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Testimonials
Our Parents | Our Students | Our Graduates | Other Educators
What Our Parents Say
"Despite being incredibly bright, our son failed miserably at a regular school. We knew from experience that he learns best with personal attention. [BFA's] scheduling flexibility has enabled us to correct some of his health problems, and his enthusiasm for work has been a big surprise to all of us."
"BFA meets a great need because both public and certain private schools
do very little to address alternative ways to teach children who cannot learn
by traditional or conventional methods."
"[In terms of meeting individual student needs], it is superior to conventional schools academically....It makes success possible by removing the mental obstacles of pressure and time and replacing them with personal motivation and responsibility for oneself."
"The delivery of the traditional educational model did not mesh with my son's individual needs....[It] was similar to the task of fitting a square peg into a round hole."
"Our daughter did not receive enough individual attention to stimulate her desire to learn. The conventional schools did not acknowledge her individual learning style and therefore did not work with her strengths."
"There will always be a place for small schools like Ben Franklin. In fact, there may be a greater need today than there was when I was growing up. Any child whose needs are not being met in a conventional classroom situation would benefit from the one-on-one experience that Ben Franklin offers."
"I see small schools saving kids' lives-helping them to be whole and helping them to find their place in the world."
What Our Students Say
"This school meets my needs well because it is flexible with my schedule
and need for independent work. I feel like I have matured a lot from this experience.
I have to be self-motivated, which prepares me for college."
"[BFA meets my needs] very well. I have never seen teachers extend themselves more. I feel great knowing that I was exposed to something this great. It almost makes up for all the bad things I experienced everywhere else."
"I feel confident and like I am actually learning....I love BFA and am so glad it's here for me."
"I feel much smarter and much more secure knowing that there are people who know and care about my learning disabilities."
"I felt my experiences at other schools were difficult to deal with, and every school I attended before BFA seems to be very fast-paced, high- stressed, and very pressured. I felt that BFA was the best solution to these problems. Ben Franklin meets my needs to the fullest. I feel more confident and sure of myself and where I'm going in life. I feel more educated and responsible, and also feel more determined in life."
What Our Graduates Say
"I sought in school to know myself and found that I'm not who I thought
I was. I'm someone better."
"My most vivid memory is coming into a warm, supportive atmosphere and receiving the one-on-one help I needed."
"At BFA, I learned to my astonishment that high school didn't have to be oppressive."
"Thank you for saving my life. The years at Ben Franklin have been the happiest of my life."
"I love the way the faculty respected me for who I was and for my originality."
"Thank you for creating a school where the focus is not negative punishment but positive reinforcement. Not only have I learned a great deal, but I have learned about people and more about how the world works."
What Other Educators Say
"The learning environment that is created by the philosophical underpinnings of the institution is characterized by the greatest possible teacher-student contact and rapport. Small classes are a high priority at BFA (a low student-teacher ratio is carefully maintained). As a consequence, students receive much individual attention, and it is possible for teachers to know their students very well both academically and personally."
"The overall atmosphere within the classroom (and within the administrative offices) is structured but not authoritarian. It is a caring atmosphere in which learning and growth can occur, but which also requires that students take increasing responsibility for their progress."
"The beliefs, mission, and guiding principles are embedded in the hearts and minds of parents, students, administration, faculty, staff and governing board members. Recognition and honor of individual differences are evident throughout the school's written documents and daily practices. The ambience within the school’s facilities exemplifies caring. Instruction is delivered in engaging, flexible, calming, and comforting environments. Feelings of success and confidence are evident among students."
"The positive supportive relationship between teachers and students emerged often among students and parents as a predominant characteristic of the Ben Franklin experience."
SACS-SAIS Dual Accreditation Team Report Excerpts
SACS-SAIS Dual Accreditation Team Members
Dr. Penny Honneycutt
Director of Education
Inner Harbour School
Mr. Elliot Galloway
Headmaster Emeritus
The Galloway School
Ms. Nancy B. Clark
Instructional Technology Coordinator
Dekalb County School Systems
Instructional Technology
Dr. Carmaleta Monteith
Retired Interim Head
Marist School
