Magellan Charter? (sales, elementary school, university) - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - North Carolina (NC) -The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum

dimitri1000 · 03-16-2019, 02:01 PM

Hi. We were fortunate that our number was drawn last week for 3rd grade at Magellan Charter. I went to a tour a month ago and now I have many more questions since is now a reality. Is there anyone on here with kids in elementary school there that could comment on their experience? The test scores are great but I found it odd that they only have 4 core subjects with no specific classes in art, language, music, limited PE, no electives, etc. We are looking to move from our current school for better academics and more hands on learning, but I am firm believer including creative arts and lots of physical activity during the school day at this age! I also think that having a larger cohort of more bookish, chess/robotics club type of kids would be better for one of my kids, from a social standpoint. There is another tour and an orientation coming up, but I'm trying to get as much information as I can, as this will be a tough decision for us. Above all I want my kids to be happy and love going to school, particularly at this age.

I did search on this forum but there is not much recent information. Feel free to DM me.

Thanks.

fuschiachop · 03-21-2019, 02:12 PM

I wonder why you assume Magellan has "a larger cohort of more bookish, chess/robotics club type of kids".....as a public charter school, Magellan pulls in the same kinds of public school kids you see in every other public school classroom, with all the various interests those kids have, too.

My student has done well with Magellan, but I have also seen that it is not the right fit for everyone. If you have concerns with the curriculum, you would do well to ask questions at any additional tours to help you figure out if you will be comfortable there or not. You know what your priorities are: if those won't be met and you still feel like you have concerns, you should probably look for another school to meet your needs.

m378 · 03-21-2019, 03:01 PM

What is your current school, and what is wrong with the academics there? It seems like a big sacrifice to give up specials like art, music, PE, etc.

This isn't directed toward the OP specifically, but I just don't understand going to great lengths to put your kids in a school that's perceived by the parents to have other kids "just like their own". What's wrong with meeting and interacting with all different kinds of people? In my opinion there's far more educational value in that than academics.

Maybe it's because we didn't have charters, magnets, etc when I was a kid, but everyone just "went to school". It wasn't a big deal.

vulfpeck · 03-21-2019, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m378

What is your current school, and what is wrong with the academics there? It seems like a big sacrifice to give up specials like art, music, PE, etc.

This isn't directed toward the OP specifically, but I just don't understand going to great lengths to put your kids in a school that's perceived by the parents to have other kids "just like their own". What's wrong with meeting and interacting with all different kinds of people? In my opinion there's far more educational value in that than academics.

Maybe it's because we didn't have charters, magnets, etc when I was a kid, but everyone just "went to school". It wasn't a big deal.

I dunno, but you'd think the more diverse a classroom, the more the teacher would have to slow down to accommodate the bottom performers, thus penalizing the higher performers.

m378 · 03-21-2019, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vulfpeck

I dunno, but you'd think the more diverse a classroom, the more the teacher would have to slow down to accommodate the bottom performers, thus penalizing the higher performers.

I don't disagree, but I was thinking the OP likely wasn't coming from a low performing school to begin with. I could be wrong, that's why I asked. I guess it was the chess and robotics statement that threw me off.

dimitri1000 · 03-21-2019, 09:01 PM

I'll clarify my post - sorry to offend, if I did. Our whole family are "bookish/robotics" types so we love that, and I don't want to assume we'll find a greater number of kids interested in these types of activities at Magellan. We are in a good school (for most) currently but my child is falling behind both academically and socially, partly because of a mild disability and partly because of the structure of the school day and type of work. I think he'd do much better in a more hands on environment. He also cannot do a lot of sports and we are having some trouble finding friends who are not so rough and tumble. He likes chess, robotics, minecraft, legos, etc and likes sports/being active but does not play on a competitive team. Yes Magellan is by lottery but parents either choose to accept their spot or not, then on down the list. At the tour they stressed lots of homework and rigorous academics - they made me a little nervous about the work, and I generally like the idea of "rigorous academics"

I think there is great value in being in a diverse environment and I am not looking for a homogeneous school. I just need to find a place where my child will be happy and succeed (socially, academically...).

twingles · 03-22-2019, 05:19 AM

I’ve never heard of a school saying on a tour “our academics are really easy”. I think you need to weed out the sales pitch. If there is a PTSA or PTO/PTA ask for their contact
Info and get some answers from the source.

JaPaKoMom · 03-22-2019, 06:03 AM

As a mom to a son with Asperger's I understand your thinking when it comes to your child. Let me offer a little of my experience. My son definitely was not athletic and was very bookish. In fact, he would get in trouble for reading at school as that was his way of dealing with all the distractions around him. It was our experience that regular public school ended up being the best for him. The reason was because he learned how to deal with others that he had no interest in and those same kids learned how to deal with him. Yes, it could be very painful as a mom to see some of the things happening in this setting. But, it is also where our son had the most growth in dealing with his differences.
Clubs and other interests of your child can be met outside of school. Our son had a great interest in planes and joined the Civil Air Patrol. Even with his lack of social skills he was able to make friends that had the same interests. This has carried on to college for him. Our son is in the Air Force ROTC at university and has been able to make connections and friends. Of course, I still worry about him and his future but that is what mom's do.