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Forget it. I figured it out. Politics and Controversies. I'm still sick. My mind is slow this morning!
Aww.. Hope you start feeling better soon. I'm feeling a little punky myself. Can't concentrate. I've been watching the "Sweat Lodge Trial" on TruTV. Think I'll give up trying to do Work and spend the day listening to that and tidying up the casa.
I am wary of any commitment to private school. MrFR and I are both freelance people - our circumstances can and do change at any given moment. If anything happened to either one of us the burden of tuition would probably prove too great to continue, and we'd have to relocate her - which is something I'd really like to avoid. I'd rather put money towards her college future, or maybe even a private high school, rather than towards elementary school.
I could go on & on & then some more about this topic. It is, in my world, probably the thing I am most passionate about next to raising children in a healthy home environment.
One thing to look at is if the school has ever received a Blue Ribbon Award. It is not easy to achieve & takes about 2 yrs to apply for & is a heck of a process. http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2010/national.pdf
Not sure how many of you are aware of what is going on in WI or OH, but the state of public education is in a massive flux. Being a teacher is close to impossible. I cannot phathom being paid based on how my students pass a generic computer generated federal test. And many public schools have NO choice in requiring teaching to the test. It is awful.
The concerns over pensions & health care do need to be looked at & severely dissected. But to take away ALL salary discussion from teachers & saying it will be controlled by the government is somewhat scary for our educators who do more than most would ever be willing to take on. As much as I loved teaching middle school, it was, next to parenting , the hardest job. Very rewarding in a way that would take a book to write, but extremely daunting & frustrating...NOT b/c of the students. I have always said if I could have just shut my door to admin & 75% of the parents, it would have been awesome.
Education starts & ends in the home. Where you send your child matters quite a bit, but matters even more when YOU sit w/ them & talk about their day. When YOU sit w/ them & go over homework. When YOU sit w/ them at dinner or breakfast. The more kids see their parents involved, the more likely they stay involved.
From what you have posted on here, I can't see your child being lost in the numbers & you being a parent who feels that it is the schools responsibility to raise their child b/c they pay taxes.
The public education system is a mess due to NCLB (that will explain a lot about the US system) but it is not a lost cause. There are SOOO many good schools, good teachers, & good students.
Go to the school & get a feel for it. It's like walking into a home or apt...you KNOW. You just get that feeling if it is good fit for your child or not.
I was looking into preschools a few yrs ago for my #1 & remember going to a Goddard School. I knew about 2 minutes into it that was not the place. For #2, I went to a preschool in Jan & again, in about 5 mins, just knew. Parental intuition is a force to be reckoned w/
In our area, parachiol schools are very competitive & in demand. But our public school system in our school is just as good. That is why the private is also very good. We've choosen to send our children to private based on our beliefs & feelings.
It is a personal decision.
Point is, private or public matters to an extent. But how that child is raised matters far, far more for the long term.
Thanks Zimbo, I see what you mean. How does one go about finding all of this out? If I narrowed down a few schools that appear good on paper - mainly based on community buzz from forums such as CD and Philadelphia Speaks - how do you actually go about checking out whether the school is right for you, practically speaking? Can you go there? I'm not really sure how it works. How did you know your school had all these attributes?
(Sorry about the third degree. I'm really grateful for the help.)
Sorry, duty called. Good point about the middle and high schools, check those out. No point choosing a good elementary school if the high school is crap. It's tricky getting the low-down on the schools. A tour is a good start, and you should see parents bustling about. On any given day there are hordes of parents in our school working in the library, or doing this or that. I would also ask the person giving the tour what the parent involvement is like, what is the percentage of PTA membership, ask to see a PTA newsletter. Networking is also key, ask aroung get some feedback from people. I hate to say this part because it sounds so elitist, but the education level of the parents will factor in to the big picture. That's not to say your child can't have a good experience without that, but when it comes to having a large population of the school really motivated and supported by their parents, it does factor in. That's just the way it is. And scores may not be the best way to judge, but honestly they should be taken into account along with everything else.
Sorry, duty called. Good point about the middle and high schools, check those out. No point choosing a good elementary school if the high school is crap. It's tricky getting the low-down on the schools. A tour is a good start, and you should see parents bustling about. On any given day there are hordes of parents in our school working in the library, or doing this or that. I would also ask the person giving the tour what the parent involvement is like, what is the percentage of PTA membership, ask to see a PTA newsletter. Networking is also key, ask aroung get some feedback from people. I hate to say this part because it sounds so elitist, but the education level of the parents will factor in to the big picture. That's not to say your child can't have a good experience without that, but when it comes to having a large population of the school really motivated and supported by their parents, it does factor in. That's just the way it is. And scores may not be the best way to judge, but honestly they should be taken into account along with everything else.
A neighbor told me when I first moved here that she was annoyed the kindergarten questionnaire asked her if her child knew how to tie his shoes...she said that is why there is velcro & if the school wants him to tie his shoes in kinder, they can teach him Then she brought over the school supply list to me to show me how they had the audacity to ask for printer paper when don't we pay our taxes?? Needless to say, I don't really talk to much to that neighbor.
We went to a meeting last month for our son's kindergarten. We were told we were expected to physically be at a specific number of PTO events. We were expected to tithe a certain % to the church. We were expected to go to church every Sunday.
So, I mean, it is everywhere somehow, someway.
But sites such as GreatSchools.com are sorta iffy...ANYONE (to include a child) can post on there.
Ratings matter to a degree as well as % on paid breakfast/lunch.
Finster- you can get a detailed budget of how $$ is spent along w/ what amount the school gets for funding & why.
My son's preschool (which is public) received a fund to bring in a Love & Logic speaker for 3 months for the parents. It was awesome.
Look & see the involvement of the PTA & what events go on at the school. An active PTA says alot.
Be prepared, no matter public or private, to be bombarded by the PTA though They are a HUGE income source & earn the monies for such things as Smart Boards, laptops (my son will be signed out an iPad next yr I found out!!), playground equipment, subsidized field trips & so on.
Ok, I'll stop as I know I am rambling & gotta see if I can get any good deals on Kohls.com before my hour of peace is up!
[I saw about Mike Starr. Sad. Waiting to see when it is about Charlie Sheen.}
Not sure how many of you are aware of what is going on in WI or OH, but the state of public education is in a massive flux.
I'm just using this part of your post as a jumping off point for Fenster.
Pennsylvania is about to have this same problem with education. Our new govenor just presented a budget that is cutting way too much money from education. The hardest areas hit are the large metro areas---Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. This will impact our state unversities and the public schools.
The public school districts will have no choice but to raise property taxes. As a result, the school districts in the most affluent areas will be less impacted, but the city school districts will suffer and result in many school closings and mergers in the very near future.
Pennsylvania's state senate and house have a republican majority. Unlike Wisconsin, I don't think democrats running and hiding in another state will stop this budget from being passed.
It's such a shame since Pennsylvania has has an excellent education system, but that will change very quickly in areas without significant wealth. Even though the impoverished schools struggle, the middle class schools have always thrived. I think that might be changing shortly.
I think it's pretty widespread. Our school district just had emergency budget meeting for next school year. We had a $100 million deficit this year, and it is apparently going to be a lot more next. Our class sizes increased dramatically too. I know in our school parent participation is needed more now than ever.
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I'm really grateful for the help.)
Then she brought over the school supply list to me to show me how they had the audacity to ask for printer paper when don't we pay our taxes?? Needless to say, I don't really talk to much to that neighbor.
They are a HUGE income source & earn the monies for such things as Smart Boards, laptops (my son will be signed out an iPad next yr I found out!!
