Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've been a homeschooling mom for a number of years, and I'm looking for a place for my kids to go as I consider reentry into the work force.
We're currently considering private Catholic schools, but we're open to good schools of any stripe in the area.
We have run up against some trouble in seeking out Catholic schools, as most that seem rude/arrogant/haughty seem to have the "best academics" and extracurricular activities while the more down-to-earth don't seem to have as much and cater more to the Latino community (not trying to be racist, but we feel left out in either a want-to-be-affluent-suburban-white-snob setting or a predominantly Latino/Hispanic community).
We're really looking for a school with good academic standards (ex. not a lot of behavioral issues, decent test scores, good extracurricular activities) , down-to-earth people who are clean-cut (i.e. not covered in tattoos/piercings, not into drug/alcohol culture, etc) and preferably, enough of a "mix" of racial/socioeconomic backgrounds so that no identifiable group has an upper hand over the other. (I hope this makes sense.)
This probably sounds like (and is) a Utopian fantasy, but does anyone know of a school that seems to fit this bill? My family and I feel very tired of being the odd man out without a sense of community life for our children.
We're looking for a friendly Catholic parish to join and a friendly school (Catholic/private or not). We've just been really lonely as a family in this Valley. And we recently moved to the West Side, which hasn't improved anything for us.
Are you looking for a grade school or a high school?
Because there's only one Catholic high school in the West Valley and it is predominantly Latino.
We're looking for a grade school/middle school. Again, we're looking for a good mix of people/backgrounds--just a nice welcoming environment where anyone of any race or economic background could feel comfortable/not singled out. We don't want the kids to be miserable because of overbearing suburban elitists or because they're part of a minority in the school population. As a child, I went to a predominantly African American school on the east coast. Experience tells me, it's hard to be in a place where one identifiable group (be it brown, white, purple, or chartreuse...or more subtle like an economic class) has a majority over another.
That's why I say we're looking for as even a mix of people as we can find. It's very important to us that they're in a place where everyone can really feel welcome and learning is seen as important (but no one is brow-beaten over it).
We would go with a public school, if it weren't for the AIMS test and other aspects we don't like as a family.
I just don't want to send my kids to a school that's full of arrogant/unfriendly attitudes or where they'll feel strange/out of place for other reasons.
Again, this is probably pure Utopian fantasy... but I just wanted to ask/get opinions.
We're looking for a grade school/middle school. Again, we're looking for a good mix of people/backgrounds--just a nice welcoming environment where anyone of any race or economic background could feel comfortable/not singled out. We don't want the kids to be miserable because of overbearing suburban elitists or because they're part of a minority in the school population. As a child, I went to a predominantly African American school on the east coast. Experience tells me, it's hard to be in a place where one identifiable group (be it brown, white, purple, or chartreuse...or more subtle like an economic class) has a majority over another.
That's why I say we're looking for as even a mix of people as we can find. It's very important to us that they're in a place where everyone can really feel welcome and learning is seen as important (but no one is brow-beaten over it).
We would go with a public school, if it weren't for the AIMS test and other aspects we don't like as a family.
I just don't want to send my kids to a school that's full of arrogant/unfriendly attitudes or where they'll feel strange/out of place for other reasons.
Again, this is probably pure Utopian fantasy... but I just wanted to ask/get opinions.
Hm, then I would suggest St. Simon and Jude. I know of several different people who have been there. It's probably one of the few Catholic schools on that side of town that has a broader mix of kids from all different backgrounds.
I just wanted to say that I comiserate. We're in your same boat. We're currently on the west side and in our 4th school in 2 years (2 public 2 private). We just don't fit in. My kids don't have any friends and neither do I (well, one who moved to Scottsdale). We're currently in a school that punishes the good kids since the teachers are just so accustomed to the majority being misbehaved. And I understand their point (I'm a classroom volunteer) but this isn't fair to the A students who are getting their grades lowered due to the unruly kids. My child's last day will be in 2 weeks. Looks like we're homeschooling the rest of the year while we regroup. We'll probably try the south east side this time.
Sorry I don't have an answer, if I did - we'd be at that school, too.
I can relate to what you are looking for, our child is mixed Hispanic/White (btw Latino is not a race, it's an ethnic group), and we are also fed up with the suburban snobby attitude (when did THAT start, anyway?), or also an expectation that our brown daughter is the child of immigrants and therefore should be speaking broken English and have special language needs. Laughable, since we both are college educated AZ natives, but people are people, right?
I just wanted to say, though, that many Catholic schools have adopted the AIMS test, so if that is a deterrent, make sure you check first.
Not sure where on the west side you are on, but we are moving back to the East Valley at the end of this school year and will be looking for a good Catholic school when we get back. (we are currently in NC and haven't lived in AZ for 10 years) I have no idea what we'll find so I'm a bit worried. Our daughter is in 6th grade and very much an 11 year old child, not 11 going on 16 like a lot of kids we see in the public school system.
