives for Children reviews?