South Bronx Classical Charter School I

"I've debated with myself about posting a review on SBCCS since the first 2 weeks after school started. My son started Kindergarten there 8/2018 coming from a straight home schooled environment. I left the school orientation shaking my head thinking to myself what have I gotten us into? My main reason for choosing this school (and yes they LOVE to remind you that you CHOSE their school) was the location convenience. I'm all for a school that isn't failing like the public schools 2-3 walking blocks from us. I appreciated being able to take the train 2 stops, the BX19 bus 7-8 stops, walking the 25 mins or using the school bus when the option came up even though the bus matron is hardly EVER on the bus and the school is aware of it...I know they're ALL ABOUT the testing scores and data. I really like my sons kindergarten teachers but I also know they are a part of the agenda of giving these kids anxiety with the timers to finish work quickly, the color changes for EVERY SINGLE THING to the point they don't even know why they're getting them, they're just coming home with the color changes for minuscule things daily. I don't know why we expect 5 year olds to stand, sit, learn without incident with no real play time or outlet for their energy from 8am-4:30pm being timed doing classwork and being giving homework during breaks and holidays as well. They borderline run the school like a prison. The 2nd week of school when they started offering breakfast my son begged me to let him try breakfast at school. They stop you at the door bringing the kids in and I remember attempting to explain to the Dean that he wanted to have breakfast and she flatly told me someone would be able to help in with that in the cafeteria. I wasn't confident with that and rightly so because whatever happened from me leaving him and the door with the Dean and him getting to the cafeteria with enough time to have breakfast, he did not get the breakfast and from that point on I make sure he eats before he leaves from home. They had the kids sitting on the hallway floors before the teachers come down to get them for class, rain, snow, cold...on the hallway floors. The excuse given for that by the Dean is because it's a shared space. AND?? The school police were often talking about unsafe and unsanitary that was but because the charter school was a separate entity in the building they had no control over that. When I asked the Dean about that at one of the schools mandatory meetings she told me they'd be fine sitting on the floors during winter months because they'd have coats on. My son kept a cold during the winter months and was eventually diagnosed with asthma. I strongly believe him sitting on the floors contributed to that cold/cough that would not go away and every time I brought it up to his teachers, people in the operations office, you'd think I were explaining my concern in Yiddish instead of English. The teaching curriculum is solid and extremely rigorous, that's about the only good thing about this school in my opinion. We make sure he gets his work done but we also allow him to be a 5 year old as much as possible! I also just got word that the Kindergarten stepping up ceremony is on the last day of school at 830am and they want the kids in FULL UNIFORM. Not even the option to be an individual for one day to celebrate the first of many great accomplishments! I've definitely applied to other schools for the first grade year and I'm hoping to hear back from other schools because I have no idea what to expect for the new school year at SBCCS and I hate telling people that I hate my son's school outside of what he's learning because there's always some BS going on in there. I've spoken to other parents who have similar or worse stories but they also continue to keep their children in the school because of the curriculum/convenience and try to ignore the chaos we're exposing our children to for a "good education". **Upon sharing my review with my husband he says he'd give them 5 stars for academics but 3 stars or less on anything else.**"

"This is one of the schools that will make you go to the best high school with rigorous curriculum"

"I love this school thank you to all the teacher's."

"Its the best school ever that you could ever go to"

"That South Bronx Classical Charter School is the best school I ever had And you should come to South Bronx Classical Charter SCHOOL ‼‼‼‼‼‼"