What to look for in a private school

[Mkrop]

One caution for Catholic schools - depending where you are - they MIGHT not get the funding they need for certain programs. Public schools get way more funding (depending) for 'special' programs - whether they be things geared toward the advanced student or geared toward a student needing extra help.

I went K - 8 to a very good Catholic school in a great, 'high end' suburb and when I got to the public school in 9th grade I was WAY behind my peers. Granted, I had areas that I had way more knowledge than they did (I could graph the heck out of a sentence but had read very literature like everyone else). And, most important to me at the time - I was not offered the advanced, year-ahead courses that the kids in the public schools were. So - advanced kids my age were taking their 10th grade Math and Science and I was stuck taking the 9th grade level since the Regents exams weren't available in my 8th grade.



ETA DS10's school also has Intermiadiate Unit on staff so they provide Speech therapy, REading and Math specialists and the guidance counselor. So they help the struggling student as well.
There are a lot of aspects I love about Catholic schools (I'm a huge proponent of uniforms for ALL schools), but because i was set so far behind in my own education by attending one I have opted to send my own kids to public.

So watch out for this type of situation - it can happen!

This may be a regional thing or maybe even an individual Archdioecese thing. My experience was the opposite. I mentioned before about being tracked in grade school and my HS offered AP classes although I did not qualify, I got as high as Honors or Track 1. DS10 school offers Honors Math and a Supplemental Reading Program. I found more probelms of being behind or ahead bc of moving from different states.

Since I went to Catholic HS, I did not see differences in education until I reached college. I even attended a Catholic college but many of my fellow students who had gone to public school were not advanced but either on par or lacking. I was able to opt out of a Spanish class bc of the classes I took at my HS.

So things like this may vary.

 

[GatorGirl]

Okay I am having trouble posting all of sudden so I will try again!

Mkrop thanks for sharing your experience. I am 99% sure we will do a private HS for DD provided we can swing tution. DH did so well and had such an excellent experience at his school versus myself who started out in the AP classes at my large urban high school and then dropped them because the teachers just really didn't care whether you passed or not and all kinds of other issues, needless to say I was not inspired to work hard at all. I still got decent grades (my parents were not tolerant of less than a B average) but I didn't really work for them and was by no means challenged by my teachers and certainly didn't reach my potential. The sad part was at the time I knew it and didn't care and paid for that attitude dearly in college! Whereas DH was expected by his teachers and counselors to be in the AP classes and had lots of help when he started to faulter a bit with AP English (he still hates to read 20 years later!).

These schools I am looking at are all K-8 and I do have friends with kids who attend all of them so I am very lucky that I think I can get first hand reviews of what they think. My neighbor's daughter attends our local public school and 6 months into kindy is complaining about being bored to death even though her kindy class is looped with a 1st grade class for reading and math which is designed to help some of the kids who are more advanced supposedly. Her experience so far has turned me off of our local school but I am still going to visit/tour it anyway just to make sure I am not overlooking anything.

connorlevismom I am sorry I am kind of highjacking your thread, I am a bit obsessed about this topic right now! I do apologize!

aliceacc -- no not all public schools are bad at all. I got a great public education in the Mason, Ohio school system right up until we moved when I was in 10th grade. It was the public HS in Florida that was my particular undoing. Drug dogs (and drugs in the school obviously) roaming the halls didn't inspire confidence at all.............if we lived a couple of miles away from where we currently live there are two excellent public elementary schools that I would not hesitate to send DD too but we don't and are not likely to move just down the street (in our housing market it would take us until 2009 to sell I think anyway). Like I said our local school is just average and for some reason I just don't have a good feeling about sending DD there.

I am not too worried about the different faiths either. DH was raised Catholic, I was raised Lutheran, we married in the Episcopal church which we still attend. The the basic premise is pretty much the same. I have heard many good things about the Lutheran school I am considering and it has been around since the 1950s with a great reputation. The only bad thing is that it is the one farthest from my home!

I am so sorry to ramble, like I said I am a bit obsessed about all this!

 

[Mkrop]

ok I trioed to edit but it didnt show up so if it does, plese forgive the double post.

I was also going to add that Ds10's school has the Intermidate Unit on site for Speech therapy, Reading and Math specialists, and the guidance counselor.

So they do provide addl help for the struggling student as well.

 

[Andrea from PA]

My kids all go to Private -- We are Catholic, but they go to an Epis. school.

One more thing I'd recommend -- Attend events for the school you are evaluating -- sports events, music concerts, fund raising events, science fair, etc.

Our school is PK -12th. I worried it was "too" small, but it is truly like a family. It is great to see how all interact.

If you are leaving Public school do the discipline, seeing the kids & parents in a non-classroom setting can really show you the kids behavior & respect for others.

I am still dumb founded when I go to get my son from Basketball practice -- all the kids dump their bags in the entry to the gym instead of using lockers -- this is true even if they are away at a game -- very trusting compared to my school days -- In the 8 years we've been at the school, not one theft (and a small school -- theft rumors travel)

 

[hpygrll]

Kristine - we are Lutheran and my DS goes to a Catholic Elementary school - both boys will stay in Catholic school all the way through. I can't tell you how much we love the school - it is that small family feeling. Our school only has one class per grade so it's really small.

There is a lot of parental involvement required. We have to work Bingo one night a month (4 hours or so) - and then certain fundraisers are mandatory - but we love it.

Good luck with your search - let us know what you decide.

Jenny

 

[connorlevismom]

connorlevismom I am sorry I am kind of highjacking your thread, I am a bit obsessed about this topic right now! I do apologize!

!

Not a problem. I am completely obsessed as well. We can do it together!

Kristine

 

[connorlevismom]

Kristine - we are Lutheran and my DS goes to a Catholic Elementary school - both boys will stay in Catholic school all the way through. I can't tell you how much we love the school - it is that small family feeling. Our school only has one class per grade so it's really small.

There is a lot of parental involvement required. We have to work Bingo one night a month (4 hours or so) - and then certain fundraisers are mandatory - but we love it.

Good luck with your search - let us know what you decide.

Jenny

Thanks so much! I really appreciate all the advice I have gotten here.

Kristine

 

[connorlevismom]

So, would anyone be willing to do me a favor? It is something that may take a lot of time so I will not be offended at all if nobody wants to. Can you take a look at the schools we are looking at and let me know what you think?

Kristine

 

[wilderness01]

OK... I know I'm going to get slammed for this.

The Catholic HS in which I teach is not noted for its small class size. Right now my classes range from 27 to 33-- large compared to the local public schools.

But I've got to tell you: discipline is a non issue. If I have a 38 minute period. I can teach for 38 or sometimes 39 minutes. Interruptions are minimal and minor. Kids who are disruptive are dealt with by the administration. Kids who continue to make trouble tend not to stay. And our kids are grouped by ability level, so that the scenario where one kid doesn't understand and holds up the class-- it rarely happens. So, in all honesty, I can say that the biggest disadvantage to that larger class size in my case is that I have more tests to grade.

When parents question the class size, the normal response is that it is how we can afford to keep the wonderful teachers we have. (Our pay is competitive with some of the local public schools.) