I'm not sure how the conversation started.
Next year he will be in Pre-kindergarten.
His birthday is in June. Should we send him to one year of Pre-K, or two?
Perhaps one year at his current location, and one at what will be his kindergarten?
She does research.
Our school lines have recently been redrawn. The elementary which is closest is not where he would be assigned.
They rank 25th in the state. Out of over 1000 schools.
The one he will be attending, the one farther away, was 225th.
Decent.....but not 25th.
Can we appeal to get in?
There is yet another close by. Their test scores are off the charts.
Ah, a school for gifted students.
If it were up to the parents, this is where all the kids would be.
Curious. My elementary, in its small town rural setting.....996th.
I'm not the Amazing Kreskin, but I do predict an improvement there next year.
At the one he will be attending, (#225) city police shot a man with an AK-47 a couple blocks from it last week.
Somehow, all of this is too real.
I'm still wiping his butt for crying out loud.
We still have time.
Plenty of time.
We agree to put this aside for at least a year.
And simply enjoy this age while we can.
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Good decision. Although, the pnut started today. But we know the teacher. Well. And as I said to my wife as we drove away, "Homeschooling is still an option."
Sounds very similar to a conversation the wife and I have had recently. Currently wrestling with the decision on when to send little man to some sort of preschool program. I'm banking on the Montessori near us for now, unless we somehow *cough* (highly unlikely) *cough* sell our house and move.
Ronan is 18 months old. We've already discussed moving so we will be in a better school district.
Such a hard decision to make :/ Like EVERYTHING in parenting, it will be here before we know it, so I'm trying not to stress about it while I don't need to. :)
I'm not sure if you know, but we just started my oldest in PreK. She'll be five in October and is considered a "late birthday". We couldn't send her to Pre-K last year, and she was excited this year to go.
She would come home with a syllabus of sorts for the next weeks studies, and they were all stuff she knows.. The color red. The circle. Etc. We were concerned she would be bored.
We sent an email to the teacher with our concern. She replied with the curriculum for the rest of the year. Safe to say by the end of the year she'll be doing web program with cold fusion and reading topographical maps from The planet formally known as pluto.
I guess my point is, Lucas seems like a bright kid and you guys are really hands on with what he learns and is exposed too. Two years would be fine because they eventually touch on stuff we don't think about.
Don't even get me started about the DC schools. Although we just moved to a great neighborhood with one of the best elementary school in the District. Still for high school I see a move to MD or VA in our future.
These are the decisions that make me lose sleep. Sounds like you're the same. But there's time.
That said... when it comes to education, I say, do whatever you need to do to feel like you're providing the best for your kid. Your gut may already be telling you the answer.
My son is 4 and I already think about how I don't mind the Elementary School he'll go to, which I now know ranks 107th because you sparked my curiosity. Not bad. But I already worry about middle/high school and am not too excited about the district we're in. I just need to breathe, it's a long way away, but I still think about it.
I read something recently that said a coin flip is a great way to decide, not because of the outcome but because in the moment the coin is in the air, you know what you REALLY are hoping for.
All this school stuff can be so overwhelming and nerve wracking. I've got one more year!
Wise man to let it rest for a while. You'll give yourself an ulcer.
Yes, I agree! better to enjoy the time you have, not worry about stuff before you have to. Parents who fret about every turn they make too soon lead somewhat harried existences. No good.
Realize that rankings are based on tests taken by the students but administered by the teachers. The same teachers who are evaluated on their effectiveness using those tests. So, the high ranking may not mean smarter kids, just teachers who are better at teaching to the test (or "helping" students during the test). Cynical? Probably. Completely wrong? Unlikely.
here here. we are starting to ask the very same questions and do the very same research.
we may end up sending the trips to a private school -- the one Lovie and I attended back in the day. i have mixed feelings. when i attended, grades 5 thru 12 were all that was offered. now it's k-12. that's a long time to be at one school.
these decisions are never easy. they take me back to your last line -- something i've been really focusing on lately. "enjoy(ing" this age while we can."
I remember worrying about all this when my oldest was the same age, but I really don't think you need to at this elementary stage. Just make sure the overall school philosophy and curriculum is a good fit for him. Worry when he's coming up on middle and high school age. Just my two cents. =)
@IICE - Thanks for the good advice! Until we saw the ranking (and learned about the anamolous police shooting), we were very happy with the school we have been assigned. It's right between old growth forest and a beach, so the kids get lots of science lessons outside. Plus, there's tons of music, art classes, Spanish lessons (for all ages) and very involved parents. Maybe we lost our focus a bit??
Remember these are based on test scores! IMO I don't even bother to look at them, in fact, I can't stand them. All test scores say is the school is good at getting kids to score high on tests. There is so much more important about schools!
I think every parent, especially when you live in a city as big as ours, worries and wonders about all of the school choices. When my daughter started K, that was the last year of "choice". My goodness. It was insane. And so unecessary. You guys have time, and sooo many decent choices.
Deep breath!
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