Breck or Blake school? (office, ranking, teaching)

[iameexc]

Originally Posted by Freezemont

Good observation! Yes, she didn’t join Breck because they were not hiring. We know this teacher well, and she wasn’t happy at Blake for at least a couple of years. Same is true of the Blake Middle School director who quit a couple of years ago. He was at odds with their no homework policy. I can assure you that he was not fired.

You reminded me of another point worth mentioning. Blake gives its teachers a substantial tuition accommodation for their children while Breck does not. When we looked at Blake, the percentage of teachers who had their own children at the school was roughly 1/2 that of Breck, despite the accommodation. That was another reason why the aforementioned teacher didn’t send her kids to Breck.

You have plenty of completely unique N of 1 experiences to share here (e.g. my brother's friend's neighbor's drinking buddy said....), but they are diametrically opposite of the years of commentary from people who actually have students at these schools. Your weak and transparent attempts to disparage Breck are unfortunate. And despite all of the baseless and negative comments, you claim to have children at the school. It may help you to speak with someone about the pains that cause you to do this stuff.

I actually think sending one's own child to his/her workplace is a "Conflict of Interest". How do teachers make sure that they are fair to other kids and to their colleagues' kids? If I were a teacher, I would like a complete separation of work and life so that I can fully focus on my work during work time. If I were a school, I would discourage this COI from happening unless absolutely necessary.

It seems easy to imagine why a Blake teacher may not have his/her own child at Blake. Maybe Blake is too competitive to get in. I heard the acceptance rate is about 50%, maybe even below. From your words, Breck seems to be very good at accommodating every teacher's all children.

You seem to know a lot about Blake's hiring. How did Blake end up hiring a Breck teacher as their new middle school director? Was she dumped out by Breck?

[Freezemont]

Originally Posted by iameexc

I am not sure about "complete flexibility". That sounds a bit extreme. Does that mean "ignorance"? It might be as bad as "complete rigidity". What if the family does not know what they are doing at all? How do Breck teachers rule out that possibility? I am not sure all parents are professional educators. I think teachers should provide at least SOME guidance, at least they try to do that. However, I do understand if they are not able to, it is better to leave the family alone.

Some students have exceptional abilities that are beyond the standard course offerings. Others have unique challenges. Breck does a great job of adapting to the needs of all students. I fully understand that you are trying your best to create a smoke screen of disparaging and baseless comments about Breck, but it's simply making you look unhinged.

[Freezemont]

Originally Posted by iameexc

I actually think sending one's own child to his/her workplace is a "Conflict of Interest". How do teachers make sure that they are fair to other kids and to their colleagues' kids? If I were a teacher, I would like a complete separation of work and life so that I can fully focus on my work during work time. If I were a school, I would discourage this COI from happening unless absolutely necessary.

It seems easy to imagine why a Blake teacher may not have his/her own child at Blake. Maybe Blake is too competitive to get in. I heard the acceptance rate is about 50%, maybe even below. From your words, Breck seems to be very good at accommodating every teacher's all children.

You seem to know a lot about Blake's hiring. How did Blake end up hiring a Breck teacher as their new middle school director? Was she dumped out by Breck?

So you are saying that schools shouldn't allow teachers to have their own children at their school? In any case, schools don't work that way, so while you are certainly entitled to you own opinion, schools don't share it.

Breck's teachers work together and collaborate. At Blake, teachers are on their own - this is a fact. As a result, Breck teachers seem to more frequently want their children at the school. Makes sense to me. The interview process at Blake is a basic formality and, as I am sure you know, getting in is very very rarely an issue.

I'm glad you brought up Blake's middle school director. She was a humanities teacher at Breck. Apparently that qualifies her to run the middle school at Blake. The head of Breck's middle school is outstanding. He went to Harvard, has outstanding experience, and seems to be universally loved by people at the school.

Once again, you originally claimed to have students at Breck. I think that we can agree now that you weren't being honest about that. Your attacks are baseless and untrue, and anyone who has experience with Breck knows that you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

[iameexc]

My understanding is that in general schools welcome their employees' children, as long as they are "qualified", and in most cases schools are willing to provide tuition accommodations. Think about Harvard, John Hopkins, University of Notre Dame, needless to say flagship state universities. Many private universities provide tuition assistance even if these kids attend other places for school. Universities are big enough so COI is not a problem - as long as these students do not take their parents' courses that is fine. You mentioned that Breck does not provide tuition accommodations to its employees? How do your teachers pay for their children' tuition? My understanding is that some of them may have 2-3 children, if not 4. How about Breck's gardeners and bus drivers? How do they afford to attend Breck? I remember I talked with a Breck gardener some time ago. He is a very decent person, and he did say that his child attended Breck.

