American Boys​ Preparatory           Academy

• Too much time sitting still -- at ABPA, we promote engaging in physical activities for up to 90 minutes each day.
• Teachers who instruct at a pace that is too fast or too slow -- at ABPA, the great majority of learning is self-paced and learning coaches are on-site to assist when a student is having difficulty progressing on his own.  Students are also encouraged to help each other (while complying with the honor code) since the act of teaching reinforces the teacher's understanding.
• Being forced to learn subject matter that is not valued by the family or student -- at ABPA, parents, students, and learning coaches meet to set minimum standards for each knowledge area and then closely monitor progress throughout the school year.  As long as students are on track to meet the minimum standards as agreed, they are free to spend more time on the subjects or activities which interest them most.
• Being forced to do worksheets and other practice exercises that are too easy or too difficult - at ABPA, practice exercises are tailored to be at the appropriate level of difficulty.  Once mastery is achieved, the objective has been met.  Time is not wasted doing busy work.
• Too much homework -- at ABPA, homework is always optional.  The expectation is that time away from school will be spent connecting with family and friends and involve rest, relaxation, play and other non-academic activities such as worship and hobbies.  Too much time and emphasis on academics can turn the joyful activity of learning into a tedious and stress-inducing job. 
• Closed book tests and quizzes -- at ABPA, we do not expect our students to stay up late memorizing a lot of useless trivia to regurgitate the next day for a teacher and then soon forget.  We expect our students to demonstrate mastery of concepts, not trivia.
• Report cards -- at ABPA, we do not issue report cards with letter grades.  Instead of issuing quarterly and annual subjective assessments, ABPA learning coaches regularly meet with students and parents to impartially review progress made against agreed-upon goals.   

• All the homework and other after-school obligations that put stress on busy parents as well as students - at ABPA, we work efficiently in school so that there is no need to do school work outside of school.  
• Teachers and administrators who forget that their purpose is to serve parents and students - at ABPA, there is no confusion that our students and their parents are our clients.  You are paying us to provide an exceptional educational experience for your son and we will strive daily to continue to earn your patronage.
• Schools indoctrinating students and/or exposing children to material deemed offensive or inappropriate -- at ABPA, we keep parents apprised of our curriculum and make it easy for parents to opt-out if there is any material that parents do not want to be shared with their sons. Incorporating parental control makes ABPA a wonderful homeschool alternative.  Additionally, we have cameras that parents can access remotely whenever they like so that they can see how their son is spending his time.
• The seemingly incessant requests for time and/or money -- at ABPA, we prepare a budget that is aligned to the revenues we receive from your tuition payments.  We do not engage in efforts to extract more money from parents or look to parents as a source of free labor.
• Needing to arrange parents' schedules around the school's schedule -- at ABPA, because most of the learning is self-paced, it rarely matters when you drop off or pick up your child.  You can drop off and pick up anytime between 7:30 am and 6:30 pm.  Note: There is a charge of $15 per hour for early drop off (before 8:30 am) or late pick up (after 3:30 pm). Meetings with school staff members can be held whenever it is most convenient for parents, including evenings and weekends.  We will not impose on parents by closing our doors to attend teacher conferences, teacher conventions, teacher training, teacher union meetings, etc.  Our school year is longer than the traditional public school year to accommodate the scheduling of family vacations when it's most convenient for families.
  
• Too much emphasis on high stakes testing -- at ABPA, we do not "teach to the test" because, as a general rule, ABPA is a test-free zone.  For example, families will not have to opt-out of the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) because, as a private school, we are not required to administer this test.  The exceptions are as follows:  
  1. Private high school admissions exams -- for families interested in applying to high schools that require a private school admissions exam such as the ISEE or SSAT, we will administer mock exams and provide some complimentary group test prep coaching.
     
  2. College admissions exams -- for families with 14-year olds who want their sons to get a jump start on the SAT or ACT, we will provide some complimentary group test prep coaching.
  3. Certifications exams -- for certifications such as First Aid and Boat Safety. 

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