Good public schools vs. private schools (elementary-middle) (Mountain View, Palo Alto: credit, how much)

[vw2005]

Hi everyone,

I will appreciate hearing your thoughts on:

1. Is it true that to get my kid admitted to some of the top school districts in the Bay area, I am expected to make a donation to the school, any amount from 5 to 10 grand? Heard this from a friend about public schools in Cupertino and Palo Alto asking for donations.

2. Any guidance on good private schools in the Palo Alto or Mountain View area? How much would tuition run for a 3rd grader?

3. Does admission to a public school happen on the basis of where you stay or is there some lottery system?

Thanks for your help :-)

[hsw]

Know many cynical affluent guys (who are Stanford alums who had attended humble public schools in Podunk as kids) with rugrats who view K-8 as largely teaching kids to color or whatever, so just want kids physically isolated from violence-prone, underachieving socio-economic gps (easy enough for smart kids to read about "diversity" and economic geography on their iPad/Kindle, right?)

Some have opted to reside in places like Woodside or PortolaValley as local elem schools are relatively safe and cheap (as already pay taxes for 'em); but they hassle parents for extra donations (?$5K/yr/kid) as part of usual education scam of "needed" funds for allegedly better coloring lessons, sensitivity training, blah-blah...but still much, much cheaper than pvt schools for K-8

For HS, most will cough up ~$50K/yr/kid (all-in) for CrystalSprings or Menlo or Castilleja

Arguably PaloAlto HS are academically strongest public HS in world (and better than most pvt schools), but many w/bucks would rather not risk their kids' safety vs the poors/violent who feed into PA public schools

[swamichukkala]

Adding one more question to vw2005's..
1. I heard that if your kid is out of school ( public schools, I am talking about) to attend some important family event, say for 3 weeks, the school will kick you out.. After 3 weeks, your kid will loose the schoold seat and he has to go to some other school.. How far is this true?

2. Also, for a working couple, with thier kid in elementary school, will the after school programs coninue upto 6pm in public schools?

Your answers are very much appreciated...

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by swamichukkala

1. I heard that if your kid is out of school ( public schools, I am talking about) to attend some important family event, say for 3 weeks, the school will kick you out

How's jr. supposed to make up 3 weeks of schoolwork? Just a few days is hard enough!

[irby]

Originally Posted by swamichukkala

Adding one more question to vw2005's..
1. I heard that if your kid is out of school ( public schools, I am talking about) to attend some important family event, say for 3 weeks, the school will kick you out.. After 3 weeks, your kid will loose the schoold seat and he has to go to some other school.. How far is this true?

You're lucky if you don't get sent to jail for keeping your kids out of school for 3 weeks. That's a VERY long time for a kid to be out of school and is not something the school will look at favorably. The only time I could see that being even remotely okay in the view of the school/authorities is if there's an unexpected death in the immediate family - i.e. the child's parent or sibling - or if the child was in a very bad accident or had a disease like mono. You can't take 3 weeks off from school to go visit family, to go to a wedding, to go to a grandparent's funeral, etc.

[batransplant]

What event lasts for 3 weeks requiring absence from school besides illness or injury to the child?

[twins4lynn]

Originally Posted by swamichukkala

Adding one more question to vw2005's..
1. I heard that if your kid is out of school ( public schools, I am talking about) to attend some important family event, say for 3 weeks, the school will kick you out.. After 3 weeks, your kid will loose the schoold seat and he has to go to some other school.. How far is this true?

2. Also, for a working couple, with thier kid in elementary school, will the after school programs coninue upto 6pm in public schools?

Your answers are very much appreciated...

(1) Schools will require that you sign a contract of independent study five school days in advance of a trip or extended absence. This will give students credit for missed classroom time, and they will have assignments to complete during their absence. If a contract is not obtained, this absence will be unexcused. Your child will not be kicked out of school if they have an approved contract for independent study.

(2) Usually after school programs continue until at least 6:00.

[SportyandMisty]

Look at Pinewood School.
If you can swing it, definitely check out the Harker School.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by vw2005

Hi everyone,

I will appreciate hearing your thoughts on:

1. Is it true that to get my kid admitted to some of the top school districts in the Bay area, I am expected to make a donation to the school, any amount from 5 to 10 grand? Heard this from a friend about public schools in Cupertino and Palo Alto asking for donations.

2. Any guidance on good private schools in the Palo Alto or Mountain View area? How much would tuition run for a 3rd grader?

3. Does admission to a public school happen on the basis of where you stay or is there some lottery system?

Thanks for your help :-)

I live in PA and have a school-age child entering K. To register for PAUSD schools, you have to show proof of residency where you are. I've never heard of any sort of "donation" to get into a desired school. The only magnet programs in PAUSD are the Ohlone School, Hoover school, and Spanish language and Chinese Mandarin language immersion programs and selection is by lottery. The neighborhood schools you attend - you just have to be eligible by area; although sometimes due to increased demand, sometimes they may have a reverse lottery for getting into your neighborhood school and if your kid can't get into your neighborhood school, he/she will be redirected to another school in the district (most kids will get in, eventually - families move, change plans, etc.). Pretty much all the schools at PAUSD are great - your child will have quality education no matter the site.

Cupertino Union School District was facing a big budget shortfall this year, and there was a big fund raising campaign that enabled the school district to forestall pink-slipping a lot of teachers. However, I am not aware of any sort of regular practice with donations to "ensure a spot in a desired school site."

I don't really know all that much about private schools - my opinion is that the best public schools are as good or better than the private schools here. But just FYI - St. Francis High School in Mt. View tuition is around $14K/year; Castelleja School (all girl's school) is $32K year.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by hsw

Arguably PaloAlto HS are academically strongest public HS in world (and better than most pvt schools), but many w/bucks would rather not risk their kids' safety vs the poors/violent who feed into PA public schools

That is simply nonsense. There are plenty of very affluent kids who go to Paly or Gunn HS, and the schools are safe by any standard. There are some children from low-income neighborhoods who attend under the Tinsley Voluntary Transfer program but they are very small in number.