December 3, 2018

To all concerned or interested parents of school-age children:

I am writing on behalf of the Troy School, an entity to which I will be eternally grateful.

We have two sons who, at the end of the 2009 school year, had just completed kindergarten and a second year of preschool in the state of Michigan. At that point we were not thrilled with our schooling options. We felt that the larger the classroom, the more our kids would be pulled to the middle, both academically and from a maturity standpoint.

Neither my wife nor I have the patience or skills for home schooling, but we knew that the more attention our children received the more likely they would excel. Furthermore we believed that the first several years of grade school build the foundation for the rest of a child’s academic career.

We moved to Troy, due to the school, in the Fall of 2009. We arrived three days before our boys started first grade and Kindergarten. At the time we knew we were fortunate to stumble into the Troy School, but a decade later we’re even more thankful.

Home schooling by a professional, paid for by Oregon. For a young child and parents who care, is there anything better than this? Our boys were self-paced for six years. They left Troy at least one year ahead in every subject and two years ahead in several. Now, as high school students, my boys are on track to graduate early if they choose to do so.

A distraction- and bullying-free academic environment. The traditional academic environment lends itself to just the opposite, as 20% of the students require 80% of the attention. And you know it’s the distracting 20%.

Intimate relationship with the teacher and school board. Your access to both are unlimited, and because there are so few students you are definitely the customer. When was the last time you felt like a customer in a traditional educational environment? Even the ESD leadership in Enterprise was tremendously helpful to my children. The children who succeed in any school are those who are blessed with the advocacy of their parents. Going to school in Troy is the ultimate advocacy.

Community support. I can assure you that you’ve never been welcomed like you are welcomed as a Troy School parent. Everyone wants you, and your children, to succeed.

Family strength. When you live in Troy many of life’s distractions simply don’t exist. Your whole family learns to truly love each other, in large part because there’s not a lot of choice! We left Troy three years ago and to this day our family bond is exceptional. We credit this to our time in Troy.

After six years in Troy we reluctantly felt compelled to provide a new experience for our boys. Now, at 14 and 15 years old they are mature, confident and humble. Of course sometimes they’re typical frustrating teenage boys, but they are absolutely wonderful family members with great futures. Troy School remains a huge part of their core selves.

Thank you Troy School!

From the first day, I knew coming to Troy was the right move for my family. My youngest son, a fifth grader, couldn't stop talking about the science experiment they had done that day. His eyes were huge with excitement explaining all the different steps to me. It was obvious he had fun, but more so that he fully understood the project. This from a kid who normally hated school. Now, he loves science. Thanks to the personalized, one-on-one attention from the teachers, my children have improved greatly, and they have fun while being challenged.

Troy is a small, close knit community which centers around the school. Often there are community potlucks where neighbors can visit and catch up on local news. The children especially enjoy these events as they get to show off the new songs they've learned on the piano and enjoy many homemade treats.

The music teacher is very talented and dedicated, and the music program is much more in-depth than at other schools. In the few short months since school started, the boys have learned many songs on the piano and have started learning drums, the ukulele, as well as writing their own lyrics.

With the remote location of our home, I was unsure if attending the school would even be possible. Thanks to the caring efforts of the school board, we were able to make it happen. Our situation was unique, and the school board worked with us every step of the way in order to get the children the education they deserve. Thanks to the Board and the community, my sons receive a top-notch education in an environment surrounded by beautiful scenic views and wildlife.

The teachers of Tory are passionate in what they do and they make learning fun and exciting. They encourage the children's curiosity and have instilled a newfound love of learning. Troy may be a small school, but the memories and knowledge my kids gain here will stay with them always, and I could not ask for a better learning experience.