Raskob Learning Institute and Day School

Good school if your special needs child is a «normal» special needs child. Not so good if your special needs child does not fit the Raskob special needs profile. There is minimal/​negligible curriculum flexibility in a curriculum that is already watered down. Be prepared for large dosages of high-​priced Raskob inpatient and outpatient therapy instead of individual classroom teacher attention if your student does not fit their profile. There was not a lot of teacher empathy either. Most of the teachers and their assistants are biding their time until they can get a higher paying (public school) job. The (everyday) PE program was great; the after school sports program was a joke. Make sure to visit, have your child do a shadow day (or two) and ask all the specific, relevant questions (about your child) so you know what he/​she is getting into. Raskob is very expensive day care!

Great school for kids with learning differences. Staff and teachers are first rate. My son has really thrived there!

PLEASE BE CAREFUL BEFORE YOU ADMIT YOUR CHILD TO THIS SCHOOL.
We were at our wits end when we sent our third geade son to Raskob in the fall of 2012. We were told during the admission process that the tewachers were well equiped to deal with our childs learning difference. Thet also told us that the school was designed for children who were off of the Autism soectrum. They seemed ro be fry proud that they only admitted bright well adjusted children who had learning differences. Well they ntold a big fib they do indeed have children with Autism at the school.
We were super excited to be sending our child to what seemed like a place where our child would florish. Boy were we wrong.
Our child missed the first week of school because of plans we had made months before we even considered Raskob. Our son was a week late and there for he did not get the same theraputic chair that the other 5 children had. He was told he had to earn his. We were surprised that he had to wait four weeks to earn something to help him. When the other children got their chairs the first week.
Our son kept telling us that he was getting sent to the office every day sometimes several time a day for“behavorial problemsw”, we were never informed that there were any issues. Our so told us that the person that he was getting sent to said,“you are getting a bad rap”. when we were able to ask questions about this the teacher just laughed and said he took it out of context. He still could not explain to us why he would say such a thing to a child. Our child came from public school where he was NEVER sent to the principles office for any reason.
I was able to find out by talking to other parents that 4 out of the 6 children in his class were on meds. That suggestion was brought up to us. Our child does not need medication he just needed a plan that would work for him and the teacher.
The classes are taught behind «locked doors», you were not allowed to sit in on your chils class when you want, you first have to have an appointment. We did not have any luck in ever sitting in on his class. The teacher said she sent me an email, I NEVER got an email to visit our sons class. Most of the staff at the school seem to be nice people but our childs teacher is far from friendly, kind or diplomaticor nice. She is in the wrong profession. When our child told us that the teacher did not like him we found that hard to believe. Sure enough she did show her true colors of not seeming to be happy with him. This issue was brought up to head of school and instead of trying to find out where the problem was all she did was to defend the teacher PERIOD. Nothing that we were saying seemed to make a difference the teacher was right and all elese was wrong. No team work to help our child seemed to be welcomed at all.
On Friday of last week was the final straw. We wanted to talk to head of school (who is actually a nice person) about a problem we were having with the teacher. Nothing seemed to get resolved. The teacher was defended and our squeezed in 10 min meetnig was over.
We went home to ponder do we want to keep him in this school who had all ready lied to us. We decided to try and work it out. .
We had had some banking problems the month before so our check bounced. We let the school know that we would have Octobers check to them on the first and Novembers check by the middle of the month. We were well within the contract time that we had signed, so we did not think there would be a problem. On Friday after the meeting (which was peaceful but non productive) we were told that if we did not have both checks in by Monday November the 5, our son would not be able to return to school on November 6.
We were not surprised that they broke their own contract, considering all of the other problems we had been having. This also goes to show that they really do not have the students well being as first priority. Now we are scrameling to get our son in school.
If you are considering Raskob, please don’t make the mistakes we made. We really just trusted that this was the right school for our son. Make sure to visit the school on several occasions and make sure to sit in on the classes. Ask their policy on accepting children with Autism. Ask how much are parents asked to help in the classrooms (it does not seem like they want parents in the classes at all). Find out their feelings on medicating children. What is the plan to get your child where he/​she needs to be. All though it seems to be disscouraged try to talk to as many parents as you can. Make sure to check teacher credentials. Make sure that the teacher is well versed on your childs learning difference. Last but not least don, t buy into their line about teaching the children to say,” I have a disability and I need help.” HEAD OF SCHOOL.

Beware,
Very Conserned Parent