Ye old Private Vs. Public School debate

[goldenmom7500]

Originally Posted by teebird1012

Goldenmom- No problem about being overdue on the tour. Have you heard back from admissions? I'd still like to show you around campus sometime.
Back to private vs. public- I cannot stress enough about choosing the areas you wish to live in carefully if you are going to use public schools. Before I get bashed, I would look to the south side for public schools (Rosa Parks, Veterans Park, Glendover, or Cassidy would be my reccomendations) for elementary school, Morton or Beaumont for middle schools, and Lafayette, Dunbar, or Henry Clay for high schools. I don't care what people say about Bryan Station- just avoid it. I'm 17 so I do see what the school has turned into today as I know people in just about every high school in this city. I would also be a bit cautious if you plan to move into Tates Creek district as well. These are just my feelings as a teen currently in school here. You should not dismiss private schools here, some are quite excellent. I do go to Sayre (k- 12) and though it is expensive, it is well worth the money. I can think of at least four or five people who left for public schools and came back within three years. Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) is another great k-12 private school and The Lexington School (TLS) is k-8. When the time comes for high school and if you are still here, consider Lexington Catholic as an option- terrific athletics and academics. So to sum up basically- for public schools try to stay to the south side of town if you can. Keep an eye on Tates Creek if you end up moving into that district- things are a bit rougher. Don't rule out private schools- the ones here are excellent and are well worth the money. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Did I tell you they sent me a large envelope? Unfortunately, all of my mail is piled up, unopened, on my dining room table. It's a large pile. I even have a few Christmas cards in the pile I'll be eager to open one day

[teebird1012]

No you didn't tell me. Just let me know what they say and when you'll be on campus.

[bluegrassgirl]

Originally Posted by lexingtongal

Yes, phonetics wreak havoc on spelling! It took a few years to correct that! The other huge difference is learning cursive instead of printing. If you think about it when you learn cursive you learn to write your letters from the bottom up. Not always the case in printing. Also books are in print and not cursive so it was a bit confusing to learn one thing and not have it applied in everyday life. I think it has more to do with the individual child. In Montessori the child self directs what they learn. My son needed more direction. My husband and I greatly value education and that is why we made the decision to move our son into a more organized environment. I don't think you can say that parents with children in Montessori value education more than those that don't. Children differ in their learning styles and being able to recognize that in your own child is critical in making the best decision for his/her own particular case.
I know more parents that have switched from private to public rather than the other way. Sometimes it is due to economics sometimes it has to do with similar issues that we had.

I think you bring up some excellent points! Many, many years ago I babysat two little girls who were both in kindergarten. One was in a public school - she was VERY bright and very outgoing. She would need a lot of structure and discipline to keep her focused. She was also very creative. The other child attended montessori. She was a very shy and slightly withdrawn child. She was also bright, but sometimes you'd never know it because of her personality and being so quiet. She needed a much more lower ratio or she would have been lost academically. She would have never raised her hand in a larger classroom and would have been completely overwhelmed by having to follow a "plan". Different schools can offer many things - much depends on the fit for the child in many different areas of their development.

For some kids, public schools are a much better fit in most ways and allow them to develop to their full potential - for some, a private education will produce a much happier and well rounded child. An education is not a "one size fits all" part of life.

[whoabuck]

Originally Posted by bluegrassgirl

I think you bring up some excellent points! Many, many years ago I babysat two little girls who were both in kindergarten. One was in a public school - she was VERY bright and very outgoing. She would need a lot of structure and discipline to keep her focused. She was also very creative. The other child attended montessori. She was a very shy and slightly withdrawn child. She was also bright, but sometimes you'd never know it because of her personality and being so quiet. She needed a much more lower ratio or she would have been lost academically. She would have never raised her hand in a larger classroom and would have been completely overwhelmed by having to follow a "plan". Different schools can offer many things - much depends on the fit for the child in many different areas of their development.

For some kids, public schools are a much better fit in most ways and allow them to develop to their full potential - for some, a private education will produce a much happier and well rounded child. An education is not a "one size fits all" part of life.

Very interesting...

My son has done very well in his highly structured preschool - maybe a little TOO well. He is paralyzed when they have "open school" days (rarely..) when he can go do whatever he wants (choosing from a variety of activities and centers). He is so accustomed to being told what to do and when to do it, that he either repeatedly asks the teacher on these "open" days, if it's ok for him to move from one area to another, or he'll stay in an area just because he's afraid to ask even though he's bored or doesn't really like it.

I was kind of hoping a montessori might get him over some of those inhibitions without overwhelming him...

[whoabuck]

Originally Posted by lexingtongal

Yes, phonetics wreak havoc on spelling! It took a few years to correct that! The other huge difference is learning cursive instead of printing. If you think about it when you learn cursive you learn to write your letters from the bottom up. Not always the case in printing. Also books are in print and not cursive so it was a bit confusing to learn one thing and not have it applied in everyday life. I think it has more to do with the individual child. In Montessori the child self directs what they learn. My son needed more direction. My husband and I greatly value education and that is why we made the decision to move our son into a more organized environment. I don't think you can say that parents with children in Montessori value education more than those that don't. Children differ in their learning styles and being able to recognize that in your own child is critical in making the best decision for his/her own particular case.
I know more parents that have switched from private to public rather than the other way. Sometimes it is due to economics sometimes it has to do with similar issues that we had.

You misinterpret my meaning. I did not say that parents who put their kids into montessori or other private programs are the ONLY parents who value education. Just that parents who look for alternative means to have their children educated are more likely to value education than not. After all, someone doesn't just up and decide to pay extra money and potentially drive across town every day to have their child attend a specific school if they don't really care whether or not their child is in a good environment for learning.

I am really just looking at the array of reasons people put their kids in one program or another, to help us make the decision with respect to our son. Of course every kid is different - that's why I can't just ask one person, even someone who I might really respect and trust.

My son's dad is on his way to Lexington as I write this, and has a mandate(from me...) to visit a few schools, and ask a bunch of questions I have. Sayre and Providence are among them, and I am happy to hear that they are both highly recommended. He won't visit any public schools yet, since we don't know where we'll end up living, but we have not ruled out that possibility at all.

So far, this has been a very helpful discussion for me, and I thank you all.

[cartomanlex2]

Originally Posted by whoabuck

My son's dad is on his way to Lexington as I write this, and has a mandate(from me...) to visit a few schools, and ask a bunch of questions I have. Sayre and Providence are among them, and I am happy to hear that they are both highly recommended. He won't visit any public schools yet, since we don't know where we'll end up living, but we have not ruled out that possibility at all.

If I might suggest that you look into the Spanish Immersion program at Maxwell Elementary. They are a magnet program that draws from the entire county area. The take only kindergarten and first grade students, unless you can show some fluency in Spanish. When my boys went there they had friends from all over the county and all the parents participated in the education process. Their test scores are some of the highest in the state. My sons are now in middle school and have yet to miss being on the Honor Roll(my oldest, for 10 straight semesters).

I hope you get what you want.

[lexingtongal]

You might consider having him visit one or more of the better public elementary schools too. He could then have a very good comparison between the two options. The elementary schools that are most highly regarded (imo) are:
Veterans Park
Rosa Parks
Cassidy
Glendover
Certainly Maxwell would be on this list too but admission there is by lottery.
If you liked any of the others it would help you decide which neighborhoods to concentrate on.
Good luck!

[goldenmom7500]

Also Community Montessori has an excellent reputation.