Whats the best private school in L I ? (Sag Harbor: apartment, home)
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Can somebody help us find the best school for my child?
My child is 4th grade in public school now but we are exploring private school because quality of education seems much better in public school... What is the "best" private school in long island? I guess by "best" I mean where kids learn and excel by unleashing their potential & creativity.. Of course Most people talked about Portledge, Friends Academy, Waldorf, Stony brook or Eastwoods etc etc.. ( Don't know too many catholic schools). I guess main issue with private school is the tuitions and its cost.
I want my child to get most out of lower school & middle school, and ultimately get into "top tier" college by going to "college prep" school. My kid went to montessori school for pre-k, but I realized maybe my kid needs "smaller" environment rather than public elementary school where typical classes are over 20 kids and perhaps less challenging. My wife thinks my kid actually regressed after montessori pre-k. By that I guess she means if your kid stands out among whole bunch of kids (most parent might think like this !) you want to surround herself with school system that support kid's individualism, creativity, and nurture them. Maybe some of our public school system don't succeed and fail those requirement.
I heard Friends academy upper school is pretty rigorous, and seems like it maybe a good fit for my child but is it worth the money? Seems like portledge is a small school ( teacher/student ratio appears great) that is rich in tradition but how are the quality of student who graduate really ?
All schools, public and private claim that their goal it to unleash students' creativity and potential. But there is no one method that achieves the same results with all students. Different strokes . . . I don't think there is any consensus on a best Long Island private school. LI was never a mecca for nonsectarian private schools like NYC, which has a history for them. North Shore Preppy Friends Academy and South Shore hippy Progressive School of LI will both claim that their schools unleash creativity and potential, but that depends on your definition of creativity and potential.
Some things to consider besides tuition regarding nonsectarian private schools on LI.
They are small. Therefore, there is a much smaller availability of extra-curriculars, including sports. The teams usually play in an independent school league. "Specials," such as music, art, phys ed, library will be on a more limited scale, if offered at all. These schools are too small to support orchestras, bands, choirs on different levels. They may not even have a library. They often do not have the facilities (labs, library, music room, kiln for ceramics) or the equipment (science lab supplies, musical instruments, smartboard/overhead projectors) that larger public schools have.
The kids don't get to meet as many kids for socializaton as they do in public school. It kind of becomes an ingrown family year after year. It's the same with the parents. Either you're "in"or you're "out."
The kids don't get to know friends from their own neighborhood as well. You may have to drive your kids quite a distance for playdates and school group projects.
The location of the school. You may have to drive and pick up your kids from school everyday and if you choose a school not close to home, you have to make sure you have the time for that. School buses are only provided to schools located within a certain distance of your home (shorter distances for elementary school, greater distance for MS/HS.)
Sometimes, at these schools, teachers tend to tell parents what they want to hear about their children, rather than the truth. There can be grade inflation. The parents are the customers and it is important to make the customers happy. If you have the money to pay full tutition for these schools, they want your children badly. It's not like at the top prep schools in the city where there are waiting lists of people dying to get their kids in.
Since there is a small student population at the high school level, the selection of foreign language classes will be limited. The same goes for AP/IB classes as there will not be enough 11th and 12th grade students to form a full class to offer calculas AB and BC, statistics, physics, chem, bio all the same year.
You left out Pierce Country Day School, another North Shore expensive nonsectarian private school
Given that every parent on Long Island thinks their kid will be the next Einstein and needs to go to the top tier colleges to major in Sociology...may I suggest you look into Boces. There are plenty of jobs out there now in the skilled trades. Perhaps you can unleash his potential in plumbing or electricity.
But, then again, a Pre-K genius shouldn't be expected to become a steamfitter.
Is there anything like a "Juku" on Long Island? I'd rather send my child a regular public school for the social aspect and Juku afterwards to hit the books.
To me, primary education was all about growing up, and my parents definitely supported me on that. Went to public school, 40 kids to a class is the norm in Japan. I went to school for the social aspect. Empty bookbag on one shoulder, and electric guitar on the other. I belonged to a debate team, played volleyball, guitar in a punk rock band and even gigged in bars/clubs.
I didn't do much book learning in school but picked everything up in Juku.
I agree with Coney, the social aspect is VERY important. I really felt this when I went to a Private University. The University is recognized every year as THE top in it's field, but the low student/faculty ratio equates not only high tuition, but no sports, no school spirit, and limited extra activities... I spent my college days in my apartment, or in the labs. When I visited a friend at SUNY one semester "WOW!" I wish then I went to a big school.
If the school your child is in now is not measuring up to your standards, i think it's time for you to step in by either tutoring or sending to a "juku" of sorts. Pulling your kid out to send to a small school will put them on the outside of the social circle. Gotta weigh your options.
When I went to elementary school we often had the "juku" experience. If you didn't learn, Sister Mary PassTheCandleLit would simply juku you out of your seat and up juku your head with her holy hands.
I would go with the most expensive one, usually that means they are the best! Good luck!
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