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Would be nice to hear some positive stories about your experiences with schools. All perspectives welcome whether you're a teacher, administrator, parent, student, or community member. I'll go first:
1. I really appreciate that our school welcomes parents and other community members as volunteers and goes out of its way to recognize them, so we know that our efforts are valued.
2. I am so very grateful for the post-grad program that ensures every student has a plan for after graduation. It starts freshman year and offers both students the support they need to be successful after high school, whether that's seeking immediate employment, going to community college, entering trade school, or heading to a four-year university.
3. I love that our school offers such a diversity of coursework led by such fabulous and caring teachers. All of my kids have had at least one teacher who inspired them to reach beyond what they thought they could accomplish, supported them when they struggled, and cheered them on when they overcame difficulties. It has made such a difference for each of them.
I am a teacher who is not currently in the classroom and I have three kids in our local schools. I LOVE our local schools! Sure, I have some frustrations with things here and there, but overall I am very happy.
1) I love the diversity in our community. My daughter's group of friends resembles a UN meeting, and I appreciate that she is exposed to beliefs and customs that are different from her own.
2) The administration is very supportive of students from all backgrounds and I know they are handling things in a way that makes sense. The principals at both schools my kids attend send weekly updates so I can keep up with what's going on.
3) My kids are at the middle and high school levels now. I have such love and appreciation for the vast majority of their teachers. I can see the love they have for teaching and how much the appear to care about my kids (and other kids). One of my kids has special needs, and the majority of his teachers have been very helpful and supportive.
4) My kids, like all kids, have their strengths and weaknesses. I love that their teachers generally help them to reach for the stars with their strengths and help them build up their weaknesses.
5) I love that the high school offers both AP and IB coursework, and that all kids are encouraged to do either or both. There is also a gifted track, but that's the only "track" that requires testing into.
6) There is a fabulous local foundation that supports the schools with extra funding for certain programs (like a FREE to parents after school program that offers sports, homework support, and after school care until 5pm) and community partners that support the school with technology (lie 1:1 laptops).
I have very few complaints, overall, about the schools my kids attend. Don't get me wrong, they're not perfect and I have my frustrations. But the pros greatly outweigh the cons, imo.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I spent a lot of time researching schools, attending PTSA and school board meeting before choosing where to live. With so many well educated people here (76% college graduates, 26% masters) the parents, like us place a high value on the education of their kids. We have good teachers, but also a lot of parental involvement in and outside of the classroom. The high school our kids went to has a graduation rate of 95-97%, AP at 47%, and over 80% go on to college.
However, I was invited to a very well run fundraiser for a local school that would've rivaled any fundraiser (with the exception of money raised) that I've attended at the private school level.
The invitations were gorgeous, the menu was amazing, the volunteers were great, and the entertainment (put on by the students) was well worth the price of admission.
If the rest of the school ran as efficiently as this fundraiser I would have sent my son to this school for his HS years.
My school is pretty awesome...we go whenever we want, do whatever we want, wear whatever we want and im the teacher and principal. Small class size and teacher to student ratio. Snack time and nap time. No pay but i dont do it for the pay.
I love the small Catholic school system that both of my sons attended from pre-K thru graduation. There is a sense of community, of all wanting to make it work, and a strong sense that our kids are being taught character as well as how to succeed academically.
I can't say I loved my local schools when my kids were going there. OTOH, I do think they got a good education and I have no major complaints. There were little things at the time, but I don't even remember them now.
Grew up in a one district, one high school town. was nice knowing pretty much everyone you went to elementary and middle school with would be at the same high school as you. most of my teachers were people i knew around the community and a lot of them were parents of kids I went to school with. every business supported the school and it's extra curricular activities. kids walked to school, rode bikes (this was in the late 90s even).
today people might say well your lovely local school had no competition so how do you know you received a proper education. oh, i know haha. i know because college was easy. many of us graduated from college and never came back to town sadly. that is the sad irony for the small midwestern public school. it produces very intelligent driven people who never come back unfortunately. they go on to do great things, make $$$$$ elsewhere and never come back.
I'm a teacher and I work for a great school and school district.
1.) Our schools do a fantastic job of incorporating culture. We have specific cultural standards that each student must meet before graduation. 100% of the students in my school are Alaska Native and it's good being able to work for a school that celebrates storytelling, traditional sewing and crafting, native art, subsistence living, and elder respect.
2.) Small schools matter! Our schools are all super tiny and mine is particularly small, but I appreciate that our administration and communities find our schools to be important, despite the size. Plus, I love that I know every student in my school on an incredibly personal level.
3.) All of the schools in my district operate on a standards-based system. We have no grades or grade levels. Students simply have to complete all the standards at a proficient (80% or better) level before graduating. For some students, this means they can "graduate" in 10th grade, while others are able to take beyond the traditional 12th grade time allotment. For the students who complete their work early, they then qualify to enter one of our technical programs (ground school for pilots, welding, mechanics, etc) or they can begin taking college courses on the districts dime. I feel like all students get served more individually using this system.
4.) Everyone cares about the teachers. Our administration goes out of the way to support teachers and staff, whether it be through incentives, benefits, or just open lines of communication. The communities are also desperate for teachers to stay and maintain continuity throughout the years, which creates a culture of the community being super encouraging and helpful. I find this to be especially important because I am both the teacher and on-site administrator for my school, and it requires a lot from me to do both of these jobs. The support is much needed and appreciated.
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