Hebrew Language Academy Charter School 2 (HLA2) 1870 Stillwell Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11223

"The school has a high teacher and administration turnover rate which adds to their inability to create classrooms that thrive on structure and routine. Their student expectations are unreasonable and they lack accountability, blaming and harassing parents for the slightest things. The teachers are out of touch both emotionally and culturally with the students which makes them ineffective at classroom management and their ability to engage the students. I miss the days when charter schools did not exist."

"HLA2 is a new charter school. As a new school, you cannot find much information about it when you do an Internet search. During the summer, we were apprehensive about what to expect. From Day 1, we were pleasantly surprised by the dedicated and supportive staff. From the Head of School, Ms Furan, to the teachers, to the administrative staff, everyone provided a first rate educational experience to all the children. My child's teacher, Ms. A, deserves a shout out. She keeps her kids engaged. My child wants to do his homework because he did not want to fail Ms A's expectations. She loves the kids in her class like they were her own. I heard that she even has a picture of all the kids in her class on her fridge at home! She is responsive when the parents need to communicate to her. Ms A vindicated my faith in the public school system. The staff constantly reaches out to the parents to stay involved with their kid's education. Parents need to dedicate time for reading. The kids are expected to learn and spell 10 sight words every week in their homework package. The school is by no means perfect and there is always room for improvements. For example, a new school will have some drawbacks. A new school needs time and budget to build up its resources. However, HLA2 is doing everything it can to minimize the effects of the lack of resources. Compared to other public schools, there are not as many field trips. There is presently no parent teachers organization. The present system of ad hoc communications work for a small school but an organized PTO would be more effective when the school grows larger. School breakfast and lunch are not free. In addition to Hebrew, it would be great if it offers more foreign languages to offer a truly international experience for the diverse student body. My child will be completing his kindergarten year in June. He is a bright kid who had qualified for the NYC gifted and talented program. However, we feel he is receiving a quality education at HLA2 and plan to stay. There are other smart students like him in his class who chose HLA2 for the same reasons. If the management team, teacher staff, and student body stays largely intact for the next several years, the sky is the limit for the school and its students."

"Excellent school with class sizes that are smaller than what you will get in a local public school. Overall happy with academics as I have seen a lot of progress with my child. The school provides an academically challenging curriculum in a nurturing and supportive social/emotional environment. Administrative staff is very responsive to requests/questions."

"Great school with real diversity! Amazing inclusion environment. Teachers are knowledgable and excellently prepared with a lot to offer! Caring staff that exudes professionalism on an every day basis! Kids are truly happy from the nurturing environment they are present in."

"The school is a nightmare. The administration is condescending and pompous. They have absolutely no idea how to deal with children on an individual level. They expect all the students to learn and act the same as if they are robots. My child has complained of teachers using foul language in the classroom and some even using physical force on students. Not to mention, the school bus is a scary place. Chaotic! 40 toddlers on one bus with no matron and the administration refuses to accept any responsibility for what occurs on the school bus. Run away Fast!"