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South Florida Babies
Private or Public School???
I got a postcard from the University School last week about their open house and it got me thinking about what to do with Mikey when he is ready for kindergarten. I'd love to get him into the charter school that is right around the corner from my house but I'd basically have to get REALLY lucky to get him in there. I don't think I could afford private school though.
So what do you think you'll end up doing with your little one(s)?
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Re: Private or Public School???
i'm pretty sure you live in an area with good schools, right? if so, i say public.
My plan is to put alexis in public until middle school then switch to private.
Sunset Lakes elementary is the school alexis would go to for elementary and i've heard good things about it.
If we had stayed in South Florida, I would have tried my very best to put my kids in private school. Even though we lived in a fabulous community and the schools were rated A, in good condition, clean, etc., there were trailer park kids from about two miles away bused in to the elementary school in our area and there was also a low income housing complex not too far away that I think was zoned for our school also. It is very snobbish, but there is no way I would want my kids to become friends with kids from those areas and want to go play in their communities.
Currently my daughter (K) goes to a private school as does my son (but he is only in pk3). It is quite expensive and I wasnt set out on her continuing, as we are zoned for a great elementary school. I, like Leanna, wanted my kids to go to private in Middle school, but I started her out in pk3 and fell in love with the school. I like that there are small ratios, my daughter has 2 teachers everyday all day and there are 16 kids in her class, I also like the religious aspect of it. And I will continue to send them both there (and apparently another one) as long as I can swing it.
If they have to go to public, that is fine too. (my mom teaches public school and I went to public school-)
Liz
I expect we'll do public at least through elementary and then reconsider based on how the schools are where we live.
I went to a pretty mediocre elementary school in Pennsylvania when I was growing up before heading to private school for 10th - 12th grades. After talking to friends who went to private school the whole way through, I don't feel like they were that much more prepared for high school than I was (if at all), and the cost of private school for elementary is daunting since we hope to have 2 or 3 kids. As long as I feel that the school is at least handling the basic appropriate age material, I guess I also feel that DH and I can provide some challenge and interest outside of school.
He's only 6 months old, but if we are still in the same house then there's a great charter school 2 minutes from where we live that goes through 8th grade - there's a charter high school in our area too. If he doesn't get into it (because of that lottery system they use), then he'll likely go to public school.
Giiiirl, you must walk around in flame retardent underwear. On the positive side, at least you are honest but on the flip side - I hope you are teaching your son to be respectful of people no matter where they live and how they grew up. Judging a child based on the neighborhood it lives in or the type of home it comes from just....wow. Low income does not equal low class.
Dh and I both attended private school all our lives, so we'd feel guilty sending our child to public school. However, there are some amazing programs in some public schools I'd love my child to attend.
Niece is gifted, and she attends private school. I don't think she's getting the education she deserves... she can do a lot more. I'd hate for that to happen to a child of mine. I know some private schools are now developing programs for gifted children to be able to compete w/ the neighboring public schools.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
I am sure a lot of us have strong opinions on this. It all depends on where you live and what you want. All of the schools we are zoned for are A rated. So Aa will be in public schools. I was raised in all public schools and never had a problem. If we had a school that had bad scores or I knew of bad things happening there (like Plantation Middle for instance) I would consider private.
I had friends from lots of different schools growing up and I was not too fond of a lot of the kids from University school....why you ask, lol. Their parents gave them ridiculous allowance and guess what they did...they spent it on drugs...and some got apartments that did god knows what in...and they paid cash. Because of the private schools left a bad taste in my mouth.
Most of the University School kids end up going to Ivy League or other top colleges. Thats where I want Alexis to end up going.
But I'm a snobby private school grad too
Gator- it's funny you say that about private- I always heard private schools have the drug problems and public the violence. It's true though depending on where you live, and what your zoned for influences your decision on this "hot" subject.
LMAO, yup got my flame retartdent underwear on...LOL!!! It may seem offensive, but no matter how nice the individual kid or family might be, there is no way I would want my kids hanging out in bad neighborhoods. And the way South Florida is, you can live in a beautiful community and the one right next to yours can be a giant crack den. There were a lot of things I loved about living in FL, but that was not one of them. The thought of sending kids to school there always stressed me out. Out public schools here in NY are so good, I guess I am just comparing....
DH and I both went to public schools and I feel like I, at least, got a great education at every school I went to. I was in the gifted program and then took all honors classes and maybe I got lucky but I always had great teachers and my schools were clean and safe. It just depends on the particular schools in your area.
Eric went to an Ivy League school and went to public school, but yes you are right, those kids have a better chance in getting into those schools.
RE Drugs in Private Schools - Yes, I believe drugs may be more prevelant in private schools b/c they perhaps have more money and can afford it more often. I won't lie, there was drugs in my HS, and we had a huge expolsion during my freshman yr due to a drug bust... but it all depends on your child and the morals and ethics you instill in them. Not once did I even think of touching a drug, or even a drink!
