This is a review of the Latimer Lane Elementary School Expansion…read more "Up in the mornin' and out to school The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule" (Chuck Berry) Other than going into the Latimer Lane school on an election day, it's been quite a while (decades in fact) since I spent a long time here. But we visited today for a special open house to check out the school's $39 million dollar expansion that took five years of planning and two years of construction. The tour included ten stations (library/media center, gymnasium, cafeteria, music room, art room, renovated classrooms, etc.). Each station had one or two tour guides that were Latimer Lane Elementary School students, and the kids did a fantastic job telling us about the new school and classroom features at their station. There was a lot of hi tech on display -a video production studio, 3D printers, interactive electronic games on the floor, and other cool stuff. I was very impressed by the art room and music room which were overflowing with things for the children to use and experiment with. I was also impressed at the two new playgrounds, climbing wall in the gym, and the many outdoor classroom spaces to take learning outside on good weather days. I love how these young students will be introduced to video production, coding, and 3D printing this early in their lives.

My two sons have attended the Common School for five years, and our family could not feel more…read moresupported during this time. Most importantly, our children feel cared for, safe and socially and academically stimulated. The Common School is a ongoing project that evolves along with the its community expectations and, committed to a just society, through equity practices.

In my opinion, parents should be very careful about considering The Common School for their…read morechildren and should seek out former families to speak to rather than just taking the word of school leadership or selected references. I believe there are serious issues related to student safety and that the school and board leadership retaliate against parents who raise concerns. https://thingsincommon.substack.com/

oquendo is one of the best in the area went to him in 2004 and have family who have gone recently…read moreand it's been a simple easy experience. jorge is very knowledgeable and shows you all the basic stuff you need to pass your license.

It's a small school, but gives great instruction. Take a lesson or two, and Jorge teaches you all…read morethe basic principles you need to know to pass the road test. Highly recommended!

Great school. Loved going there when I was younger the staff are really nice and friendlyread more

I am the mother of a current student at the school. We have had quite the journey to find a school…read morethat is not abusive and productive for his needs. My son had attended 5 other therapeutic boarding schools prior to his start at Valley View. Many, if not all had an element of emotional or physical abuse. The industry is corrupt in so many ways, from the educational consultants who get financial kickbacks to the money-hungry owners of the for-profit schools, it really is difficult for a desperate parent to weed through the BS and find a school that actually cares about your child. VVS sets itself apart by being a not-for-profit school thus not driven by financial gain. They have proved to our family that there schools available that are truly child-centered. From the start, the school believed in my son. He wasn't just another "bad kid". Upon his arrival, he was in fact probably one of the most challenging kids at the school, but they trusted the process and supported him through it. Throughout his 1.5 years there he has grown into the young man that I could always see. The school started with getting his medicine correct. Because they have a full-time nurse they were able to monitor his behavior and report it back to the psychiatrist. They would make small adjustments to the dosage and time administered to give him the best opportunity to succeed. This then allowed his brain the opportunity to use the tools they were teaching him at VVS. I think one of the biggest differences between VVS and other therapeutic schools would be that they allow the boys to still be kids. The environment is less clinical and more supportive. It functions much like a regular boarding school with the support that kids like my son need. They have clubs, outings, and social opportunities to allow him to mature in a more natural type of environment. The staff has been so supportive of my son, so much so that his advisor takes him and other students fishing at a lake by his home and to have dinner with his family after. They interact with him much like a family member would, making him feel included all while being away from us. My son has gone from being kicked out of over 7 schools to being elected onto student council, on the honor roll, and even the school librarian; a position they created for him seeing what his strengths are. That is just what you get at VVS, they look for the good in your child and create opportunities for them to excel in that area. I can not thank them enough for the transformation they have allowed my son to make. I want to speak a bit about the negative reviews that can be found for Valley View. From what I have seen in our many years of therapeutic settings, you are dealing with students and sometimes parents with mental health needs. Often times disgruntled students that did not succeed in the program can interpret their experience as abusive. Other times they are angry that their parents "sent them away" and feel they need to seek revenge on the school. From our experience, when my son has had an issue with the staff he will let me know over the phone or facetime call. Often times when he and I talk through it we discover that he was interpreting their actions or words out of context...which is part of the reason many of the boys are there in the first place. There have been a few times that I did feel the need to bring it up with his advisor. Every time I addressed it with the lead staff, the issue has been addressed and resolved. My son has learned a lot from that process actually. He learned how to address things that make you uncomfortable, be heard, and the issue resolved. My last point I want to touch on is the price. This is a self-pay school, for most, insurance will not cover any part of it. This was the case for us. It is a huge financial investment. We have chosen to prioritize our son's future and are so happy we did. We went from being concerned that he'd ever been able to live on his own, to looking for top universities after graduation. Valley View School has given my son a chance at the life he deserves and for that, we will be forever grateful!

