Babcock Neighborhood Schools Falling Short?

 

In an episode of Abbott Elementary, a charter school runs an attack ad against the under-resourced and scrappy public school.

 

 

The ad impugns the Abbott teachers and includes the tagline: “Charter schools are how we can get good teachers the support they need.”

 

Babcock Neighborhood School (BNS), along with the middle and high school, has the whole Abbott setup inverted.

 

These Babcock charter schools face chronic teacher shortages that are affecting the quality of education and frustrating students and parents to the point that educational options both in and outside the community are being seriously considered.

 

First, let’s review the Babcock schools and their educational models.

Close, But No Cigar?

Are you looking for the convenience of not having to commute a long distance from Babcock Ranch to drop off or pick up your child from school?

 

Located in the heart of the community, BNS focuses on integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics within a holistic learning environment (GreenSTEAM). 

 

Babcock schools are K-12 charter schools. A charter school is a free, publicly funded educational provider that operates under a performance-based contract, or “charter,” independent of the outside, larger school district.

 

The Babcock schools have made significant investments in new athletic facilities like baseball fields and a football stadium that opened two years ago.

 

From elementary through middle and high school, teachers focus on project-based learning (PBL). Project-based learning aims to evoke critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students while adhering to Florida’s state standards and curriculum. 

 

BNS opened in 2017 and Babcock High School (BHS; pictured below) opened in 2022. The newly completed middle school opened at the beginning of this school year.

 

 

The latter features 36 classrooms with space for the arts and physical education.

 

If you are interested in the BNS elementary, middle or high school, you need to enter a lottery on the school’s website.

 

Priority is given to Babcock and Charlotte County residents, and proof of residency is required.

 

Babcock Neighborhood Schools: “Teachers Have Been Dropping Tremendously”

Nationwide teacher shortages are hitting BNS hard.

 

We spoke to a Babcock High School senior, Student #1, who said the problem has been brewing for years.

 

“Since my sophomore year, teachers have been dropping tremendously, mainly due to quitting,” Student #1 explains. “I started off with seven teachers this year, and now I’m down to four.”

 

BNS Teacher Shortage: Low Pay or Underappreciated?

 

What are the causes of the teacher shortage at Babcock schools? Florida does rank last in average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association.

 

A BHS sophomore, Student #2, who is leaving the school at the end of this year, says that the Babcock charter schools are not getting the support they need, ironically, the opposite message from the fictional Abbott Elementary attack ad.

 

“What I heard from my [former] teacher [who quit], what she told me, is that she was just being overworked because they make the teachers there [substitute teach] other classes, but they don’t get paid for it,” Student #2 says. “They just have to do it. They’ll take their free periods where they do planning to sub other classes. They just get overworked. I think that’s why a lot of teachers leave.”

 

Supporters of the Babcock schools cite national teacher shortages as the main culprit.

 

Danielle Grandmaison, a Babcock resident and New Hampshire transplant, has two of her boys enrolled in the middle school and, when asked about overworking existing teachers, says, “I think that it’s a result of desperation.”

 

“They don’t have a lot of people applying for teaching jobs right now,” the former first-grade teacher, who burned out on the profession, points out. “Then they have more people leaving than they have applying everywhere.”

 

“A High School That Doesn’t Have Teachers”

Some students disagree that the Babcock school problem is nationalized.

Student #2 says new students to the school see the problem as endemic to Babcock schools.

 

“I think it’s more than just the school because I know that a lot of kids who have switched to Babcock from other schools have said that it’s like they’ve never heard of a high school that doesn’t have teachers in classes,” Student #2 comments. “I think it’s mainly a problem specifically at our school.”

 

Both students have contacted administrators and report that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

 

“I’ve emailed the principal closer to the beginning of the school year about the theater class because we haven’t had a teacher in that class since October,” Student #2 remarks. “She just never replied, or she asked to make a meeting with me after I emailed her a few times. Then, when the meeting came, she canceled it. Then, when I tried to reschedule, she just didn’t reply.”

 

BNS Administrators: Take It or Leave It?

 

Some parents critical of the school echo the blow-off treatment.

