Struggling with School Choices for 2011 (Northview, Niles: homes, preschool, university)

[DutchChunk]

Hi Everyone!
I am a mother of 2 boys, one of which is in preschool in Northview Public, the other will be going to preschool next year. I live in the GRPS district and opted last year to pay and send my son to Northview. I heard from another Northview parent, who also is from out of district, that they charge $500 a month for students to attend K-12 if out of district. Does anyone know if this is true? This being my first child to attend school, I was not aware that you had to pay to send your child to another school for grades K-12. I thought it was school of choice in this area.

My younger son will be going to preschool next year and I would really like to send him to Northview also, but this will not be possible for me if my son in not in the same school.
We had planned to move out of GR last year before the kids started school, but unfortuntely my husband was laid off. So, moving to a new district is not an option and neither is paying $500 a month to send my children to a decent school. I am really struggling with maybe having to send both of my children to GRPS next year!My husband attended GRPS and refuses to send his children there and the district has only gotten worse since he attended.

So, does anyone know if this info about out of district enrollment fees for NPS is correct? And if so, what are some other options for us as far as schools?

Thanks an advance!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by DutchChunk

Hi Everyone!
I am a mother of 2 boys, one of which is in preschool in Northview Public, the other will be going to preschool next year. I live in the GRPS district and opted last year to pay and send my son to Northview. I heard from another Northview parent, who also is from out of district, that they charge $500 a month for students to attend K-12 if out of district. Does anyone know if this is true? This being my first child to attend school, I was not aware that you had to pay to send your child to another school for grades K-12. I thought it was school of choice in this area.

My younger son will be going to preschool next year and I would really like to send him to Northview also, but this will not be possible for me if my son in not in the same school.
We had planned to move out of GR last year before the kids started school, but unfortuntely my husband was laid off. So, moving to a new district is not an option and neither is paying $500 a month to send my children to a decent school. I am really struggling with maybe having to send both of my children to GRPS next year!My husband attended GRPS and refuses to send his children there and the district has only gotten worse since he attended.

So, does anyone know if this info about out of district enrollment fees for NPS is correct? And if so, what are some other options for us as far as schools?

Thanks an advance!

Why don't you contact Northview to find out about the $500?

[mich2fla]

If your husband attended GRPS and refused to send your kids there, then why live in GRPS boundary in the first place?!?

[trinityjoy]

If your husband attended GRPS and refused to send your kids there, then why live in GRPS boundary in the first place?!? because Michigan has school of choice. You should call the school because unless it is private you should not have to pay, however they don't have to take you if they don't want to. we live in Niles and I send one of my kids to Berrien and have been toying with the idea of edwardsburg for the other three. edwardsburg opens their school of choice by semester so they may start there and not finish but i have never heard of them turning people away. more over we have used three different schools (dowagiac, berrien, and niles) and have nevered paid.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mich2fla

If your husband attended GRPS and refused to send your kids there, then why live in GRPS boundary in the first place?!?

Probably because the homes are less expensive. I'd love to live in the city, for conveniences and walkability, but the schools are a big detractor for us.

[enigmaingr]

Only Northview will be able to give you the right answer. You have alternatives though if money is tight and/or Northview won't take the kids.

Your children can get a good education, particularly in the early grades, if you choose the right school. GR Montessori comes to mind. Get your options from GRPS and decide from there. As I replied to another parent on here, if you are proactive and insist on a certain school within GRPS, the district will accommodate you. Good luck.

[summeralyssa]

There are some very good elementary schools in GRPS, like CA Frost Environmental, Blandford at the Nature Center, and GR Montessori. You have a lot of choice within GRPS until you get to the high school level.

There are also a wide range of charter schools, some better than others, that are public schools (free) governed by a university or, in some cases, a for-profit entity. Some go to the high school level, and some don't.

GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community is a very useful resource for comparing schools.

[montessorigirl]

Hello If anyone is seeking a year round Montessori Program for their children that are ages 2.5 to 6. I will be accepting applications for new students in June 2010, I am a certified Montessori teacher and lic. childcare provider for six children in my home call 828-2186 or 247-1974 for more details.

[intelfan11315]

I went to Covell when I was a kid, it was my understanding that Shawmut, Covell and CA frost were the best ones to go to. (By the way Blanford is only 5th/6th grade).

If you want my personal opinion, stay out of GRPS completely, unless you plan to change districts after elementary school, as soon as they go to Westood its a completely different world. I left GRPS after 6th grade.

I am quite sure that you would not have to pay 500 dollars per month to send your kid to a public school whether or not you are out of district, that's more expensive than private high schools around here!