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this thread is silly. every parent has to find what works best for their own families.
to even think that drugs are a problem in private schools because the kids have the resources is rediculous. not everyone in private school can afford the luxuries. i drive past providence high and see more bmws and mercedes in the parking lots than i do at pds, ccds or latin.
i also see on the nightly news about guns and knives being a problem at cms, haven't heard it at the private schools. must be a great secret. i have heard about kids at some of the private schools partying or doing something wrong and they get expelled immediately. (case a few months ago about a senior athlete, with a scholorship offer, from pds who was caught on a class trip with pot. thrown out of school)
i was a product of public education and i felt lost going from school to school (k-5, 6-8, 9-12). sure it was nice to see new faces but i stuck with my same friends from the beginning so not sure it really mattered much about who else was there. i still went to parties and social functions with kids in town from all schools. i have a few of my childhood friends that i keep in touch with but everyone went their own ways.
my sister went to private school and never complained about seeing the same kids year after year. she got very close to almost her entire class. she has kept in touch with about 75% of her class, even after college.
the main difference i felt growing up was the sports aspect. i tried out for all the sports, football, baseball and basketball. i competed against 70-80 kids for very few spots and never made the school teams. my sister played basketball and softball and was on the team from the 6th grade on because everyone who tried out made the team.
i wish i had had that.
what i hear from parents and coworkers in charlotte about the difference in the schools is principal and teacher turnover. at cms they are always being shuffled from one school to the next, not so much with the private schools. if a teacher or administrator leaves, it is usually to retire.
Every parent I talk to is "scared" about getting their child into the private HS of their choice. I sent three to Charlotte Prep (it is PreK-8) and none of my children had trouble getting into HS.
The school knows that there is a myth about getting into HS. The bigger schools (CCDS, Latin, PD) try to scare parents and get them to apply earlier than to guarantee a spot. That's not really true ... they just want your money now rather than later.
CP actually helped us identify the right HS for our kids and my kids all got into their first choice (two went to a big private school and one went into the IB program at a public school b/c she wanted to go public).
After 8th grade, they were ready for a change of scenery, new friends and new experiences. They got the strong education they needed early ... so we know they'll be successful in any HS. Just something to think about. We researched the K-8 model and found it to be the right choice for us. It may not be the same for everyone.
Location: Wesley Chapel/Weddington, Union County, NC
125 posts, read 374,579 times
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Great Post cltlifer1950. Didn't know if anyone had mentioned Metrolina Christian Academy in Indian Trail. Have friends who are teachers there and others who have/had their children there and no negative feedback. Here's the link under Great Schools: Metrolina Christian Academy - Indian Trail, North Carolina - NC - school overview
i drive past providence high and see more bmws and mercedes in the parking lots than i do at pds, ccds or latin.
This is absolutely true, I was at Providence High recently and thought the same thing.
If you are going to school for 'free' I suppose there is more money for transportation
FWIW I drove a 10 yr old VW bug to high school and could not have been happier!
for me I am not looking for private school to get away from the "bad" kids. Parents are very naive if they think drugs and parties at 16 only happen in the public schools. I am looking for a place where my children can grow, be inspired, have educational advances at a young age that my grade school did not provide, etc. I also don't want a huge school where the child would get lost. I want it to be diverse and I want my children to have some sense of community and civic duty to help others less fortunate. I want them also to be extremely confident and well rounded individuals that can carry a conversation easily with their peers and adults. I am not a big fan of the no child left behind act and unfortunately that exists in almost every public school.
Location: Wesley Chapel/Weddington, Union County, NC
125 posts, read 374,579 times
Reputation: 43
Agree!!! This has been a very good post w/ all opinions-I think the one I relate to the most is the parents role. I drove a '65 Pontiac SuperSport (Lavender with rust stains down the middle) when I totalled my mom's station wagon (not my fault) in High School. My oldest son drove an old work truck (think we paid ~$800) to Weddington High School-w/ all the BMW's, Lexus', etc. Of course it broke down shortly after and he now drives a "newer" work truck and is Senior in College. In High School, he also boycotted Ambercrombie and Fitch, etc. clothes and is now a model. You have to do what you feel is the best decision for your own. I say visit the schools you are interested in-you'll get a good feel for a fit once you are there.
This is absolutely true, I was at Providence High recently and thought the same thing.
If you are going to school for 'free' I suppose there is more money for transportation
FWIW I drove a 10 yr old VW bug to high school and could not have been happier!
That is so good to know. We are hoping to get our girls into one of the Independent Schools and will be buying a considerably less expensive home than we could if we were to go the public school route because we value our kids education more than material goods, etc. Hoping most of the other students will come from homes with similar values! In any case, I have heard that Charlotte public schools are also good and in the end, its what the kids learn and grow up with at home that matters the most. BTW, I love the VW Bugs - I use to drive a white VW Rabbit!
We also bought "a considerably less expensive home than we could if we were to go the public school route because we value our kids education more than material goods." We have never regretted this decision. Neither of our kids had their own car (our daughter does not own a car to this day) but enjoyed the benefits of travel and a good education instead: much more lasting benefits.
I am pretty young 29 and I can't stand it when people say "Oh I can't be a stay at home mom b/c we couldn't afford it" or "My kids will never go to private schools because they are too expensive." I mean really if you want something enough you find a way to do it. We are in a less expensive house now so that we can start to save up for education expenses. I just think so many people are concerned with keeping up with the jones so to speak then they are about their children's lives. Okay off my soapbox now!
There is a new MultiCultural Task Force that started last year at Providence Day School along with the Office of Multi Cultural Affairs. I think this is what you may be looking for.
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Thanks again