 

“From what I’ve heard from other parents, if you go in and say something to the administration about not liking the school, their attitude is, ‘We have a waiting list, so you can leave the school and somebody else will come in and take your place,’” observed one parent and Babcock resident who has had four kids in the various Babcock schools at one time or another.

 

Babcock Resident Rebecca Leasure counters the narrative that the school is unresponsive. She has two middle schoolers and “can’t say enough nice things about this school.”

 

“Any time I’ve reached out, which really hasn’t been much, my questions were answered immediately,” Leasure adds. “I’ve had all positive.”

 

Babcock Schools Curriculum: Project-Based Packets?

The Babcock High School football stadium is part of the 23-acre William and Mary Ann Smith Sport Complex that opened in the fall of 2024.

 

BNS parents also differ on the school’s primary project-based learning approach.

The parent with four children enrolled in the school at one time or another paints the PBL emphasis as a mirage.

 

“The draw of the school is that there’s supposed to be project-based learning and less focus on homework and grades and more focus on projects, which was what drew us to the city,” the parent explains. “My older kids have barely done any PBLs, and they do have homework and some emphasis on grades and test scores. It seems there’s a lot of emphasis on test scores, standardized tests. My kids, their experiences, they’re coming home with worksheet packets and not the projects.”

 

Student #1 underscores the packet curriculum where the worksheets are cribbed from A.I.

 

“I have a sub for theater and instead of doing usual music theater activities such as singing, dancing and acting, we are receiving worksheets made by our principal that the sub hands out to us,” Student #1 explains. “The worksheets are also obviously made using ChatGPT.”

 

Grandmaison, the former educator with two middle schoolers, counters that her children are still benefiting from the project-based curriculum.

 

“They do smaller projects,” she explains. “Not all of them are really big, giant ones.”

 

Launch the Spin Zone

 

The school is aware of the festering staff shortage problems and encourages parents and students to contact administrators.

 

Babcock Schools Executive Director Shannon Treece recently circulated a letter advocating the school’s open-door policy while acknowledging chronic teacher shortages:

 

“Like schools across Florida and across the nation, we are operating within a well-documented teacher workforce shortage,” Ms. Treece wrote.

 

Later in the letter, she spells out a call to action:  “Our priority is always open and productive communication with families. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s educational experience, the most effective way to address them is through direct communication with school leadership.”

 

Other Options For Babcock Parents

 

If your enthusiasm for Babcock schools is fading, luckily, there are other options for Babcock parents and people considering a move to the community.

 

Babcock Ranch has several convenient schools within the community. People looking for non-traditional models can explore other options nearby.

 

Bloom Academy (Cypress Commons Campus)

As a working parent, you want to enroll your child in a convenient childcare facility that acts as a second home for your preschooler. You want nothing short of a home away from home for your little one. 

 

Bloom Academy, which moved into a new building behind the new Babcock fire and police stations, aims to create a holistic environment for young children to learn, thrive and grow. The facility is an Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE). 

 

The new building doubled the school’s capacity to about 300 students and features 18 classrooms for one- to four-year-olds.

 

The school is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 5:45pm.

 

Bloom is a screen-free facility that follows the Beautiful Thinkers curriculum and is managed by a full-time curriculum specialist.

 

The curriculum stresses hands-on learning through art, play and interaction with nature.

 

The school hires qualified staff who are vetted through the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) childcare program. All staff are also subject to a thorough background check so that parents can rest assured about the safety of their children.

 

Parents can take comfort in the school’s reliance on manageable teacher-student ratios that are lower than DCF requirements.

 

For example, there is one teacher per five one-year-olds; one instructor per seven-year-olds; one per nine three-year-olds and one teacher per 11 four-year-olds. 

 

Some parents worry about taking their children to daycare because they fear they won’t have access to quality products. Bloom Academy is on it and sources organic diapers, lotions, creams and food so that your child remains comfortable all day long. 

 

The school maintains a high level of cleanliness by hiring a cleaning crew that uses organic products. Besides child care services, the kids learn age-appropriate content about their environment, food and art that helps develop social skills.