[iameexc]

Originally Posted by Freezemont

I'm glad you brought up Blake's middle school director. She was a humanities teacher at Breck. Apparently that qualifies her to run the middle school at Blake. The head of Breck's middle school is outstanding. He went to Harvard, has outstanding experience, and seems to be universally loved by people at the school.

I thought the Breck middle school director graduated from a state university.

I want to draw people's attention to Mounds Park Academy on the other side of the town. Look at their most recent College Profile:
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/do...ol_Profile.pdf
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/ab...raduates.shtml

It is a significantly smaller school but a real gem in the Twin Cities area. It is growing so well since founded in 1982. They want to "dream big" and "do right". Their school principal and upper school director seem to be very good. I heard lots of praises of the school.

[Freezemont]

Originally Posted by iameexc

My understanding is that in general schools welcome their employees' children, as long as they are "qualified", and in most cases schools are willing to provide tuition accommodations. Think about Harvard, John Hopkins, University of Notre Dame, needless to say flagship state universities. Many private universities provide tuition assistance even if these kids attend other places for school. Universities are big enough so COI is not a problem - as long as these students do not take their parents' courses that is fine. You mentioned that Breck does not provide tuition accommodations to its employees? How do your teachers pay for their children' tuition? My understanding is that some of them may have 2-3 children, if not 4. How about Breck's gardeners and bus drivers? How do they afford to attend Breck? I remember I talked with a Breck gardener some time ago. He is a very decent person, and he did say that his child attended Breck.

There is financial aid offered to those who qualify - same with Blake. My point is that far more teachers at Breck have their children at Breck compared to teachers at Blake having their children at Blake. Not so complicated.

[jmgg]

I believe Lake Wobegon's only schools are Breck and Blake to handle all of those "exceptional" children.

What is the Lake Wobegon syndrome?
The Lake Wobegon effect

The characterization that "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average" has been used to describe a real and pervasive human tendency to overestimate one's achievements and capabilities in relation to others.

[Freezemont]

Originally Posted by iameexc

I thought the Breck middle school director graduated from a state university.

I want to draw people's attention to Mounds Park Academy on the other side of the town. Look at their most recent College Profile:
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/do...ol_Profile.pdf
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/ab...raduates.shtml

It is a significantly smaller school but a real gem in the Twin Cities area. It is growing so well since founded in 1982. They want to "dream big" and "do right". Their school principal and upper school director seem to be very good. I heard lots of praises of the school.

Breck's middle school director went to University of Vermont and Harvard. Blake's middle school director was a humanities teacher at Breck.

[Freezemont]

Originally Posted by iameexc

I thought the Breck middle school director graduated from a state university.

I want to draw people's attention to Mounds Park Academy on the other side of the town. Look at their most recent College Profile:
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/do...ol_Profile.pdf
https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/ab...raduates.shtml

It is a significantly smaller school but a real gem in the Twin Cities area. It is growing so well since founded in 1982. They want to "dream big" and "do right". Their school principal and upper school director seem to be very good. I heard lots of praises of the school.

I saw this post before you edited it. You had originally said, "Anyway, Blake is certainly better than Breck in the Twin Cities area." but then you deleted it. You originally claimed to have students at Breck, but I think we can now agree that you do not. You have an agenda to disparage Breck, and it's not working. You know nothing whatsoever about the school, and your hollow claims are baseless. Readers really need to read all your posts as your agenda is transparent.

[iameexc]

Originally Posted by jmgg

I believe Lake Wobegon's only schools are Breck and Blake to handle all of those "exceptional" children.

What is the Lake Wobegon syndrome?
The Lake Wobegon effect

The characterization that "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average" has been used to describe a real and pervasive human tendency to overestimate one's achievements and capabilities in relation to others.

The thing I like about MPA is that they are very honest about what they offer and what they don't. If it was not a good fit they would let you know and give you information about other possibilities, instead of cutting you to fit their frame. They don't just grab students and offer them crap once they get in.