anyone know anything about ahavas torah boys school in balti

↑ amother ↓

Wed, Oct 17 2012, 8:02 pm

anything and everything! what I know is it caters to children with adhd or other learning needs who dont fit the typical mold. I hear good things about the teachers and would like as much info as I can. We are seriously thinking about it and would love more info before we consider making such a big jump. (we are out of state).

↑ almost ↓

Wed, Oct 17 2012, 8:14 pm

The class sizes are relatively small. They don't have every grade - they will create classes as needed. So last year they had grades 4,6,7, and 8. The teachers are very good and they are willing to work with you. In general, because it is such a small school, they are very flexible. The school is closer in town than TI or TA. They also have lots of incentives like the rebbeim will take the boys for slurpees and such.

My biggest concern there is that they cover less material than the other schools. They stress skills so they feel that boys can move back to the other schools without losing out, but sometimes I wonder if a boy who has been in Ahavas Torah can really move back to TA or TI seamlessly.

If you have any other questions, let me know!

↑ amother ↓

Wed, Oct 17 2012, 8:49 pm

its still very much a work in progress. it has been through a number of changes since it began a few years ago. I have heard some families are very happy but they have also lost a lot of kids since they started. It might be the right fit for your child, but please do extensive research to make sure its a good fit for your child.

↑ almost ↓

Wed, Oct 17 2012, 9:20 pm

It IS very much a work in progress. They changed the name and the administration at the beginning of last year. At that point there was some turnover as far as students go but a lot of that was related to the way that school was run before that and concerns that people had that the school could shut down midyear if they ran out of money. It seems that with the new administration this is not a concern now.

Also, I heard (or saw an article somewhere?) that they want to be a school that boys can come for a few years and then be mainstreamed back to their original schools. I don't know if that's really their goal but if it is, it would make sense that they might seem to be 'losing' boys.

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 18 2012, 12:27 am

Thank you all for your comments. Regarding do a lot of research- do you have any leads? or know of anyone that can be helpful? we have spoken to the principal and a teacher and now not sure where to find out more.

Regarding financial stabability - is this no longer an issue? was it before? can you tell me more about the turnover?

tia!

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 18 2012, 12:32 pm

another person interested,

how is there limudai chol?
would a very smart adhd child be bored?
what is the tuition cost?
is there some level of physical fights? (due to adhd impulsivity?)
what hashkafa is taught? I'm somewhat familiar of the hashkafos in TA/TI, is it along the same lines? more modern? more yeshivish?
do the kids have lower self esteems knowing they are going to more of a "special-needs" school?

TIA!

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 18 2012, 1:13 pm

amother wrote:

Regarding financial stability, I believe at this point, that many of the people on the board are much more well-off and well-connected than the board that was running it previously. Meaning, if they need to quickly raise 75K to meet payroll, the people on the board have the means to do it and/or are well connected enough to get the cash. From what I was told, the previous "version" of the school was run by well-meaning people but those men didn't necessarily have the "right" connections, contacts, etc...you know how it goes, "its' not what you know, it's who you know"

to the 12:32 amother, some of the questions you are asking are going to best be answered by going down there yourself and seeing.

↑ amother ↓

Fri, Oct 19 2012, 11:43 am

Perhaps try calling Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer (maybe a poster here has his number). He is a Rav in town who seems to be involved with the school. (he's also the president of the Vaad Harabanim of Baltimore). I would think twice about moving to a new city to put my kid in a school that is still very new and doesn't have a clear path. If I already lived here, that's one thing, but I don't think this school is well-established enough and on firm grounding to justify a move to Baltimore. Just my 2 cents.

↑ almost ↓

Fri, Oct 19 2012, 12:41 pm

I can try to answer your questions.

The tuition is in the same ballpark as TI/TA.

Not every kid in the school is ADHD. There are kids there of all types. There are probably less physical fights there than in other schools because the class sizes are small enough that the teachers can keep a good eye on what the boys are doing.

The hashkafa is similar to TA/TI. In general they not really trying to push a particular hashkafa though so being different is no big deal.

Some of the kids may have lower self images because of their previous experiences but in AT they build up the boys. Rabbi Belsky and his staff are excellent in this area - gentle and encouraging. I don't think that people think of it as being a 'special needs' school as much as it is a school for boys who do well in a smaller environment.

The classes are small enough there that they should be able to provide enrichment for a child who is very smart. They do very well with catering to the individual child.

↑ amother ↓

Fri, Oct 19 2012, 12:58 pm

Excellent advice given here by a previous amother to talk to Rav Hopfer shlita. here is his number 410 358 8281. that is his home number, dont know another number because he is not my personal Rav. Rabbi Hopfer is a gadol and a 'pikayach', he is wise and insightful, I know he has a connection with the school but I am not sure how much of a connection. you must ask him what he knows of it. Speaking to him, is truly consulting daas Torah, fortunate is Baltimore to have him in our community!

↑ almost

Mon, Oct 22 2012, 1:14 pm

If I am not mistaken, Ahavas Torah is 1-8 grades and is in the building across from the JCC. Baltimore Torah School used to be the name of the school but I think it isn't any more. It is the name of Rabbi Cadle's yeshiva that I think is in Agudah of Greenspring and is grades 9-12.

↑ Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Oct 22 2012, 1:47 pm

almost wrote:

Ok, there was a split, back when BTS was also called Ohr Yaakov.
Rabbi Belsky took BTS to its current position, before renaming it Ahavas Torah. I thought he retained the BTS name as well (based on a drop of work I helped with last summer).
Perhaps Rabbi Cadle retained BTS as the name when Ahavas Torah was renamed.

In either case, you're right.
Rabbi Belsky is for elementary through middle, Rabbi Cadle is for high school.
I believe they are unaffiliated at this point.