Something else to be said about private schools... children are surrounded w/ people of a higher class, and it just opens up opportunities in the future for them (i.e, child's best friend's dad may be the managing partner at a public accounting firm... and when child graduates, he may have his foot in the door due to the relationship). And don't get me wrong, I don't think they should deserve that postion, but for example, in today's job market, it is all about who you know, and I'm a strong believe in this.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
I'm a 100% believe in the gifted programs in public schools... I don't feel you can get lost as easily as in a regular program.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" -- Jimmy Buffett
V - no offense meant by my post. Lots of public school grads go to amazing schools!! And FWIW - i agree with Andrea about "bad" neighborhoods. And what Jackie said about "who you know" is 1000% true. The parents of my friends from school tend to be an extremely professional group with good jobs and can help with things like internships and other opportunities. Recently, one of my high school friends asked my mom for help with something she needed job related. And I got 2 of my law school recommendations from my friends parents.
The schools where we live are very good so Quinn will likely go to public elementary school. At that point, we'll decide whether or not to send him to private school for middle and high school. DH and I both went to private school (met in high school), and it was advantageous to both of us when it came time for college. Tough to predict the future so we are staying open to all possibilities.
Oh, I could so go on and on about this topic - I mean pages worth of comments but I have to head home now. Just know that not everything is as good or as bad as anyone might make it out to be. There are pros and cons to both but overall an involved parent can make the difference either way.
I'll try to come back later to give my honest opinion.
As a teacher in elementary and now a reading coach in a middle/high, I could go on and on about this. I've also worked at a private school, a public school, and currently work at a charter school and IMHO you get the best of both worlds at a charter. I went to private school, but I'll most likely put my children in a charter school. So far, I have had great experiences there and they haven't necessarily been in the best of neighborhoods. So, I think it goes to show how important that individualized attention from administrators and teachers is. I would feel comfortable sending my kids to public elementary schools, but I feel like kids tend to get lost in regular ed programs in the middle and high schools because they're so much larger than their elementary counterparts. Unless, like Eli, you are in a gifted, magnet, special ed program, the regular, average kid tends to get overlooked.
Also, I LOOOOOOVE the K-8 or 6-12 concept of the charter schools. I don't like having middle school kids on their own in one school. In a K-8, they are empowered to be mentors and role models for the younger kids and in the 6th-12th model, they are in turn mentored by high schoolers and are way too intimidated to act up, lol. After this year, I think I'm liking the 6th-12th grade concept better because as 6th graders they are already being prepared for pre-AP and AP courses, they get to meet high school teachers, they become familiar with the clubs and sports available, etc. So, by the time they enter high school, being a Freshman is no big deal because it's a smooth transition, the kids have been together since 6th grade, and they have a better understanding of what they want to get out of their HS career. We have kids who take high-school level courses in 8th grade and by the time they graduate they also earn an AA from Miami-Dade (and now we're trying to partner with FIU) and these are minority kids in a low-income area!
Sorry, I could go on and on about this!
Hopefully private (Catholic). That's where DH and I went from K-12th grade and I would love to do the same for our kids. We would love for them to go to the same high schools we went to. Elementary I'm not as picky about, but if we stay in our same area, it will probably end up being the same elementary school I went to and it's where all my cousins will probably send their kids, so that would be great for my kids to go to school with their cousins.
Honestly, I think kids get a better education in public elementary and middle schools than in Catholic K-8th grade parochial schools, but for me it's not so much about the education as much as it is about the environment. I feel like a smart kid will excel no matter where you put them, and if you are an involved parent, there are many ways to supplement their education at home even if the Catholic school doesn't provide gifted or advanced programs (which many don't). As for high school, DH and I both went to excellent high schools with top-ranked academic programs, so educationally-speaking, if our kids are accepted there and we can afford to send them, that would be my top choice.
For me, I really value the sense of community that parochial Catholic schools provide. The families usually end up being very close because you are drawing from a pool of like-minded people from similar backgrounds which means that everyone has a lot in common. I think you lose that a little bit in the public school system where there's more diversity. Diversity is a GOOD thing, but both scenarios have their pros and cons. My mom has been teaching at a public school for 31 years and she still chose to send my brother and I to Catholic school our entire lives because she really wanted that environment where the parents are really involved in school activities, all the families know each other, etc.
As for the drug thing, yeah, I definitely saw a lot of drug use in high school among my private school crowd, but I'm sure that's the case in public high schools too. Your child is never going to exist in a bubble, so you just have to raise them right and hope they do well regardless of what bad behavior they are exposed to.
It's all about the classroom teacher and not whether the school is a "good school" or "bad school" or in a good or bad neighborhood. I've worked in all types of schools and in all different types of areas and honestly I've seen kick @ss teachers at D schools and crappy teachers at A schools. As a parent you need to be involved and get in there and see what's going on.
