Holmstead School

To say Holmstead changed my life is a major understatement. It revolutionized my way of thinking. I finally had people who cared, who believed in me and who wanted to see me succeed. I suppose you could argue that this gives unrealistic expectations, since in college, most profs won't really care about an individual student. However, without the supportive, therapeutic environment of Holmstead, I wouldn't be happily married today. I wouldn't be a college graduate and a Master's Degree candidate. I never experienced anything even slightly "unsafe" when I was at Holmstead, and neither did my sister many years later. I suspect the parent who wrote the poor review had a child whom, for whatever reasons, was just not well-suited to this school. They expect you to work to better yourself. Students have goals to accomplish. Teachers have high expectations because the KNOW the students in their classes are highly capable. I am so grateful and proud to have been able to attend such a remarkable school. I can't imagine how my life would've been without Holmstead and the teachers who cared so much.

We are sorry that the parent below had such a negative experience at Holmstead. Our's was completely different. Had our child remained in public school, there would have been no graduation day. Rated one of the top schools in the State but our child's issues were missed despite repeated meetings until almost too late. Holmstead saved our child's emotional life. The professionalism and understanding shared with us cannot be overstated and we highly recommend the school. As parents who have had to reconcile their hopes and dreams with the often harsh reality of what their child's life really is, we understand the frustrations around finding a school that answers the needs of a "different" child. If you are considering Holmstead your child needs much more than traditional school-taught lessons. Yes there were times when we wondered if our child could have received more rigorous scholastics. But there is time for that. What you need NOW is the whole supportive package -- your child needs to find his or her way first. We have seen the results--Dean's List for the second semester of community college and a transfer to a 4-year university. Holmstead certainly delivered for us.
--Submitted by a parent

No school is perfect but this was the best choice by far for my daughter. Students of this school are highly intelligent, articulate people who, for a number of reasons, don't conform to the cookie cutter approach used in most schools. PLUS POINTS: The principal, teachers and administrators treat every student with respect in a very nurturing environment. They see the uniqueness in every student. Despite limited resources, they offer a diverse range of academic and elective courses. . The structure of the day plus the homework policy allows students time and space to work through the issues that first brought them to this school. CRITICISMS: More could be done to get students prepared for college as these students will have more challenges to face. Not all the in-house therapists were effective. There are monthly parent support groups that I attended regularly but parent turnout was low, maybe because students come from several school districts and several counties. So for some parents it would have been a long trek to get to one of these meetings. This also made after school socialization and after school activities challenging for both the students and parents.
--Submitted by a parent

As a former student, I remember how much I would look forward to attending school every day. I think that it provided an excellent alternative to the public school system, where sometimes students tend to get lost in the crowd . I believe that the specialized attention I received made transitioning to college a much smoother process than it might have been otherwise. Case in point, I remember the director of the school taking time out of her busy schedule to drive me out of state, just to attend my first college interview. She literally went the extra mile just to help ensure that my transition to college would be a smooth one. I also recall the teaching staff creating new technology related courses, to better prepare me for the field of study that I had planned to pursue. Partly due to their dedication, I don t think that my college experience could have been a better one. Overall, attending this school has been a very positive experience in my life. During my time there, I learned many new things and was fortunate to have made a number of life-long friends. I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to attend this school.

If not for this school I do not think I would have survived high school let alone graduated and then go on to graduate college. I still, after all these years, try to find time to visit... most of my teachers are still there and the atmosphere of support and caring in the school hasn't changed a bit. I am forever thankful for this extraordinary group of people who put up with me for 3 years and made sure I didn't slip through the cracks.

Does not adequately address the needs of the student population it proposes to serve. Poor college prep, lack of supportive and/or therapeutic atmosphere, and unsafe environment that does a disservice to fragile kids.
--Submitted by a parent