Evanston vs. New Trier (Chicago, Wilmette: 2010, condo, loans)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Costa Rica Chica

I haven't read all the replies, but I am ETHS class of '97. ...
Would I send my son to ETHS? I don't know. My opinion of the school is it has amazing facilities, resources, and opportunities. I like the large size of the student body, didn't like the racism and gang problems.

I don't think anyone "likes" the problems they have with kids associated with gangs, and certainly no one favors racism, but unfortunately the school does not do much to deal with either. The Board of Education does not do well when they attempt to address the issues of underperformance that are traceable to specific points on the socio-economic curve, though in honestly I don't think there are many "models" that can be pointed to that bring-up the performance of the most academically underprepared...

That may be the biggest difference between NT & ETHS -- the student population at the bottom rungs of ladder is just so much more capable than at the other...

[Costa Rica Chica]

Originally Posted by chet everett

That may be the biggest difference between NT & ETHS -- the student population at the bottom rungs of ladder is just so much more capable than at the other...

I totally agree. Even back then, there were awful problems with tracking. You have the regular classes, honors, and A.P. in the last 2 years. The kids in the "regular" classes were destined to stay in those tracks and that's where most of the crappy teachers were too. I was in reguar math my freshman year and stayed in the "regular" program all 4 years. I thought I stunk at math, and was in classes with badly behaved kids with no interest in learning. When I got to college and had to take trigonometry, I thought I was doomed - it turned out I wasn't really bad at math at all - I had just had 4 terrible math teachers in high school in classroom settings nnot conductive to learning.

[Lookout Kid]

Do you know what they call gym class at New Trier nowadays? They call it "Kinetic Wellness". They really do. That's the most @#%#@ ridiculous thing I've ever heard!

Academics - Department of Kinetic Wellness (broken link)

Stuff like this makes me very glad I'm not in high school anymore...

[Nysee53]

Kinetic Wellness is a great course. All of my children who have gone to New Trier love the program. They cover many issues including sex ed, health issues, and the athletic portion of the program offers freshman a great sample of everything including swimming, etc. It is not just any old gym class, like at Evanston or another school. New Trier is the best school district you can buy into.

[Anthera]

I love New Trier, but I agree "Kinetic Wellness" is a silly name. I can't say it without giggling.

[Lookout Kid]

I think "Physical Education" could cover all of those things and not have the New-Agey overtones. I know that "Kinetics" and "Kinesiology" are commonly used on college campuses to describe parts of Phys. Ed., but it's the "wellness" part that really gets me. And the fact that this silly newfangled term wasn't really necessary in the first place.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by Nysee53

Kinetic Wellness is a great course. All of my children who have gone to New Trier love the program. They cover many issues including sex ed, health issues, and the athletic portion of the program offers freshman a great sample of everything including swimming, etc. It is not just any old gym class, like at Evanston or another school. New Trier is the best school district you can buy into.

How is this different than other physical education programs? Sounds like most suburban, better than average schools.

[Nysee53]

Well particularly the freshman Kinetic Wellness program is outstanding. It forces the students to try everything to see what they like. Then in the second semester of 10th grade they are allowed to pick and choose.

Right now my youngest is in summer school at New Trier and his friends really want him to play Lacrosse, which is huge at New Trier and Evanston, along with Northwestern I may add. He did not want to until this summer and I am afraid to send him directly into the New Trier program. I was wondering if anyone knew of any training centers on the Northside that are able to teach him the basics of Lacrosse and hopefully train him to be good enough for the freshman or sophmore teams. Also, does anyone know of any area teams for those who are not ready for the New Trier teams, similar to like what we have for basketball in Winnetka the WBA?

Anyone visit the Children's Fair on the village green. I just dropped in to say hi to a friend with young kids. It is pretty amazing. Anyone with young kids should check it out on Saturday the last day.

[Lookout Kid]

Of COURSE Lacrosse is big at New Trier...

[Nysee53]

Fun Facts: Did you know that Wilmette is the largest community in the United States to not have a public high school within it's corporate limits? Did you know that Wilmette high school students make up close to 50% of the population at New Trier High School? Did you know New Trier has a student population of over 4,000? Did you know that ETHS is the largest high school by population under one roof in the United States? Did you know ETHS has a student population of over 3,000? Did you know that ETHS was the setting for the Lindsay Lohan movie "Mean Girls"? Did you know that ETHS spend more per pupil than any other public high school on the North Shore and considerably more than New Trier? Did you know that New Trier Township High School and Evanston Township High School's both service areas that are not within their townships? (Evanston serves a large portion of Skokie which lies in Niles Township and New Trier serves most of Northfield and part of Northbrook which lie in Northfield Township.)