Chrysalis has been the perfect fit for my son. I moved my son from public school to Montessori school in the 4th grade because he was not getting what he needed in the public school system. He sat in the middle with the system: no learning disability and no exceptional gifted abilities. An average boy. Popular with his friends, athletic and not interested in sitting in class for hours on end.
Much of his day was spent with his teacher shaming him for being “off task” and not focusing. He lost his confidence and disliked going to school.

Montessori worked for a few years, but then became very rigorous academically in the 7th grade. The same thing began to happen again. I could see his confidence being affected. This beautiful child is an average student, but an exceptional human being. He deserved more. He deserved to be in an atmosphere that rewards him for who he is and encourages his interests.
For 8th grade, I found Chrysalis! It has been a game changer!

Chrysalis customizes education to each student.  My son hated homework…he gets it all done at school before he leaves. My son hated the repetition of Math problems. He works one-on-one with a Math teacher to learn individually. Time is not wasted on things he already knows. They can concentrate on his personal learning needs.  My son is happy and confident. There are about twenty 8th graders and he has many friends. He looks forward to going to school each day and is learning like never before. He looks forward to staying at Chrysalis through High School and is already talking about what colleges he would like to go to.

Lastly, I must share and experience: His English teacher stopped me one day when I ran into school to drop something off. In the past, this would have incited dread in me. She said, ”I just want to tell you how wonderful your son is.” I cried. I have never been told that by a teacher. He is a wonderful boy. Thank you, Chrysalis!

After a couple of years in another private school my son started to fall behind in a couple of subjects, besides hurting him academically, this was also beginning to effect his social interactions at school, and his self esteem. His school suggested that we get him some outside help so we began to enroll him in after school reading labs and tutoring sessions. Homework started to get difficult, arguments would rear up over misunderstandings. He seemed to be unhappy and struggling with the fact that his other class mates knew he wasn’t keeping up. We would have many conversations about how he felt he was “stupid” and how the other kids were starting to tease him more often about being a little behind. After multiple meetings with the faculty and administration we decided that the school did not have the proper tools to help my son get through the obstacles he was facing in the classroom.

I had also struggled with some of the same issues in school and as an adolescent I was diagnosed with auditory memory dyslexia. My own mother had searched for ways to help me, tutors and after school programs, special education programs, anything that was available to struggling students, but nothing seemed to help me. I remember feeling that I was somehow less than others, I was angry, and often wanted to just give up, which I tried on several occasions. I fell behind in school, almost a whole year, when in 1992 my mother found Chrysalis. My teacher helped me one on one, he was able to change the curriculum to fit my learning style and explained things to me in a way that I understood. I began to get a handle on the concepts that had eluded me in the past and it felt great! I worked hard and made up the year that I was behind, keeping that momentum I was also able to graduate a year early. After graduating from Chrysalis I was accepted into BYU Hawaii, another amazing feat considering the direction I was headed just a few short years earlier, I have no doubt that Chrysalis changed my life forever.

My son is now going on his second year at Chrysalis, after just one year he is right back where he should be academically, his self esteem has skyrocketed and he is happy, he is actually enjoying school for a change, and is definitely “sick” a lot less. - 1994 Chrysalis School Graduate and Parent

Mike has worked as a professional actor since the age of 8. He literally “grew up” on the stage at the Village Theater.

In our house we encourage our children to go further than just asking ‘why?’…..we encourage them to ask “why NOT?” and then help them pursue their dreams and passions at the same time as working on their academia. We believe that a World view fosters empathy, understanding and a belief that they can create change in the world.

While dreams and passions fuel the fire, academics give the knowledge and understanding of how to make change happen. At Chrysalis Mike has been honored in his passion while being given a very rigorous academic schedule to encourage and feed his need for knowledge.
Mike was recently in the feature film World’s Greatest Dad starring Robin Williams. The staff at Chrysalis have allowed him time to go on auditions and work on set during filming of various projects. He most recently performed at the Village Theaters Fund Raising Luncheon for the Kidstage programs – a gig he willingly volunteers for every year.

He also loves traveling. He has been to Machu Picchu and Patagonia. He recently traveled to Spain for a home stay Spanish immersion program the month of June and will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with his Dad in late January of 2010. Again, without being enrolled in Chrysalis, these life-altering trips would not be possible.

As parents, we would not settle for anything less in a school than one that applies the same philosophy we do here at home. These children are the future of our world. We need to honor them, believe in them and hold them up to as high a standard as is possible. They will truly rise if they are allowed the freedom to believe in themselves (i.e. follow their dreams or passions) and if they are given the tools with which to continue learning throughout their lives (i.e. challenging course studies and supportive teachers)” -Jacquie Moore