Please prepare me for public school!

[mefordis]

My dd will start public kindergarten in Sept. She has been going to a very nice, expensive preschool since age of 2 1/2 . Unfortunately we will not be able to swing the $8000 tuition for private Kindergarten so I will enroll her in the public school, which everyone around here says is very good. However, I am not convinced it is as good as her current school, where they would cook their own lunches every day and class would be until 2:30 instead of 11:30.

I feel awful about not being able to send her to this Kindergarten.

Anyone love their public grade school? Will I be pleasantly suprised?

 

[kbkids]

I love my kids' elementary school. Cafeteria food isn't the greatest, but my kids take their lunch anyway, except Friday, which is pizza day.

Both of mine had great kindergarten teachers, wouldn't change a thing. Our school runs from 8:15-2:30. I wish 1/2 day kindergarten had been an option, but it's not available here.

It really all depends on your school district. We're in a great district - moved here specifically for the schools. Just do your research and get involved.

 

[java]

Well when my son made the switch he came home from his first day and said
"Mom it's great we can ride our backpacks down the halls!"

When she gets home from school- have her help you make lunch. Same thing you would have been paying $8000 for. (well almost)
And really sock that money away for college- that's when where she is is more important.

I love our public schools.

 

[emma'smom]

Well...I actually send my kids to a private school, but I would have no problem sending them to the public school either. She'll do fine...and kindergarten is a nice time to make the switch because the rest of the children will be new as well---so she'll make lots of new friends. It's easier in kindergarten than waiting until they are older.

 

[MushyMushy]

I actually chose our public school over the private one.

She'll be fine. Millions of kids are in public school all over the US.

 

[taximomfor4]

My kids have only ever gone to public school. In our Irish Dance school, most of the kids go to private school. I have not noticed a difference in our kids' knowledge, reading abilities, etc. I also have not noticed these other families being happier than we are, with our kids' schools. We all gripe about little things now and again, but most of the gripes are minor. It's just moms venting!!

I went to private school, then switched to public school. My public high school was not a "really good one." But I believe a child can get a decent education, and forge a decent future for themselves, in almost ANY school. In my graduating class, at a not-great public high school, kids went to Harvard, Naval Academy, West Point, state Universities, tech programs, and NOWHERE.

Your child will be fine in public school! I assume you live in a decent neighborhood, with reasonably "effective" schools, of course. So be active in your child's education and enjoy the ride.

BTW, we DO love our kids' public elementary school. The office staff even gets to know the kids, and the parents if they see you on occasion.

 

[Mellie2162]

My kids went to private school every year up until this year (DD 8th grade and DS 4th). This year money is too tight and they had to go to public because Im just not talented enough to homeschool. They love it. They have begged me never to put them back in private again. My daughter is doing the best she has done in her school career.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My DS attended a private school for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. Then we moved specifically to put our kids in a better school district.

DS attended 3rd grade and now currently is in 4th at the public school and DD will start kindergarten this September.

I love the public school and so does DS. There are so many more opportunities for the kids then in the little private school DS used to attend.

I've asked DS a couple times if he misses his private school and there is never a doubt when he says NO!

 

[Christine]

At least where I live, the public elementary schools are pretty good. I did have my kids in private Kindergarten only because our schools are 1/2 here and I needed full day (I work full time). I think I would have been very happy in the public school Kindergarten had it worked for me and my kids did enjoy their other grade levels in public elementary schools. As long as you've heard good things about the school, I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[mefordis]

Thank you for the replies! I wanted to add that we could swing the $$ for private kindergarten but we'd have to forgo vacations, and nice things that we enjoy currently, like buying nice clothing and having good christmases, and of course Disney!

Thank you all for the support!

 

[LanaJayne]

Thank you for the replies! I wanted to add that we could swing the $$ for private kindergarten but we'd have to forgo vacations, and nice things that we enjoy currently, like buying nice clothing and having good christmases, and of course Disney!

Thank you all for the support!

It completely depends on your area. Get involved and make sure that your child is enjoying learning. If any school doesn't allow a love of learning it is time to decide if a change is needed. If that were the case, and I could afford it, I'd make the financial sacrifice and pay for private, otherwise, many, many public schools offer a wonderful school experience.

 

[MichelleVW]

My kids have gone to public schools in Alaska, North Carolina, North Dakota and now Texas and all of them had their strengths and weaknesses. I have never regretted sending my girls to public school.

