BCSIS school review (Boulder: school district, rated, deal)

[Tibercio]

We just received notice that we got into our Open Enrollment choice of BCSIS in Boulder. Can anyone speak to what they like, or dislike, about the school? Many thanks.

[frogandtoad]

Just curious what you found out and if you accepted.

[Tibercio]

You're the first person to respond. We're still a bit up in the air actually -- have a fortnight to figure it out. We hope to meet with the school administrators to check in on their general and specific philosophy. One thing is we have a sensitive child who likes to take her time with projects, and we're not sure that's a great fit with the public school "everyone in the same-size box" model. We realize no place, private or public, is going to be perfect. We're just trying to do the right thing by our child.

[frogandtoad]

I've read really great reviews online--not sure if you've seen those? I think it was on greatschools.net. I love the sound of the school too. I'm interested to hear what you find out/think so please post back if you will!!

[suzco]

Originally Posted by Tibercio

You're the first person to respond. We're still a bit up in the air actually -- have a fortnight to figure it out. We hope to meet with the school administrators to check in on their general and specific philosophy. One thing is we have a sensitive child who likes to take her time with projects, and we're not sure that's a great fit with the public school "everyone in the same-size box" model. We realize no place, private or public, is going to be perfect. We're just trying to do the right thing by our child.

BVSD is very accommodating for individual learning styles. BCSIS is one of the schools with a curriculum and atmosphere that might be just right. You wouldn't want to choose one of the schools that uses a core knowledge approach; those are offered too. I don't have personal experience with BCSIS, but community talk and reputation are excellent. They've got high test scores as well.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Tibercio

You're the first person to respond. We're still a bit up in the air actually -- have a fortnight to figure it out. We hope to meet with the school administrators to check in on their general and specific philosophy. One thing is we have a sensitive child who likes to take her time with projects, and we're not sure that's a great fit with the public school "everyone in the same-size box" model. We realize no place, private or public, is going to be perfect. We're just trying to do the right thing by our child.

I didn't respond b/c I don't really know much about that school. Our neighbors who send their kids there are happy with BCSIS. I think it would be best for you to proceed with your plans to talk to the admistration. If you're not happy with what they tell you, there will be a place in your neigborhood school for your child.

[Tibercio]

We decided to enroll at BCSIS. We met with the principal and the 1st-3rd grade teacher (the same teacher sticks with the same class for grades 1, 2 and 3, which can be either great or horrible, but the principal said they try to work with parents if things don't work out by swapping with the other grade class, but only if it works logistically, taking into consideration things like comparative class size and gender breakdown). There'll be 23 students per class with 1 teacher and 1 para plus usually 1 (different) parent volunteers every day, so it seems like a relatively intimate affair, which is nice. There was a picnic the other afternoon with all parents and students going into 1st grade, with the 2 teachers, and that seemed like a good gathering -- we actually ran into a few parents that we've met at various things previously, and met some new parents who seemed like your typical Boulder people, which is nice. Plus my daughter and I biked past BCSIS last Sunday and her teacher was getting her classroom prepared so we chatted for a few minutes; I took that as a good sign.

We've heard that the school can at times be a little hands-off in how the deal with kids' issues under the notion that kids have to be prepared to be individuals in our society, which didn't exactly sit well with us, but when talking with the principal he nuanced the issue by saying that only some kids tend to need to learn consequences for their actions (who tend to be the more unruly students) but that's not the case all the way down the line. Since we have a girl who's a good person but who sometimes gets emotionally flummoxed, there is the hope that the teachers will meet her where she is and support her, and not just sort of leave her to the wolves.

We can only hope!

[Mom2Feebs]

If you don't mind me asking, what is BCSIS?

[suzco]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

If you don't mind me asking, what is BCSIS?

Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies

(It's a focus school within the Boulder Valley School District.)

[Mom2Feebs]

Thanks!