Nadia will definetly go to public school. I want her to be exposed to a real life atmosphere where people are different and have different backgrounds, homelives, etc. That doesn't mean that public school doesn't scare me! I see kids nowadays and I can't believe the things that they do- that being said- the parents who are INVOLVED and come out to the school and participate generally have kids that do great. The ones that are always in trouble are usually the ones that I can't get a hold of their parents when they are sent to my office and all the phone numbers are disconnected or wrong.
For elementary she'll go where ever I am and I will hand pick her teachers and for middle and high I'm not sure if she'll go to a magnet or if she'll go to the school in our neighborhood (where we live). We'll see when the time comes.
There are definetly pros/cons to both and as a parent I think you just need to go with the route that makes you feel the most comfortable.
Ditto on both of these! Hopefully, I'll be back at an elementary soon since that's what I really love. But, my kids will definitely go wherever I'm at and, hopefully, I'll get to pick their teachers, too.
I would love to send all three kids of my kids to a Catholic Private School. MH went to public school and is a strong advocate for public school eduction. I went to Catholic School from Pre-K through 12th grade. Now, granted that was in NJ where the public school system - is terrible. I don't think I would be where I am today if my parents didn't sacrifice everything to give me and my siblings the best education possible. Having said that, the public schools here in FL compared to NJ are 10x better. There are just so many options here. We visited a catholic school and fell in love with the teachers, the history, the sense of community and of course the fact that religion will be taught...but the cost of tuition makes me nervous x 3.
So, for right now - the plan is to enroll Eli in a public school for VPK. The school in our district is an A school. If all goes well - we'll keep him there until HS. I really really want them to go to private HS. I'm "trying" to be open-minded...But as I said, I am biased toward private school education...so more than likely - they'll wind up in private.
This EXACTLY! Except that right now my DH works at a really good Episcopal school. If he's still there, our kids will go for free. The school only goes to 5th grade so we plan on putting them in Catholic school after that.
That being said, I have nothing against public schools. My little sister (she's 12) is in a public charter school in South Florida and she is thriving. I am a firm believer that a good student can succeed in any school/coming from any school - public or private. We will just do our best to send our son to a private school because it is what we are most comfortable doing and what we know from our own experience.
I didn't read all of the responses above, but I think someone mentioned financial aid. Don't automatically count out private schools because of cost. A lot of them (University School included) have WONDERFUL scholarship and financial aid programs. My parents could have never afforded to send me there without the financial aid I received. So definitely check into it. GL!
I want DS to go to a private school but right now we can't afford it (because I am not working but once DS and his brother/sister will be in school I will start working again). The plan is to send him to public elementary (he would go to Central park elementary in plantation, a top rated school) and then do private middle and high school. I went to private school since I was in pre-K and growing up I didn't know anybody that went to public school (Although it might be different because I did not grow up in the US).
Frankly, the schools here scare me. Everybody says how kids from private schools have more money for drugs but I know that most private schools monitor better their students. My cousin went to American Heritage and if she would skip a class, they would call my Aunt. They were closely monitored. Also, it freaks me out everytime I hear about stabbings and horrible things happening in schools and they almost always happen in public schools.
I do have friends that went to private schools here and did drugs but it was mostly because their parents did not monitor them much. I think I would like DS to go to University school because of their academic program and because its a secular school but most of the kids are Jewish (we are Jewish and we would like DS to be around Jewish people but we do not want him to go to a religious school because we want him also have friends from all kinds of different backgrounds)
I have a friend who went to University school and then her parents transfer her to a public high school (so she would have a taste of the "real world"). She told me that she could literally feel her brain shut down. She said that she did not learn anything and that the first year at the public HS was horrible because she had already learned that at University school. Something similar happened to me when I moved to the US to go to college. I was amazed at how little some of my college classmates knew. I mean, I was terrible at math in HS and here I was a straight "A" student because I had already learned most of the curriculum during middle school and high school (I did go to one of the best schools in all of South and central America).
It's funny that you write this about NJ schools because I feel the exact opposite! LOL I feel a bit nervous about public schools in Florida, as opposed to the great schools I attended back in Jersey.
I went to public school in NJ from 4th grade through high school (I did K-3 in Catholic school), and I had a great education. My 10th grade history class was equivalent to a college-level History class, and it was neither an honors nor an AP class, although there were plenty of those to choose from as well.
My high school was very diverse--it was the first public high school in the nation to integrate voluntarily. There was a large Jewish population, a large black population, the biggest mosque in the area was in my town, etc. I am a big believer in diversity, and I want my kids to experience some of that. I am sad that the schools near me are pretty much 99% hispanic, actually. I really miss the diversity that I grew up with.
Tania