Attention TLS,
The recent letter about school placement brought me right back to just a few years ago. We were that family. We applied to five established chadorim for our oldest, and five times we heard some version of “no slots, try elsewhere.” My wife cried. I made calls I’m not proud of.
The letter writer mentioned something important: families are hesitant to take a chance on a new school without a well-known hanhala. That was us too. A friend told us about a cheder opening that September in a rented building. Two classes, a young menahel, no track record. Honestly, we said yes because we had nothing else.
I want to share how it turned out, because I think it can help families sitting by the phone right now.
The first year wasn’t perfect. The building was tight, the carpool was a mess, and we didn’t always know what was coming next. But my son had 16 boys in his class. His rebbi knew him inside and out by Chanukah. The menahel called us himself when there was an issue, and also when there was a nachas. When something needed fixing, parents were asked for input and it actually got fixed.
Today that cheder is full, with a waiting list of its own. My son is thriving, and two of his brothers are there now too.
I’m not saying every new school is right for every child. Do your homework: meet the menahel, ask about the rebbeim, talk to other parents. But don’t write off a new mosad just because it’s new. Every established school in this town was once somebody’s leap of faith.
And to those with the means to help: supporting the new schools may be the fastest way to fix the placement crisis for everyone.
Y.K., Lakewood
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Its gonna get very loud!!!
Why not share with us which Yeshiva? Don’t they deserve the credit? Mention the school please so we have a reference, otherwise who says you are being honest with us?
If new schools are not acceptable, then there is obviously no solution to the school lack of space crisis. We cant expect existing schools to keep growing without limits
I’m glad it worked out for you.
We went to a new school and suffered greatly when it fell apart.
The successful schools have to take the achrayus to build more infrastructure. Parents should not be forced into unstable environments.
The issue most parents have with new schools (which often turn out to be the hardest to get into a few years later) is that you’re dealing with growing pains and that’s also dealing with the unkown, a menahel and rebbi who have no track record. The school also can’t get resource room help for the students for many years. It’s alot to take into consideration.
Exactly
Are you saying it’s a problem for parents to avoid taking risks in their child’s upbringing?