Question to ask at new school

[tink fan]

I'm going to be touring a school tomorrow that I am considering for my children when we move.

I would love if you could help me with questions that I should ask about the school. I'm been thinking of my own, just want to see if there is anything I am missing or didn't think about.l

The school is a Catholic elementary school. My children will be in grades 3,5 and 7 next year. Currently they are enrolled in a public elementary school and public middle school.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[laurie31]

What's the average class size?

What are the teachers' certifications and education? Are they highly qualified?

How does the school perform on your state's standardized testing? (and no, I'm not a fan of standardized testing, but I'd still ask)


Pick-up/drop off procedures. Every school seems to do it differently. How early can you drop off, where, how late is tardy, what happens if they're tardy.


What happens when your child needs to change transportation - from bus rider to car rider, for example. Do you send a note or just call the office?

Is there a school nurse on campus?

Lunch money - do kids have an account and enter a charge number to pay for lunch, or do they bring money? What types of foods are served for lunch? Is there a choice of entrees?


Can you see the playground? (check for equipment to be in good repair, age appropriate, shock-absorbing surface under the equipment, etc)

Can you see the library? What forms of media are available for students? Is there internet in the classrooms or just in the library? How is internet usage monitored?

What extracurricular activities are offered? Sports? Band? Chorus? Drama?

Is there a uniform requirement? (I'm guessing yes, with it being a Catholic school). If not, what is the dress code?

Are cell phones allowed at school if they are turned off and kept in the backpack, or are they not allowed at all?

What's the procedure for visiting the classroom? Can you come have lunch with your child (I'm sure your 7th grader would not be interested, but your 3rd grader might)? Can you volunteer in the classroom? Is there a PTA/PTO?

What's the procedure for checking out early?

If the child is sick, do you have to call and let the school know, or do you just keep them home?Must they be fever free / no vomiting for 24 hours before returning?



btw, I'm sure 95% of these questions are answered in the Parent Handbook, so I'd get one and peruse it before I blasted the poor staff with all these questions - lol. These are things I'd want to know, though, so if they aren't in the book, ask!

And I'm sure I'm leaving something out...

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

What fundraisers do you do during the year? What are parents expected to contribute to the fundraisers?

How many children in the school have families who are active in the parish?

What is the turnover rate for the teaching staff?

 

[barkley]

if uniforms are required-must they be purchased from a particular company (prior school my kids attended did this-it caused families to pay triple the cost for uniforms b/c the school wanted the financial kickback the uniform company offered)?

are "volunteer" hours required, and if you fail to complete them-what is the financial penalty?

does the elementary follow the same schedual as the middle/junior/high school (or do they have different minimum days/staff in service days)?

what does "tuition" cover-does it include text books (big $$$ if not)/field trips/mandatory class activity fees? if the cost is not included, what trips/activities can you reasonably expect each grade to do-and what is the usual cost?

is there a new registration fee required every school year-if so how much is it(and how much has it and tuition gone up year by year for the past several years)?

what is the attendance policy, and how are pre-schedualed dr/dentist appointments handled (some schools insist that these can ALWAYS be done after school-that's not always a reality depending on how one's doctor or dentist scheduals routine visits)?

along the lines of turnover for teachers-what is the turnover rate for students?

what is the average age of students in a given grade (this can indicate if the reason a school is touting it's excellent performance on standardized testing is because the kids in particular grades are actualy a year or more older in age than their public school counterparts)?

when are standardized tests given, and how are the results used (my kids went to one private where we quickly learned before we disenrolled them that the reason the school did realy well on standardized tests was because they literaly taught to the test day and night for a couple of months of the school year-they wanted those numbers for their advertising. the current school ds goes to does the test without prepping the kids at the begining of the year, does'nt publicize results (individual parents get results on their own kids), and uses the results to adjust the curriculum.

 

[freckles and boo]

In addition to the other suggestions I would ask about discipline policies.

I also agree that you should inquire about fundraising and parental commitment to the school. It is never as simple as paying your tuition. Often schools ask a great deal of the families and you need to be prepared for that.