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Comments
Comments from Parents and Students continue to reward us. We accept constructive criticism, of course, while we very much enjoy the positive comments, some of which are presented here:
The following comment comes from a parent who was writing to a friend who was providing a reference for the student during admission process.
“I met with the Director of Las Cruces Academy … and I am impressed with the school's approach to teaching and learning. I am particularly pleased that they believe in helping the students develop into responsible young people…”
This comment is a portion of a thank-you letter from a parent to the Director at the end of the first academic year.
“We can’t thank you enough for providing M with an absolutely amazing first year of school. LCA has not only made it possible for him to begin his formal education but it has allowed him to grow & thrive beyond all expectations. Most important though, M loves school & learning. There is no greater gift than this.”
Comment of a parent after her son had attended LCA for several months.
My son "was enrolled in two Las Cruces public schools and at both he struggled with an environment that made it difficult for him to excel. He complained of being bored and isolated from classmates…” “Since enrolling here (LCA) I have seen a dramatic difference in him. He looks forward to coming to school and he is filled with a positive energy when I pick him up. He is more curious and has a sense of pride and ownership in his work.”
Comment from a parent of one of our first students.
Our son “loves the hands-on, interactive teaching methods; as parents, we love the school’s flexibility to adjust the curriculum to address topical subjects such as the earthquake in Japan. We also love the school’s multicultural emphasis—last year they studied India, China, and Egypt to name a few. In a community with limited resources for gifted children, LCA has been a perfect fit for our son. Without LCA, we would probably be forced to leave Las Cruces to find a school that could provide an appropriately challenging education for our son.”
Comment from a Central American family whose son is attending LCA.
As a bilingual family, we appreciate that our son learns a new language—Chinese—and continues improving his Spanish and English. As a Latino family, our culture is respected and acknowledged and coexists with other families with different cultural backgrounds.
The following comment comes from a family that believes in the public school system, but because of their daughter's young age & advanced learning skills felt they had no other choice when enrolling her initially. Now they feel the following.
We credit the teachers at LCA with creating an environment that sets high expectations but promotes and develops the natural enthusiasm children have for learning. Teachers provide very small group and even one-on-one instruction so that children can move ahead at their own pace in the various subjects. They also encourage the children to pursue their interests, engaging more deeply in topics of interest to them at the moment. We have been very impressed by the teachers at LCA: their enthusiasm and breadth of knowledgeable in their subject matters is clearly being conveyed to the children. Things we worried about when we enrolled our daughter no longer seem relevant. The lack of a playground doesn’t stop a group of creative kids from developing their own games and activities. The long day hasn’t been a problem - in fact, she asks to stay at school longer and to get there earlier. The day is structured around academic classes, but there is a lot of time for recess (including yoga and dancing), lunch at local restaurants, caring for mice, collaborative art projects, and special activities (both in-school and public) including singing in Chinese, a school play about Rosa Park’s refusal to leave her seat, a Dr. Seuss birthday party, the Wizard of Oz, a leprechaun visit, to name a few. Classes include a mix of ages, which has meant older children challenge the younger ones while also acting a bit like mentors. Our daughter often complains about missing school on weekends and holidays. When we ask “How was your day?” the most common answer we hear is “fun.”
Comment from a family of an intelligent child who struggled with social situations.
As a baby, our son “was not as receptive being coddled and was very sensitive to light, and sound. As he grew, he worked to avoid contact with family members, oftentimes breaking down emotionally if cornered by a family member into discussion or even the simple hug.” Once he started attending school it was difficult. “We never knew what would be reported to us at the end of a school day regarding” our son’s “sensitivity or not {fitting in} with his peers."
Since he started attending LCA “This is no longer an issue for us, as each day {he} seems to become a more affectionate and receptive young man.” “Despite the consideration of his past instructors and involvement on the part of his immediate and extended family,” our son “did not exhibit the ease in his day-to-day interactions, with which he behaves today. We have seen” him “exhibit affection, understanding, and gain a remarkable control of his emotions when being faced with frustration or lack of understanding. For this, as a family, we are grateful to the family we have found at Las Cruces Academy."
Comment from a parent at the beginning of the second year of school.
“I was pleased last year with the education A received in Chinese. However, I was even more impressed when a private Chinese teacher in Germany, where we were spending the summer, told me that A was the best young student she had ever taught. The teacher was amazed by the number of characters that A already knew after only one year of study and the fact that Mei Dai, the Chinese teacher at the Academy, taught the characters rather than the much simpler phonetic symbols.” (Note - the phonetic symbols are useful for tourists or those with a limited education.)
This comment comes from a letter written by a satisfied parent.
Our daughter has been attending Las Cruces Academy since it opened last year. Since then she has learned a good amount of Chinese; is taking a well thought out math program called Singapore Math; continues enjoying Spanish; has a very creative and interesting English program; has wonderful exposure to art and music; and learns a great deal about physical and natural science with a level of "hands on" experience that is hard to imagine at a grade school level.
Most of all, she truly enjoys her teachers, her classmates, her school, and learning.
Portion of an email from the parent of a new student at the beginning of the 2010 – 2011 school year.
“Every day when I pick her up she comments on how much she loves school…..it is so nice to hear!”