 

If you’re interested in Bloom Academy, schedule a tour by visiting the school’s website.

 

Schools Near Babcock Ranch

 

There are many schools outside Babcock Ranch if you don’t mind the commute.

Classical Christian Academy (CCA)

Located in North Fort Myers, the Classical Christian Academy (CCA) offers a hybrid of homeschooling and traditional in-person teaching. The school offers learning opportunities from kindergarten to 12th grade. 

 

CCA takes a classical approach to learning, where students are given room to think through information and deduce ideas that begin to weave into a web of ingenuity in their minds. CCA also incorporates Christian beliefs in teaching children about life, education and family. 

 

The school offers a flexible learning program that allows 7th-12th graders to choose their preferred classes and services. This is an important aspect of learning because it teaches your child independence from a young age. 

 

The Classical Christian Academy also offers athletics as part of extracurricular activities because it’s integral to a child’s development. There are basketball and soccer programs designed for K-5th graders. 

 

Middle schoolers play volleyball, basketball and soccer while high schoolers have the option to play for Lee County Home School teams or join any other teams in the community. 

 

Woodland Nature Montessori School

Do you want your child to spend time exploring the Calusa Nature Center? The Woodland Nature Montessori School is calling. 

 

Located in the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium property, a short 25 miles from Babcock, the school offers a Montessori program for children aged 3-6. Children aged 4-6 explore the nature reserve in the afternoons, of course, with the guidance of their teachers. 

 

Montessori is a learning approach in which students interact with their environment and make self-guided decisions. Facilitators are there to supervise age-appropriate activities to guide the learning process. Children work individually and in groups to explore their maximum potential. 

 

Babcock Ranch Homeschoolers

 

If you’re looking for a non-traditional method of learning for your child, Babcock Ranch has something for every type of learner. 

 

Homeschooling is a mode of learning growing more popular among parents and children alike who reject the cookie-cutter approach of traditional schools, where anything from bullying in the hallway to, in the extreme, mass casualty shootings can explode.

 

Homeschooling is an option at The Ranch. If you decide to homeschool your child, it’s important to join support groups for parents in similar situations.

 

Support groups can be formal or informal. Informal meetings involve parents coming together to form groups to consult with one another about academics. Occasionally, the parents will also plan meetings, play dates or extracurricular activities for their children. 

 

Formal support groups for homeschoolers involve parents either volunteering or hiring staff to coach their children in specific subjects. In most cases, such setups will involve hiring a common meeting place for teachers and students. With technological advancements, it’s possible for students to learn online. 

 

Join a Babcock Ranch homeschooling support group to exchange ideas and give your child a holistic learning experience. 

 

Stuck With School Shortages?

BNS Parent Crystal Boff has three of her children in Babcock schools and attributes some of the schools’ problems to growing pains.

 

There are outside options to Babcock schools, but most still require a lengthy commute.

 

“It’s really difficult to find any school options that are not on a huge drive in the morning,” the one parent we spoke to adds. “Especially with the traffic on 31 now, you’d have to leave at least an hour in advance. If you think about it, then if you drop your kid off, drive home and go back to pick them up, you’re driving four hours a day just to not have them be at Babcock School, which is a lot.”

Perception Is Reality

 

Whether Babcock schools are good or not depends on who you speak to.

 

There is no question, however, that teacher shortages have battered the schools.

 

At this point, the perception is the reality. Many think Babcock schools are bad.

The last word goes to a Babcock resident Crystal Boff  who has three kids in the schools. She’s seen BNS grow over 700% since its inception.

 

“I guess I choose to see the good things that the school is doing,” Boff concludes. “We choose to see the positives, the things that they’re doing right, the things that they’re doing for our kids and the programs that they’re putting in place. To me, the positives far outweigh the challenges.”

For expert advice on educational opportunities in and near Babcock Ranch, contact Team John Garuti, a real estate team that specializes in new construction and has sold over 600 homes in the community:

• Let’s talk Babcock.

• Let’s tour Babcock.

• Ask questions in our free Moving to Babcock Ranch Facebook Group.

• Call Team John Garuti at (239) 251-2371.