Baltimore Boys schools - TA

amother

DarkGray

Mon, Nov 04 2024, 11:54 pm

LOVE love love TA!
Been happy parents there for many years (my boys are spread out if you know what I mean)

Best to find somebody IRL to talk to about it probably. There is so much to say about any school that encompasses 3yr olds through 12th grade.

Our experience has been mostly with preschool, elementary and middle school. Only one of my boys stayed in TA for high school.
TA is a happy happy environment!
The Rebbeim in elementary and middle school are incredible! They are all stars in their own way. They are warm, loving, and encouraging. Some have more dynamic personalities, and others are less loud. There are four classes in each grade, so if the school thinks your son would do really well with a specific Rebbi personality, they will place your son in his class.
General studies is good. We have had overall great experiences in elementary school, middle school is a mixed bag, some awesome teachers and some who are clearly in the job just because they're looking for a part-time job. But overall it's been good.
the middle school atmosphere is really awesome. The principals are so caring, they look out for each boy. There are different academic levels in each grade, there is always a higher level shiur, and one or two Honors classes in each grade. They have a resource room, a lower-level general studies class and I heard there is now a new low-level gemara shiur for those who are struggling.
Elementary principals are great too!

TA is a community school,, which means that they accept pretty much everyone who wants to go there. Which means that there is quite a range of a parent body. I think 99.5% of moms cover their hair, there is a small yeshivish contingent, and a very small MO contingent. Most of hte school is probably Just Plain Frum, or modern yeshivish. If you have to label...
school rules include only staff being allowed to bring food for siyum/parties. Teachers are only allowed to give out cholov yisrael food to students.
There's a great hot lunch program, a pizza Fridays program.
The elementary has a chemdas - optional extra learning program which covers being tested on Jewish general knowledge and mishnayos. Participants go on a trip at the end of the year.
The nishmasi program is a program about staying low-tech. Those who follow the rules get prizes and trips if I remember correctly.
Boys are given their siddur at preschool graduation and their chumash when they start learning chumash after succos of first grade.
They start mishnayos in middle of 3rd grade, and gemara in middle of 5th grade.
They mark each of these milestones in a big way, the events are really beautiful each time. Parents always invited, and often grandparents too.

After 8th grade, vast majority of boys stay in Baltimore.
Some go to TA high school
Others go to Ner israel high school
several go to shlangers (more yeshivish)
many go to kesser torah.

a few will go out of town like to Riverdale, telz cleveland, Dallas, Minneapolis, Staten island, R Lieffs.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any specific questions.

amother

Whitesmoke

Tue, Nov 05 2024, 10:28 am

We LOVE TA. I have multiple boys that have gone there over the years. We only sent through 8th grade and no longer have any children there.

The kodesh and chol are solid. The Rabbaim are fantastic, warm and loving. My youngest son still calls his 8th grade Rebbe on a regular basis to say good shabbos and sees and greats his other Rabbaim when he sees them in shul or around town bein hazmanim.

I don't know how many parallel classes there are now. With my kids there were 3-4. We left the elementary school before R' Kahana retired but while R' Hexter was assistant, so I can't comment how it is now, as I have no clue. But R' Hexter was great as an assistant principal, so I assume he's still doing great as the principal now. Middle school is tracked. They really think of everything in the middle school for the boys to be successful both in school and a sound foundation for the future (not only in learning, but in many other aspects of life)

It's a community school so asking where they go after is a huge range. Are you talking after 8th or after 12th?

After 8th they go literally everywhere. I've heard boys staying in TA for high school, I've heard boys going to the local yeshivos (and every single one from Ner to Schlangers to Kesser Torah to Toras Chaim to Shaarei Chaim to YMC and YGW in Silver Spring), and some go out of town. Out of town really everywhere from WITS (chofetz chaim), Cherry Hill, Staten Island, Philly, Riverdale--really everywhere. Most boys stay local, but some do go out of town.

If you are asking after 12th it's more EY gap year type yeshivos. Some stay longer in EY or follow up with USA beis medresh programs after. After that some continue learning including in kollel and some go to work and some to college. Huge range. One of my son's favorite Rabbaim in middle school attended TA through high school. The Rebbe is such a special person and my son's learning skills exploded that year.

amother

Carnation ↓

Fri, Nov 08 2024, 10:22 am

I agree with almost all of the above.
One thing I'd point out is that in the middle school, every class is tracked. You'll see a big difference in the quality of Chol teachers for the honors track versus non-honors. However, all the rebbeim across the board is great.
Also, the majority of 8th grade graduates do not stay in TA for highschool. I think about 20% of them last year stayed. Probably about 65% of them go to other local yeshivos, and the remaining 15% go out of town.
I disagree with poster that said there's a "small yeshivish group". All these terms are relative, I suppose, but I would say it's probably about a third of the school at least that would identify as "yeshivish". This has increased over time as the community's culture has shifted as well.

amother

↑ Carnation ↓

Fri, Nov 08 2024, 10:23 am

amother Carnation wrote:

I agree with almost all of the above.
One thing I'd point out is that in the middle school, every class is tracked. You'll see a big difference in the quality of Chol teachers for the honors track versus non-honors. However, all the rebbeim across the board are great.
Also, the majority of 8th grade graduates do not stay in TA for highschool. I think about 20% of them last year stayed. Probably about 65% of them go to other local yeshivos, and the remaining 15% go out of town.
I disagree with poster that said there's a "small yeshivish group". All these terms are relative, I suppose, but I would say it's probably about a third of the school at least that would identify as "yeshivish". This has increased over time as the community's culture has shifted as well.