 

[mickeyboat]

Your daughter will be fine.

Stay involved - just as you would at any school. Get to know the teacher, administrators, the other students in your DD's class and their parents.

Finally, public school is not hallway after hallway full of monsters trying to dumb down your child - really. There are some amazing teachers and amazing opportunities available.

Denae

 

[luvmy3]

I have absolutely nothing positive to say about our public school kindergarten. We have half day. Between "specials" like gym, computer, library, snack time, it doesn't leave much time for academics. There are alot of students here who have never attended pre-school so K is very much structured like a pre-school class with alot of kids just learning ABC's and numbers. In fact we are a year behind(up until about 5th grade) other school districts in our state. When talking to friends and relatives who have kids in full day K, I just want to cry, ours is a joke

 

[freckles and boo]

I believe that what you bring to it is as important to your child as what the school has to offer. Have a positive attitude and your child will pick up on it. If you are negative, your child will pick up on that also.

We are fortunate to have excellent public schools. We have many other options here but none of them offer what the publics schools can.

 

[castleview]

I believe that what you bring to it is as important to your child as what the school has to offer. Have a positive attitude and your child will pick up on it. If you are negative, your child will pick up on that also.

We are fortunate to have excellent public schools. We have many other options here but none of them offer what the publics schools can.

Absolutely. Our kids did private preschool before public school kindergarten. There will be things you don't care for in the public school, but I'm sure private schools have their own crap to deal with also. I have been very happy with my kids' public school educations. There are a few teachers I've tried to avoid, but being involved goes a long way.

As far as the length of the day, I'm probably in the minority because I don't think full day makes a difference. The kids might pace themselves a little more in a full day class, but mine got it done in half a day. They have the rest of their lives to spend all day at school, so I like half day kindergarten. My friends who work full time do appreciate full day kindergarten, though.

 

[luvmy3]

As far as the length of the day, I'm probably in the minority because I don't think full day makes a difference. The kids might pace themselves a little more in a full day class, but mine got it done in half a day. They have the rest of their lives to spend all day at school, so I like half day kindergarten. My friends who work full time do appreciate full day kindergarten, though.

In direct comparison with 1 nephew, 2 nieces and 1 friend of the family in K this year, the same as my ds I can say with 100% certainty there is a huge difference. Those kids are one year ahead of ours. My ds in 3rd is doing exactly what is cousin did in 2nd. That cousin right now (in 3rd) is doing what my dd did in 4th. I also have a friend who is a first grade teacher in this area. I have talked to her at length about the differences in the school districts, she will agree that her 1st grade is more like what Kindergarten should be than what Kindergarten is. I can also compare the 1/2 day with the private pre-school my kids attended, it is no different. The "curriculum" may be, but the content and what they expect the kids to know and learn by the end of the year is exactly the same. This may not be true of all districts with 1/2 day K, but it is for ours. Luckily I am a SAHM so I can devote my time to my ds and make sure he is on par with full day K students.

 

[castleview]

In direct comparison with 1 nephew, 2 nieces and 1 friend of the family in K this year, the same as my ds I can say with 100% certainty there is a huge difference. Those kids are one year ahead of ours. My ds in 3rd is doing exactly what is cousin did in 2nd. That cousin right now (in 3rd) is doing what my dd did in 4th. I also have a friend who is a first grade teacher in this area. I have talked to her at length about the differences in the school districts, she will agree that her 1st grade is more like what Kindergarten should be than what Kindergarten is. I can also compare the 1/2 day with the private pre-school my kids attended, it is no different. The "curriculum" may be, but the content and what they expect the kids to know and learn by the end of the year is exactly the same. This may not be true of all districts with 1/2 day K, but it is for ours. Luckily I am a SAHM so I can devote my time to my ds and make sure he is on par with full day K students.

Are your kids and their cousins in the same district? My kids were doing things in half day kindergarten that were being done in first grade in their cousins district (next town over). Curriculum is constantly trickled down in the primary grades, it seems. I guess I'm fortunate our school system keeps up with it.

 

[luvmy3]

Are your kids and their cousins in the same district? My kids were doing things in half day kindergarten that were being done in first grade in their cousins district (next town over). Curriculum is constantly trickled down in the primary grades, it seems. I guess I'm fortunate our school system keeps up with it.

No, their districts (3 different ones) are all upstate from us. I really don't know anything about the neighboring ones down here. We have tried to institute full day but unfortunately our budget won't allow it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

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