[Floridabound09]

My wife is a head room mother and spends allot of time with this class and the teacher, she is there helping her daily and reads to the kids and helps with grading etc.
We have found without any doubt the kids who excel in school are those who have parents behind them, pushing them towards the right direction and helping them with the homework and studying etc.
The kids who are average and below is very easy to see because many of those parents, and she knows them all are not involved with there kids much if at all.
One parent told my wife, that is what we pay teachers for, to teach our kids, I am not spending 1 hour every night doing homework and spelling.
Well, little does she know her kids next to last and will be lucky to pass the
proficiency to go onto the 4th grade.
It's not the kids fault at all, it 100% the lazy parents fault the kid is terrible.
You have to teach your kids responsibility, directs and making god choices, you need to push/coach them to learn, they do not do this right out of the womb, it has to be taught.
We see this everyday and its alway the average and below kids parents who blame it on someone else when there kid is a total failure in life. Failing is NOT a given, failure is taught and parent teach there kids to be failure like they are. Or, parent teach there kids to become successful young adults and go onto being successful adults in every aspect of life, not just learning.
Many kids have the abilityin this class we see, but do not know how to reach for the ability they have, they have to be taught !!!!
Parents need to know if you want your kid to excel, spend time with them and teach them about life every single day, reward them with even a smile when they do excel, after all they are mirror images of you arent they.
If they fail, it is your fault as a parent and no one else's.
Get off you butt and turn off American Idol and help you child grow, if you do not they will sit on their butts as adults like you and then return teach there kids to be just like you.
This is why we see generations of welfare, the kids think this is the only way of live, freebies from the working people. They do not know any better, they have to be taught this is not the way things are suppose to be.
Sure, people will move there kids around to find a school that will do their job for them, then when the kid fails there, its the schools fault.
What they need to do is be a real parent and help you kids learn and be involved and not blame the school for the failures.... look in a mirror.

My 8 year old is a honor student, in the 99 percentile of all 3rd graders in the USA for test scores, won the first half Principles Award of Excellence, Teacher award for Above and Beyond and was just given an award from all 3rd grade teachers as the Student who excels in all aspects of grades, behavoir, respect for others and going beyond what is asked of them.

She did this because we are involved, we show her what she needs to do and she does it. She excels not only because she knows what is expected of her, but she wants to and has the ability to do so. Sure she takes test on her own and gets all the credit for her work, but see still needs that hug and a smile of a job well done so she can make us proud another time. Kids love to make you proud, you will be amazed with them if you show them the way and help them. Many of them just may surprise you.

Give you child a hug and help them learn, it is your job afterall, you had them.

[RedWingsFan]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

We have found without any doubt the kids who excel in school are those who have parents behind them, pushing them towards the right direction and helping them with the homework and studying etc..

I couldn't agree more, that's what I said earlier.

Everything helps. Put them in the best schools you can find and be an active parent in their education.

[songgirl]

NOT all "A" schools are the same. The grade denotes improvement in many cases and not stellar performance. If an abyssmal school has made stides to improve it's scores during these past few years, it may have risen from a "D" to an "A" school. That "A" is for effort, but would I want my child to go there? No. This schools test scores are still below the state average. Get it? You have to look at the test scores!

I live in St. Johns County. The elementary school near me went from an "A" to a "B" school last year. Is this school inferior to the "A" school senario I mentioned above? No. It is still far superior! The test scores for this school were extremely high, but since they fell back a little, it is now a "B" school. It's test scores are still between 85%-90% above the state average

Also, some schools have sacrificed much in order to maintain their "A" status. Too much! No more art/music and limited extracurricular activities. Those are the first to go. Did you know that many high schoolers do not know how to write in cursive? The schools don't have time to teach it anymore. Too busy preparing for the FCAT. School debate teams ?numerous field trips? Nope, gotta study for that FCAT.

My point is you can't think so one-dimentionally about this. There are many factors to consider when determining a school's ability to give children a well-rounded education.

[msowens33469]

Not unless you are going talking about private schools. All of the schools up here in Jupiter and Tequesta are mixed equally...

[Floridasunshine]

My Niece is 3rd year teacher 5th grade, She says the schools are underrated most all of them. She says the most important thing is parent participation.
She says only 1 or 2 parents show up for her open houses after school.
She teaches at a Bradenton school , has 20 students in her class. So any school in Florida would be good. I would just make sure it is not in middle of bad area. Our kids got bused all around when they were going to school;
Now the kids pretty much go to schools in the neighborhood.
Several Tampa Subdivisions have schools in their subs now. Boyette SPrings
comes to mind. everyone wanted to go there. It is in Riverview outskirts of Tampa.

[soccermamaof3kids]

You should also look for a school that offers IB program. That let's you know that it is more academically oriented!! Also Ft. Myers has been at the top for years!! St. Augustine is a weird place. A lot of drugs and weirdos. I lived there for 3 years. Also to close to Bunnell ( real eye opener). The Great Schools website is great but you can also look up schools by District and check the Math and Reading test scores and compare them to others. MSNBC has a list of top 1200 schools in the nation. Just go to MSNBC.com and scroll down.

[Floridabound09]

Wow, FLA is all over that group, and many say schools suck there...

Something is not right with the picture....

Can someone please explain?

[VBmom]

Come to Vero Beach. Great schools, low crime, beautiful town. The only issue here is the job market.

[Jessica Luna]

Originally Posted by VBmom

Come to Vero Beach. Great schools, low crime, beautiful town. The only issue here is the job market.

Looking to move to Fl. please tell me about the roaches, snakes and weather.
I get all excited to move and then I hear all this negative talk that really scares me. HELP!

[AJGUERRINI]

Coral Springs