Fort Wayne's Aboite schools vs. private schools ? (Butler: lawyers, homes)
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My kids attended Aboite schools and I think they are first rate. We did look at Canterbury and my kids had friends that attended there, but we decided that the Aboite schools SWAC, provided an equal education. If you feel your child is gifted, SWAC has a wonderful program for your child. My son was in this program, and he was really challenged! They begin testing children early in elementary school to identify the kids who could be in their gifted program.
If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer them. My kids graduated from SWAC in 2000 and 2002, but I still live in the area.
The public school system in Southwest Allen County/Aboite has a talented and gifted program called Alpha. It's excellent and the best the public school system has to offer in Indiana.
If your children aren't in the Alpha program, they'll still get a first rate education in Aboite, but the Alpha program definitely is where the gifted children are at. You need to test into the Alpha program.
Canterbury is the top school in not just the vicinity but for 99% of what is available in Indiana overall (public or private). It costs a lot of money (>$11,000 per year), but make no mistake; it's worth the money if it can be afforded (and your child fits in there). It is not equal to Aboite's public schools, it is superior. A significant percentage of Canterbury graduates go on to attend Ivy League or other 1st tier university programs - a significant percentage are national merit finalists and scholars. It's an indisputably great school. Although Homestead Senior High school in Aboite is also great, the graduate statistics show a lower level of standardized test achievement and at most a handful each year go onto 1st tier University programs.
Thank you everyone, that's exactly what I was wondering.
Does anyone know the admission criteria to Canterbury? (Although I'm going out on a financial ledge here...) Are they selective or is admission to anyone who can pass the admission test and pay the tuition?
And what would "fitting in there" be best described as? I'm gettting the elitist vibes...
The public school system in Southwest Allen County/Aboite has a talented and gifted program called Alpha. It's excellent and the best the public school system has to offer in Indiana.
If your children aren't in the Alpha program, they'll still get a first rate education in Aboite, but the Alpha program definitely is where the gifted children are at. You need to test into the Alpha program.
Canterbury is the top school in not just the vicinity but for 99% of what is available in Indiana overall (public or private). It costs a lot of money (>$11,000 per year), but make no mistake; it's worth the money if it can be afforded (and your child fits in there). It is not equal to Aboite's public schools, it is superior. A significant percentage of Canterbury graduates go on to attend Ivy League or other 1st tier university programs - a significant percentage are national merit finalists and scholars. It's an indisputably great school. Although Homestead Senior High school in Aboite is also great, the graduate statistics show a lower level of standardized test achievement and at most a handful each year go onto 1st tier University programs.
There is something seriously wrong with the "Alpha" program. My child was in the 99th percentile in the state testing yet, did not "make the cut" after being tested for Alpha. Hmmm...let's see...only "one out of 100" kids did better than my child state-wide, yet she is not qualified for alpha in Fort Wayne???
I guess only the kids from rich doctors and lawyers find their way into this so-called "elite" program! Yeah...right.
Something stinks with Alpha. I hope someone exposes the true method by which I am certain some of these kids are getting into it. I guarantee you not all of them are "gifted".
Thank you everyone, that's exactly what I was wondering.
Does anyone know the admission criteria to Canterbury? (Although I'm going out on a financial ledge here...) Are they selective or is admission to anyone who can pass the admission test and pay the tuition?
And what would "fitting in there" be best described as? I'm gettting the elitist vibes...
Well first I think as long as you pass the admissions test you are in. I went to both Canterbury and Whispering Meadows (aboite schools) for elementary. I can tell you that after leaving Canterbury I didn't learn anything for a few years. It is the best school in the state. I would say there can be an elitist vibe at Canterbury, but not so much that your kids won't have any friends. There are plenty of people there, especially in high school that are on scholarship.
