Tobinworld

Tobinworld has fallen behind the times. While I agree with a school wide ABA based behavioral program, Tobinworld does not sucessfully fade the shiny, tangible rewards that it relies upon ( video game systems, junk food).Although they label themselves a school for autism, they continue to fail to us the appropriate, person-first language that has been adopted in the community of special needs educators. There is no sensory /OT gym and students with the most difficult challenges are lumped together --an antiquated grouping system. Lack of Arts programming, a haphazard academic curriculum and self--serving decision making on behalf of the director and her nutty professor husband (google Dr. Matt Israel) make this a poor choice--possibly even a scary choice--of a school for your child.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been attending Tobinworld since July 2003. I am very disappointed in the fact that he is in 9th grade and has hardly been taught any algebra. I am looking into having him mainstreamed next year, and will not have him graduate from a high school that does not even send textbooks home to do homework. His homework is all one page printouts from the computer. This is unacceptable. My son is also to the point where he does not want to go to Tobinworld anymore, and he wants to be part of a normal high school atmosphere. Tobinworld does not even do yearbooks for the kids at the school-- which is a total shame! I am getting very disappointed in the fact that my son is not getting the education that he is supposed to be getting/receiving.
--Submitted by a parent

As a student from 7th grade to 9th grade, I would have to say the this school practiced prejiduce against students and rated their opportunities for curriculum based on the way they looked and not will power. Also, I would say that they wanted more to restrain them and set them off than to properly educate them. The Late Fidel Pontrelli was not very helpful when I was with him between 1992 to 1994, and they declined us of higher education.

The academic curriculum at Tobinworld is very weak. Individual teachers who care do try hard to make due however, and were thankful for the first large shipment of new academic textbooks in approximately 6 years that arrived last year. A true arts program does not exist at Tobinworld, though high school students have access to acting classes. A staff-designed performance program that was successful for several years was cut during one of 2 successive 'budget freezes'. There are sports available consistently. Parents are discouraged from visiting classrooms one minute and encouraged to visit in the next breath. In short, Tobinworld's shortcomings have come to outweigh its strengths in an age where parents have a heightened number of placement options.
--Submitted by a parent