Great course (Advanced pistol). I've been a shooter for decades and received some good training in…read morethe past, but Ian took my skills and perspective to another level. His relaxed but focused style worked with every level of shooter. While perfectly safe, he takes you beyond a standard firing line with great shoot/move drills that give you confidence in your ability to save yourself in a real world gunfight.

I took the Pistol 1 course in Albuquerque, NM. I couldn't have been more satisfied, making the…read morewhole travel from NV worth it. Ian is well versed and knowledgeable and extremely humble as well. The course was well laid out to push everyone to their own individual limits, starting with fundamentals to more complex courses of fire. The class was a decent amount not too small and not too big as well. I feel the number of participants was optimal for every individual that they are able to learn in a group but dial down their own skills with Ian being able to coach each one by their side. I've learned an enormous amount about myself and the course that I am able to apply to the real world and to certain scenarios in my occupation. I am already signed up for the next courses in ABQ and definitely recommend everyone from all walks of life to take at least one. At the end of the day, "No one is coming to save you."

This school is amazing! My husband and his brother went here and they are the nicest people I know!…read more Amazing teachers, beautiful classrooms and inspiring child focused curriculum. When my LO grows up I hope to send her here!

The building itself & location: - They've been consistently…read moretaking measures year over year to improve the building's security. There are 6-7 entrances to the school & they used to leave them all open all day long. Over the last few years they've been locking the doors during the day. Finger printing & a background check is required district-wide if you're a parent or guardian volunteering on a field trip which is good. Two years ago they installed security cameras outside of the school. New this school year, during the day, all of the doors are locked & you have to enter next to the office & ring a door bell & announce who you are to a staff member (they can see who it is on camera) & they buzz you in. - It's a standard elementary school building. Nothing too fancy although some of the classrooms do have smart boards now. Cafeteria, classrooms, library, media lab, gymnasium/auditorium, etc. - It's on a small plot of land but there is a decent-sized play ground & a few raised garden beds in the front of the school & a small garden area behind the school. - It's right off of Main Street & there are two crossing guards in the morning & afternoon - one at the 4-way intersection & another at the intersection of Main St & School St, so it's a safe, convenient location. There are always plenty of parents who walk their kids to & from school & it's a small town so you get to know everyone by face quickly. The staff, principal, support staff (not teachers): - The principal is very involved in everything from the school itself to the extra curricular activities to the parents group. She must not sleep, honestly. We ran into her 2+ hours (one-way) from town one weekend - we were in the area for a different event & she was there cheering on the school's Destination Imagination team. - The secretary & receptionist are nice & they know the students by name & if you're a regular at the school (or a regular in prior years) they know who's parent you are & probably your name & your child's teacher & grade. Small town! - The nurse is very nice, she even has spare coats, hats, gloves, etc in her small office during the winter for the less fortunate children at the school. - [I don't know any of the cafeteria workers as my child has never gotten hot lunch] - There is a school counselor but she is over-burdened. You'd never know it because she will call you or return emails quickly when there is a problem & will work one-on-one with your child, even if your child isn't a "problem", just having nervousness issues or the like. ***They USED to have a child psychologist on staff at the school full-time 10-ish years ago, I've heard, but they cut the position with budget cuts. There seems to be an influx of "problem" children recently who could do with some serious psychological help... The student body: Like anywhere, you're going to get "problem" children. There are more kind, respectful students than "problem" children but the "problem" children stick out like sore thumbs & suck up resources. There are 2-3 full-time staff members dedicated to taking care of these students. There is a gifted-talented group, one per grade, that only meets for a few hours one day/week & the woman who runs the program works for the district, not just this school. So for the problem kids, there are 2-3 full-time staff members whose job it is to take care of them. But for the gifted-talented kids, they get a few hours one day/week. Doesn't set the best example: act up & you get immediate attention but be smart & enjoy learning & you have to wait... The teachers: We've been here for 5 years. We've had 1 "good" teacher, 2 who went "above & beyond" 110% of the time who were SUPER teachers, & 2 who were pretty poor, they were "yellers" much of the time & just very impatient & they were the kind who you wondered why they got into teaching in the first place. The politics of the school, the parents, town: - It's a small town. You get people who have never been anywhere else & who will never go anywhere else who have nothing better to do than gossip, so you have to be careful what you say & to whom you say it. The best thing is just to lay low & not say anything that would be considered remotely controversial unless you want people talking about you behind your back. - Jaffrey is an extremely religious town. There are those of us who believe in being a good person not so we can get into heaven but because it's the nice, human thing to do, but the religious people "over run" things. For example, the students are not allowed to dress up at school on Halloween because it's an "evil, Pagan" holiday. So dressing up the other 364 days of the year is okay, but on Halloween it's "evil"? Gimme a break. That was one of my best memories as a child, dressing up on Halloween at school, & it irks me that my child can't have that too because of some religious nuts. Overall it's a nice, small-town elementary school.

