Families » Meet SOF Families

Meet SOF Families

Lisa Davis

Parent of Isabella and Julianna Davis ‘20 and Member of the School Leadership Team (SLT)

Why did you select School of the Future for your student?
I felt that School of the Future (SOF) would cater to the individual learning needs of my children. To me, this meant providing an environment that would celebrate their strengths and also help them with their challenges in a proactive and positive way. In addition, I wanted my children to be in a school with a diverse population of students. Finally, I also wanted a school that I felt would address any bullying or social situations that can often arise in the middle school years.

What is your impression of SOF from your student? How have they grown since attending SOF?
To answer, I will quote my children directly in terms of their experiences and impressions. “The teachers challenge and believe in us. We love SOF.” In terms of growth, I have found that my children are becoming more independent and accountable for their school work. I expect this to increase as they continue to mature and with guidance from the SOF faculty.

What is the most important aspect of your student’s education and how is SOF helping to attain that?
Education and attaining a solid education has always been in focus in our family. SOF encourages hard work, wants its students to challenge themselves but also encourages students to be critical and independent thinkers. We very much like this balance.

What is the role of Parents in the SOF school community?
From my perspective, I believe the role of any parent is to be engaged as much as possible in their children’s education and school community, which can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Attendance at PTA meetings, volunteering to assist with events, providing ways to increase fundraising, and, most importantly, partnering and collaborating with teachers to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom are some examples of parent involvement. Asking how can I help, finding out what is needed and keeping an open dialogue with teachers and the school’s administration—the more involvement from parents, the stronger the school community becomes for our children.

Steve Rocco

Parent of Mateo Rocco ’15

Why did you select School of the Future for your son?
We were looking for a school with the ability to closely connect with our son. SOF’s small class sizes and caring administration and teachers allowed Mateo to connect and build real relationships with his teachers and the administration. At the same time, those same educators took the time to really get to know the parents, which we felt was equally important. Over time, these close relationships have helped Mateo progress and allowed the parents to have close contact and insight into Mateo’s development. We also felt the educational program involving the class and teacher structure as well as the preparation of portfolios and exhibitions really suited Mateo.

What is your impression of SOF from your son?
Mateo is extremely happy at SOF and offers positive feedback on his own, which says a lot! He’s also reinforced the positiveness of the relationships he’s built at SOF.

How has he grown since attending SOF?
Mateo has matured and grown in so many ways at SOF. While the school provides a caring atmosphere, it also pushed him to take on more and more responsibility. Mateo realizes and understands he’s the one who has to get his work completed. And not just completed, but done on time and done well.

What is the most important aspect of your son’s education and how is SOF helping to attain that?
We’ve always stressed the importance of education. SOF is helping Mateo not just prepare to move on from high school to college, but also to realize and appreciate the importance of education.

What is the role of the Parents in the SOF school community?
Obviously any school needs support from the parent community, but SOF does a great job of getting parents involved in ways that suit their talents. And as I mentioned earlier, SOF welcomes a deeper parent involvement and really welcomes building relationships with the parent community. We are so happy we found SOF and continually recommend it to other parents.

Wendy Chatman

Parent of Carly and Rocky ‘19 and Ally ‘16

Why did you select School of the Future?
When my first child walked into SOF for a tour, she turned to me and said, “I like the vibe here.” It’s been 5 years, and that feeling has never changed. Specifically, I was immediately impressed by the emphasis on academic achievement and emotional growth. I also had the feeling – and it has proved to be true for all three of my children who attend SOF – that each would be treated as an individual. There is no single cookie-cutter vision of a student at the school. Rather, there is a focus on developing unique strengths and overcoming unique challenges. Add all that to teachers and staff that I think are unsurpassed in their skill and commitment – which, we all know, means everything.

What is your impression of SOF from your students? How have they grown since attending SOF?
My kids all like SOF, again not in a cookie-cutter way but in a way that seems very authentic to me. They don’t pretend to believe that any school (or any place) is perfect.  Rather, they work their way through the challenges that come up. And they appreciate the patience and dedication of their teachers. I can’t quantify their growth since attending SOF because it is a constant. Teenage years are complex and they continue to evolve. SOF realizes this and works with each student to make him/her feel as successful as possible.

What is the most important aspect of your students’ educations and how is SOF helping to attain that?
Again, I wanted a school that sees what my kids can do … and then inspires them to do even more. Our school is rigorous academically.  It is.  But, the students can handle it … they do handle it. They also develop as people – finding that emotional and social balance.  It’s all important, and the school works to nurture the kids.

What is the role of the Parents in the SOF school community?
The doors are open! Unlike other schools my children have attended, the parents are not merely tolerated. They are welcomed as a vibrant part of the school. The teachers and staff seem open to parent input and seem interested in having meaningful dialogue.

Richard Martin Langberg

Parent of Noah ’18 and Anika ’16

Why did you select School of the Future for your student?
The strong reviews it had from people we knew and trusted whose children attended SOF plus the strong emphasis on writing and reading.

What is your impression of SOF from your student? How have they grown since attending SOF?
Our children are motivated, challenged and excited by what SOF offers them each day and they enjoy the learning opportunities presented to them by the strong faculty. They are both more confident socially as well as academically from their time at SOF.

What is the most important aspect of your student’s education and how is SOF helping to attain that?
Being prepared to be confident, happy and productive people upon graduation with a desire to continue learning throughout life. SOF helps by exciting the students to learn new things in new ways.

What is the role of Parents in the SOF school community?
To support their children in achieving their goals and helping the school community where possible to ensure the school environment is conducive in allowing all students to meet their objectives.