Testimonials from People Who Know
Vero Beach’s best alternative education
The Willow School has been providing an outstanding education to children in Vero Beach since 2004. Over the past decade, our students have flourished in Willow’s nurturing, safe school setting, and have excelled academically. Willow graduates have gone on to high school and college often ranking in the top 10 of their classes. Most of our graduates go on to take honors and Advanced Placement courses in high school, where they continue to show academic prowess. Additionally, we have proudly watched our graduates get accepted into competitive colleges both in Florida as well as across the United States.
Statements from students and parents provide perspective and allow for the voices of our community to speak. The Willow School provides Vero Beach with an alternative educational option. Our families have come to us primarily from other public and private schools. Although some of our families have previously home-schooled their children, believing that Vero Beach had no alternative education for them until they found us.
Despite coming from a variety of different educational backgrounds, once at Willow, the children grow and thrive. Most even say this is the best school they have ever attended. Children who formerly struggled in school have their learning re-ignited at Willow. Parents find their children suddenly want to go to school, sometimes for the first time in their educational careers. Please read what our parents, students and alumni have to say about this Vero Beach school and the great alternative education we are providing.
What Alumni Are Saying
Testimonials from our former students
Julia Best, graduate of The Willow School, now attending Brown University:
Their caring staff and amazing education changed my life and turned going to Brown University from a dream into reality. I will always be grateful for my time at The Willow School.
Kasia Wake, graduate of The Willow School, now attending IRCHS:
I’m currently a freshman at Indian River Charter High school. I attended Willow for four years, and I feel that it definitely prepared me for high school on several different levels. All of the projects they assigned, taught me to prioritize when I had a lot of work due at the same time, which has kept me very organized.
Willow also put me at ease socially because their small class-sizes gave me an opportunity build my confidence and become much less shy. With the start of my freshman year I felt comfortable with the significant increase of students around me, and adjusted quickly to greater emphasis on tests and homework. Overall, I found it to be an easy transition. I’m currently enrolled in all honors classes, and am maintaining all A’s!
Lily Kenney, graduate of The Willow School, now attending University of Montana:
Many people who see the [Willow] school wonder if their children will be prepared for high school upon graduation. The answer is obvious, based on the fact that every alumni I know, is doing incredibly well in school, has many friends, and is immersed in extra-curricular activities. I was number eleven in my high school, with a 4.1 GPA. come.
What Parents Are Saying
Testimonials from the parents of our extraordinary students
Read what these parents have to say about their experience at this unique Indian River County school. Maybe after reading what they say, you will think this is the right school for your child as well!
Alicia Mason, parent of Willow School graduate:
In the last 2 ½ years Joshua attended The Willow School, he not only caught up to grade level in both spelling and writing, he excelled. Perhaps more importantly, JOSHUA LOVED SCHOOL! He looked forward to the summer ending before his 8th grade year because he couldn’t wait to get back to school. He never dreaded going to school. That meant a lot coming from a child who used to complain about how much he hated school.
Read Alicia’s entire Willow School testimonial letter
Charity Plum, parent of two Willow School students:
Like any parent, I only want the best for my children. After months of searching for the right school for my boys in Indian River County, we decided upon the Willow School. The individualized attention and learning levels, as well as the loving, nurturing environment makes the Willow School a great place for our kids. My son recently came up to me while I was doing laundry and asked, “Mommy, can I go next year?”
“Go next year where sweetie?”
“To the Willow School?”
“Yes, you can.”
“YES!!!” As he pulled his fist back into his side full of excitement and ran out of the laundry room. Moments like these, as well as many others, reassures me we made the right decision to send our kids to the Willow School. My husband and I couldn’t be happier.
Gina Battle, parent of two Willow School students:
As a parent I have a zillion times stated that my first and foremost favorite part of this school was knowing my children were ’emotionally safe’ in every aspect. The children working in groups and the multiple presentations of projects I believe also helps this issue. I have seen first hand how many times Willow staff have guided students with conflict resolution and it has been totally admirable. Teachers have assisted students in situations to face each other and to be able to communicate their feelings and work through them. And sometimes there needs to be consequences. You can’t force all people to like all people – but you can force the issue of respect and to treat others the way they want to be treated – and from that I think a broader understanding slowly follows.”
Leslie Cracraft, parent of a Willow School graduate:
I would like to express my thanks to the Willow School. My daughter was one of the students in the Willow School’s first sixth grade class. Gabi had a difficult time in public school. She began to thrive with the small class sizes, project based learning and caring consistent teachers. She always enjoyed reading, but her writing improved greatly at Willow. I was especially impressed with her presentation on the Middle Ages and the Black Death and the class play on Civil Rights written and performed by the students. The other students were caring and supportive as well. The student singing and serving at the annual Waffle Breakfast was a highlight of every year. If the Willow School had had a high school, I would not have moved away from Indian River County.
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