How old are your children? Having lived in Fort Wayne all my life, first attending a private grade school and then a public Fort Wayne Community high school, I knew when I had children my goal was for them to attend Canterbury. We enrolled my now 10 year old, when she was 2, in their preschool program so that she was already in the system and would then likely be accepted each year. She was there for 3 years, and I can say I LOVED it. Unfortunately, her dad and I divorced and when she was ready for Kindergarten, even after a $4 financial aid benefit, I couldn't swing my half of the 6K balance to keep her at Canterbury. We sent her to a small private school, Emmaus Lutheran, for Kindergarten although we were appalled to learn that their goal was for the kids to count to 100 by the end of the year (she was doing that, and by 5's and 10's by the end of preschool at Canterbury). We did end up fairly pleased for her first years of her elementary education at Emmaus, but knew had she stayed at Canterbury she would have gotten a much better education that would have been worth every penny.
A few years later, I was having a hard time justifying Emmaus' education standard level vs. cost compared to SWAC. Although I intended and preferred my children attend a private, Christian school through 8th grade, Emmaus could not compete against Southwest Allen County Schools. We were so displeased with Emmaus we switched my stepdaughter mid school year her 7th grade year, and my daughter at the beginning of this current school year (now in 4th grade). We have only been with the elementary and middle school systems for a year now, but are very pleased. My stepson has been at the high school 3 years now, and again, we have been very pleased. The girls had a lot of catching up to do to get on track with SWAC academic standards, but they are getting there, and I am glad we made the switch now vs. waiting for high school.
Although SWAC can't touch Canterbury's academics, many other schools in Fort Wayne can't touch SWAC's academics.
As far as elite and fitting in. There are definetely a lot of Canterbury families with very high level income brackets, and therefore there are some elite vibes. But you get that at SWAC too. SWAC at least has a very diverse population though, so you will probably find it easier to meet people at your own status level. I have to say, we were not in a high income bracket level when my daughter was at Canterbury, and although we drove a nice mid-range car while most others drove high end luxury vehicles, they never treated us poorly.
Have lived in Fort Wayne all my life and have a Realtor for over 25 years. Aboite or Southwest Allen County Schools(the formal name) has a very high rating state wide, SAT scores and College gradution ratio's . Canterbury is an excellent school but tution is high. If you can afford it, it is well worth the money. If I can help you let me know
Joyce Butler
Last edited by domergurl; 05-10-2010 at 11:37 AM..
There is something seriously wrong with the "Alpha" program. My child was in the 99th percentile in the state testing yet, did not "make the cut" after being tested for Alpha. Hmmm...let's see...only "one out of 100" kids did better than my child state-wide, yet she is not qualified for alpha in Fort Wayne???
I guess only the kids from rich doctors and lawyers find their way into this so-called "elite" program! Yeah...right.
Something stinks with Alpha. I hope someone exposes the true method by which I am certain some of these kids are getting into it. I guarantee you not all of them are "gifted".
I had heard this type of thing before. I'm not a rich doctor or lawyer, and I have no familial connections in Fort Wayne at all. My child's Kindergarten teacher actually had the gall to tell me that she didn't think they were "alpha material" during the October Parent-teacher conference last year (she even said it wasn't unusual that parents like me thought my child was bright... implying brighter than he actually was). I took that comment straight to the Principal and learned exactly what is needed/measured to get into Alpha by the person who administers the test themselves (I encourage anyone with like questions to speak to their school's Principal as I learned a lot from a 30 minute meeting). Nothing was kept "hidden" from me and it was revealed that there are a lot of misconceptions not only by the parents, but also by some of the referring teachers what a Talented and Gifted child is really like. For instance, my child's teacher was big into how children she referred in for testing needed to be awesome readers and writers (yes, in Kindergarten... LOL, I have to laugh at that one) and she didn't hide the fact that she preferred referring girls to boys also! The fact is the testing is more on pattern recognition and problem solving than anything else. If your child is great at communicating that is a big plus as well since Talented and Gifted children tend to be by their nature very good communicators. Lastly, not testing into Alpha at their elementary school isn't the end of the world - you can have private IQ tests administered and scores accepted as substitute for entrance.
My child was accepted last week and the test scores were off the chart. Of course I'm a proud parent, but I will be the first to state that it took consistent work at home, my learning the system, and an innately smart kid to make it happen.
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