We were at St. Matthews in Chandler (parish, not school) but that was so large that we never felt a part of the community. It is what you make of it, so keep trying. Maybe the homeschool community can provide the connections that you and your kids are looking for? Or a smaller community? For example, my son lives in Maricopa and he and his wife (another mixed Hispanic/White couple) love their parish. It's smaller and they also have a school. They both work in Chandler, it's a 25 minute commute but they love the rural feel of Maricopa.
and we are also fed up with the suburban snobby attitude
My kids are very young still but I'm trying to plan and make the right decisions in raising them. I'm curious what makes a stuck up suburban kid? Is it that they have so many things; their own iphones etc, or just have no manners or respect for teachers and adults, or something else?
I definitely don't want to end up sending them to a school here that may be in a dangerous environment just for the sake of "down-home values" but can also see the reverse being an issue.
My kids are very young still but I'm trying to plan and make the right decisions in raising them. I'm curious what makes a stuck up suburban kid? Is it that they have so many things; their own iphones etc, or just have no manners or respect for teachers and adults, or something else?
I definitely don't want to end up sending them to a school here that may be in a dangerous environment just for the sake of "down-home values" but can also see the reverse being an issue.
I wouldn't know about the kids. I guess an entitlement attitude, but my children would know that landscape better than I would. I don't hang out with kids and as an adult, I'm sure my presence would impact their behavior in some ways. My issue came from dealing with the adults (namely the school administration--just touring the campuses of these schools have proved to be stressful events for me).
I have run across some who have no regard for anyone... but that seems to be a problem across all communities right now.
I just wanted to say that I comiserate. We're in your same boat. We're currently on the west side and in our 4th school in 2 years (2 public 2 private). We just don't fit in. My kids don't have any friends and neither do I (well, one who moved to Scottsdale). We're currently in a school that punishes the good kids since the teachers are just so accustomed to the majority being misbehaved. And I understand their point (I'm a classroom volunteer) but this isn't fair to the A students who are getting their grades lowered due to the unruly kids. My child's last day will be in 2 weeks. Looks like we're homeschooling the rest of the year while we regroup. We'll probably try the south east side this time.
Sorry I don't have an answer, if I did - we'd be at that school, too.
Good luck!
I think we may stick with homeschooling. Homeschooling groups have been as hit and miss as anything else. If you want my straight opinion--I think people are just on edge right now.
I don't want to say too much, but don't touch St. Mary Magdalene in Gilbert with a ten foot pole. OLOG is a great place if you need adult Bible study, etc. I wouldn't go to the school at OLOG, though. I've heard of some troubled waters there.
I can relate to what you are looking for, our child is mixed Hispanic/White (btw Latino is not a race, it's an ethnic group), and we are also fed up with the suburban snobby attitude (when did THAT start, anyway?), or also an expectation that our brown daughter is the child of immigrants and therefore should be speaking broken English and have special language needs. Laughable, since we both are college educated AZ natives, but people are people, right?
I just wanted to say, though, that many Catholic schools have adopted the AIMS test, so if that is a deterrent, make sure you check first.
Not sure where on the west side you are on, but we are moving back to the East Valley at the end of this school year and will be looking for a good Catholic school when we get back. (we are currently in NC and haven't lived in AZ for 10 years) I have no idea what we'll find so I'm a bit worried. Our daughter is in 6th grade and very much an 11 year old child, not 11 going on 16 like a lot of kids we see in the public school system.
We were at St. Matthews in Chandler (parish, not school) but that was so large that we never felt a part of the community. It is what you make of it, so keep trying. Maybe the homeschool community can provide the connections that you and your kids are looking for? Or a smaller community? For example, my son lives in Maricopa and he and his wife (another mixed Hispanic/White couple) love their parish. It's smaller and they also have a school. They both work in Chandler, it's a 25 minute commute but they love the rural feel of Maricopa.
Sorry, ethnic group, No offense. I know this is a delicate topic. I hate even putting anything in those terms. We shouldn't be segregating ourselves based on ethnicity and/or what we think we have/don't have. (I mean, come ON people. Living in XYZ neighborhood doesn't make you rich. Anymore than standing in water with one leg up makes you a flamingo. Matter of fact, the "affluent" neighborhood Gucci-wearing Lexus drivers are probably in debt more than the rest of us.)
And YES: WHEN did that happen? Again, I really think people in general are getting nervous about race, class, ethnicity, status, politics... all of it. And the nonsense about Spanish vs. English. Really? Why can't our kids be multilingual? It doesn't make any sense to live right next to Mexico and not be able to communicate with our neighbors to the south.
But, people are people first. You'd think, at church, people would be familiar with this concept.
Yes, it's a shame they're taking the AIMS. It used to be ITBS and Stanford as far as I knew. Again, I think we're going to end up homeschooling for a few more years.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
mix it up
No offense. I know this is a delicate topic. I hate even putting anything in those terms. We shouldn't be segregating ourselves based on ethnicity and/or what we think we have/don't have. (I mean, come ON people. Living in XYZ neighborhood doesn't make you rich. Anymore than standing in water with one leg up makes you a flamingo. Matter of fact, the "affluent" neighborhood Gucci-wearing Lexus drivers are probably in debt more than the rest of us.)