HIlltop is SUCH a great school--on target, with the kindest teaching staff! This is our last year;…read morewe will miss everyone...

Excellent school with loving and caring teachers. children are often ahead of their peers…read moreacademically. Our children have been at the school for going on 5 years. The campus in breathtaking, there is an emphasis on art, nature, music, and fostering creativity. We feel supported and our children love to go to school at pre-k they already know the skeletal system. We love the teachers and can't say enough about them. I often see them working with children on big feelings. they continually train as teachers and love children. it's more than a school, it's a really great community. Reading the other review I'm wondering if they got the wrong hilltop Montessori as there are several in the country. It also seems unusual that a child that young could describe some of those situations in such detail but I wasn't part of the school until 4 years after it was written and I don't want to discount their reality.

My three brothers, dad and I just finished up a week long timber framing course here at Heartwood…read more It was a pretty good experience. Pros: Michelle - She manages the business end and handles meals. She was incredibly helpful and always very pleasant. Dave - He's one of two instructors and most of what I got out of the course came from working with him one-on-one. He's super talented and all of my encounters with him were positive. I (along with most other people in the course) sought Dave out for any questions and help. The food - Michelle put together a great lunch every day. The skill set - I walked away from this week confident that I could handle basic layouts and build a structure using the skills I learned here (which is the whole point of the course). The safety - The instructors take safety very seriously and quickly react to any questionable behaviors. Cons: Class size - There were 26 people enrolled in the course including four "apprentices" which left two instructors who knew what they were doing to teach all of us. Organization - The first half day was spent sitting in a classroom watching minimally helpful overhead sheets and the second half watching demos. It would have been very easy to integrate hands on exercises on scrap wood and mix this information in over time. Barn raising - Friday was dedicated to assembling the frame we built Tuesday through Thursday. There were too many hands for too little work. Dave said you need a max of fourteen people to raise a structure like the one we built. You had to actively fight to participate. The "apprentices" - Really two of the four were actually pretty good and cared about learning. The other two seemed to cause more problems than they fixed. Ultimately I learned a lot from Dave while I was here (and Brad, another instructor who was there for one day was also great). Will was pretty impatient and not particularly helpful. The mix of people who were taking the course was about 50% carpenters (some with timber framing experience and some without) and 50% from random backgrounds (some teachers, a cobbler, some IT folk, a student, etc). Everyone was able to keep up and a carpentry background really isn't necessary. The group instruction wasn't that helpful but if you take the time to seek out knowledgable staff (or peers who have already done a piece you're working on) you can learn a lot here. It's really what you make of it. If you're looking to get a basic crash course in timber framing this is a good place to get it (despite class size and some other kinks). You can make as many mistakes as you need to (and should, this is a great way to learn) and someone will be able to show you how to correct it before you try this on your own.

Vermont Academy has a close-knit community of students, faculty and staff that is unique in New…read moreEngland. While the campus is far from the most fancy and up to date, it makes up for it in the caring environment for students. Students are able to pursue independent projects and teachers support students in their academic needs. The learning center is available and supportive. There are a wide range of sports available especially for a small school. Perfect place for a student seeking a small, caring environment in which to grow and be supported.

I am a graduate of Vermont Academy and a parent of a rising senior. VA had been a life altering…read moreexperience for me, but I had not planned to send my children due to the expense and wanting to keep them at home. However, my son went to VA his junior year after, thanks to Covid, spending far more time in isolation with his mother and looking at screens than any any 16 year old boy should have to. VA has been a fantastic experience for him socially, emotionally, academically, and physically. He participated in soccer, which he had never played before, and really enjoyed it. He played on the hockey team, and while he has played on southern house teams for many years, he was one of the least experienced -- and his discomfort there was probably the only negative experience. This spring he participated in climbing and really loved it. He also missed a lot of school due to the flu, mono, and a death in the family. Teachers were very supportive and, while still holding him accountable, helped him to get caught up. He recently returned home and is already looking forward to fall and all of the opportunities that the fall will bring. As a parent, I have enjoyed being involved with the VA Parent Association, and as a graduate, being involved with the very active alumni associaition.

My wife and I attended every class Nancy offered when we lived in NH; each was a fabulous…read moreexperience and learning opportunity. Nancy was a complete professional who loved her birds like a mother loves her children. Thank you Nancy for such fond memories. Bob & Nina

Nancy is incredibly knowledgeable about falcons but is an abusive teacher with anger issues who…read moredoes not know how to relate to people. She yelled at several people in our class and hit several as well. There is a difference between firm guidance and screaming/hitting. I've worked in EMS and other extremely high stress, high stakes situations, and you still do not behave this way. Read the Google reviews for other people who had similar experiences.