Before I start I want the reader to know that I was a troubled young man who absolutely made…read moreprogress at this school even though some events that happened to me are probably illegal now. These events happened 40+ years ago. I was adopted (as a baby, my adoptive parents were all I knew). So being institutionalized from them stung quite a bit. I remember being angry and confused during my first day. I had a moment so I snuck behind a shed (music and wood shop) to have a cigarette. 5 minutes in a large bald man showed up and told me to put out my cigarette. After I put it out I had a few smartass words for the man. He grabbed me by the collar and shoved me against the wall of the shed and said "You are here now!". That was day 1. I forgot this guys name, I do remember his brother taught guitar there. The next BIG thing that happened was, during my year I was having a bad day due to losing a privilege or something. I was walking by one of the Phils that ran the school. There was Phil Spiva and Phil (A-Hole). I was walking by Phil A. and again I'm sure I said something bad to him because he followed me into my "private" room then he shoved me onto my bed. He then got into my face and yelled "Your parents don't even want you anymore!" (Word for word). A very nice thing to say to a boy who was just rejected by his adoptive parents. Maybe I'm wrong for letting these past events affect me, maybe I should let it all go. So for whoever is running that place now, memories last a lifetime. Be careful of who you hire. Moving on

Went for an info session with my son. Really great group of deans and faculty members readily…read moreavailable. Warm greeting. Genuine interest in all students and families who attended.

There is NOTHING wrong with community college. I went to NWCC for my first two years to get my AS…read morein Marketing & Sales. Many students fresh out of high school think that going here will look "bad" in the long run when transferring, and finding a career, but I strongly disagree. Professors Valerie Royals and Dr. David Rodgers are great. I took classes in communications, micro/macro economics, financial/managerial accounting, all of my general ed classes, etc. And guess what? They ALL transferred to the University of Hartford, all 60 credits. Many of the full time staff and adjunct teachers have real-world experience and incorporate that into every day lessons. Some also teach part time or night classes at UCONN or UHART. I also remember having a professor in marketing who worked full-time for Pfizer, and a professor and mathematics who works full-time at the Hartford. I can't guarantee that those same people will still be there now, but when I can tell you is that this experience was not only great, but I was able to commute from my house extremely easily, and it saved me tons of money! I am now out of college debt-free because I started off I community college. To put it in perspective, I spent two years here, that's four total semesters as well as a few summer classes here and there to speed up the process. Each semester ran me about $1750 not including books. Books or anywhere from $3-$500 depending on the semester. This is pennies on the dollar compared to the university I transferred to! I also can't say with 100% confidence these prices because are the same because this was about 3+ years ago and I'm sure they have risen but they are most definitely cheaper then any state school or university! Some other perks about Northwestern are: free printing from the library, free tutoring assistance for classes, small class sizes, office hours with professors, opportunity for extra credit, activities part provided by the school and clubs to participate in!

Ms. Gina and all of the staff at First Step are wonderful. They are very attentive to my…read moredaughter's needs and take their time to listen and address concerns. I had been to several Nursery Schools prior to going to First Step and I'm so glad that I waited to make a decision. My daughter is in her 2nd year there and I'm sad to think about losing the support of this school next year. She has learned so much from the curriculum and every day I see the progress. First Step is doing a great job in preparing her socially and educationally for Kindergarten. Thank you!

Would not recommend this preschool to any parent out there. Ms Gina O'Connor owner of this school…read moretook advantageous me and my special needs child. Ms Gina O'Connor also overcharged me for services that I did not receive. Please be advised to all parents out there that she will take advantage of you and act as though she has done nothing wrong.

Careful if you send you teenager there. I am told by students that some of the younger driving…read moreinstructors text, play games on phone and use social media while the student is actively driving!

I have had seven, SEVEN, teens get their training at CC's. I would not keep going back if all the…read moreinstructors were not excellent.