Groves Academy

i am a former upper school student of groves. i would have to say it was the worst experience i have ever had in schools. one of the teachers evan caled me anoying infront of the hole class. not to menchion her lack of any skills in teaching or tecnology.i also no that drugs are yoused by everyother student their aswell as constant harasment from them. not just to me but everyone. i also dident get any help when i was asked in 2 of my classes. i will say the teachers for health,pe,home ec,art, and science are very nice thoes are the only classes i felt the teachers were actualy trying to help me. the others it seamed dident want me around. i cant say anything for lower and middle school tho. i dont no if their the same or different.

This faculty and program helped my son achieve his full potential. Our family will be forever grateful.
—Submitted by a parent

As my son approaches graduation, I am reminded of how far he has come. In 7th grade we were loosing him. Dyslexia defined who he was and limited his opportunities. After five years at Groves he has become a confident, optimistic, humorous young man with a life time of opportunities ahead. Dyslexia does n ot limit him, define him, or depress him anymore. Now, he knows how amazing he is, not because he believes Mom and Dad, but because he believes himself. Graduation 2008 is next- because of Groves Academy. CMF
—Submitted by a parent

We took a huge leap of faith and brought our son to Groves from out of state for his sophomore year of high school. Before his Groves experience, he did not participate in class discussion, did not get his work in, did not ask for help when he needed it. Groves gave him the tools he needed and he is back in regular ed high school and doing great! The encouragement he got from teachers and the other students was fabulous. If you are looking for a great school for a nice kid, you've found it!
—Submitted by a parent

I have nothing but praise for the quality of education offered at Groves. My 7th grader has been there for three years, and he will probably be ready to transition to a public school next year. My son has LD and ADHD with the typical behaviors accociated with ADHD. The staff at Groves is highly qualified to help him with these issues. Groves is set up to handle students of average to above average intelligence. They make a point of recognizing each child's unique gifts and help us realize that all children there are 'gifted' in some way.
—Submitted by a parent

Groves began well with our son but in his second year there, the school was horrible. They could not accept ANY form of behavior difference, even the behaviors that are typical of students with ADHD. They prefer students who are 'gifted' with learning disabilities. They do NOT prefer students who are of average intelligence with ADHD. They are very rigid and once the difficulties began, they increased the stress level for my son. Don't go there if your child has any tendency toward even mild behavior issues or if you need a flexible program.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a former Groves Academy student and am currently on the Board of Directors. From our family's personal experience and from my experience on the board, I consider Groves an excellent institution that serves its students extremely well. The faculty could not be finer, the small classes are essential, and the parents are highly involved. The success students achieve at Groves is the success all students deserve.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the third year our 17 year old son has attended Groves. He has a nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) and anxiety. Our public school didn't know what a NVLD was nor how to help. We knew we were looking at the right school when we saw that Groves had links to many articles about NVLD on their web site. With small class sizes and individualized attention, Groves has made a huge difference both for our son and our family. He is now getting good grades and no longer has to take medication. He was actually looking forward to returning to school at the end of this summer. We're thankful we found Groves and highly recommend it!
—Submitted by a parent

My son is in his second year at Groves and is currently in 9th grade. He has A.D.H.D. and Dyslexia. When he first arrived at G.A. from our local public school he was depressed, defeated and ready to give up on school all together. We felt G.A. was our last hope. Last year he made tremendous gains accademically and socially. With a class size of 10 he got lots of help and attention. Kids don't make fun of other's disabilities because everyone struggles in some way in school. Teachers are so encouraging and will go out of their way to be available (even give out home phone numbers.) Groves teaches students about their disability and how to be successful in school and life. They learn to learn. It's an expensive school and requires making some hard financial choices. As a parent, and mother of 4 it's been wourth every penny!
—Submitted by a parent

This year our sixteen year old son will begin his second year at Groves as a junior. In addition to ADHD and LD, he was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. The small and enriched classroom setting at Groves (8 students per class) has allowed him to achieve academically, and more importantly for him, to progress socially. While the transition to Groves was initially bumpy, our son's confidence and self esteem are growing daily. The teachers have been flexible and have individualized their approach to his needs. Our son is now flourishing in this small, protective setting and the life of our family has radically improved. We highly recommend the school for its positive approach to students with learning differences.
—Submitted by a parent

If your child has any corresponding needs other than straight special education needs like reading and speech, don't bother sending them. Their needs won't be met because the school does NOT service those needs as well as they are NOT equiped to handle behavior problems that are commonly found with ADHD and other special needs. Save the tuition monies and hire private services which will benefit your child better in the long run.
—Submitted by a parent