To Potential Parents,
It is my pleasure to write to any parents that are looking to
make Austin Home Base Community School their educational home for
next year. Please know that I am writing from the
perspective of a former Special Education Teacher with eleven plus
years of experience. I was a big advocate of the public
school system until my son, as a third grader was not thriving
academically or emotionally. Thus, I began my
search for a non-traditional educational path.
You will start with a parent tour and get to meet two of the
nicest and professional ladies in Ali and Candace. I say
this because these ladies create such a wonderful presence in the
office and throughout the school. There is a
consistent tone of positive energy throughout all of the staff
members.
I was most impressed when on the first day of school, the
Director, Ali was standing in front of the school doors handing out
fresh slices of watermelon to children and families to greet them
as they walked into AHB. I immediately felt relaxed and
happy that my son was greeted in such a healthy, positive
way. When I picked him up from school that first day, he
was so excited about his day. One of the behavioral
strategies we worked on the year before was to rate different
pieces of his day from 5 (being the best) to 1. When he
got in the car, he said, "Mom, let's rate my day." "It was a
10!!!" He went on to inform me that he could not wait to
go back the next day. My son had never been
excited about school before. What a smile this brought
to my face.
Over this school year, my husband and I have been delighted to
witness our son blossom into a true learner. Our child
is a Gamma (9 years old) and has been elevated to become a reader
by the classroom teachers and environment. He now reads
every night for at least 30 minutes before retiring to
bed. Each quarter, he was introduced to a
different genre of literature and participated in reading, writing,
and projects based on that style of writing. With the
extra attention he gets having two teachers per class, he has been
able to build on weaker skills while still being involved in higher
learning that he needs to stay motivated. His confidence
has greatly improved as his foundation for life has been
established.
Being a part of the AHB community has not only built the
confidence of my son, but has boosted my confidence as
well. I was hesitant about the home school piece of the
program, but have learned over this school year that it has been a
great way to learn about the educational needs of my
child. Together, we have been able to work and build
respect and understanding for the other, which has been a priceless
learning process. I would say that he is my greatest
teacher.
Finally, I hope you find AHB to be a good match for your child
and family. There is a commitment to being in this type
of learning environment. You have to want your child to
win and you have to want to follow through on the homework pieces
that the teachers have so thoughtfully planned and
prepared. It has been an honor to be a part of
this community.
Hope to meet you in the upcoming school year. I'm
sure Ali or Candace will introduce us.
Thank you,
Stacey Loop