Mom from the Bronx

I wanted to drop you a note. I understand we don’t actually know each other, but I wanted to thank you for being my companion for the last ten years.

I found one of your articles online while my son was in preschool and loved your personality and practical advice. I bought your Kindergarten book, and later your High School book, but specifically enjoyed all your columns and emails over the years.

In particular, your Covid letters were such a light of good sense in an increasingly crazy world. (“What are they drilling? Who knows??)

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that my son will be attending Bronx Science in the fall. It feels like a good portion of this accomplishment is due to your encouragement, enthusiasm, and communication of your own family’s good natured but frustrating experience with DOE red tape.

Thank you for making me laugh, encouraging everyone not to give up, and mostly, for helping a single mother know that we could actually do this. We got this kid the opportunities he needs. Together. Thank you.

Frani C.

Alina really helped me understand the universe of options and clearly explained the process I needed to go through to get my children into the New York City school system. Until talking to her the entire system felt daunting and confusing. After talking to her the system still feels that way, but I have some agency and clarity on how to navigate it to find the best school options for my children. I also appreciate the amount of free resources Alina puts out there into the world for parents. The education system is far from equitable and she provides a more fair playing field for parents at different socioeconomic realities to get the information they so need to make informed decisions.

Eliza S.

Navigating the New York City school system as a first-time parent is unbelievably daunting, but Alina Adams and her workshops have been a guiding light. Alina stays on top of the latest news in an ever-changing landscape of regulations and application processes, and she is so generous in her guidance, using data and her many years of experience to inform, calm, and help parents from all backgrounds. I recommend her workshops to every new mom or dad as soon as their kids approach school age. NYC is unique in its intensity and complexity, and Alina is unique in her ability to digest that complexity and shepherd parents through it. I feel so grateful to her for sharing her wealth of knowledge with us.  We were admitted to an amazing school and our child is thriving.

Anetta W.

When my daughter was in pre-K, Alina became my first source of information about schools, programs, and the whole arcane New York education system (public and otherwise). Her quick advice, newsletters, workshops, videos, etc. have always been very informative and helped us a lot in deciding about further steps in our daughter’s (now heading to middle school) education. I think her advice is especially valuable for parents like us, who are new to the system and often feel lost facing different, always changing, options, rules, and timelines when applying to schools (especially public ones).
I also appreciate her advocacy for good-quality education in NYC and her encouragement of parents and student themselves to advocate for education they want for their children and themselves.
I hope she sticks around at least until our daughter is ready for high-school.

Matt Craig

Alina, please know that your empathy and help were a MASSIVE BENEFIT to us. Thank you for all you’ve done, and continue to do. From a parent where you made a very positive difference just because you are you!

Jenna G.

Alina has been an invaluable resource for my family in navigating the New York City school systems, both public and private. She has guided us through decisions regarding my son’s education since kindergarten, and he is now off to a middle school that we are thrilled with, in no small part due to Alina’s expertise and support. We are eternally grateful for her!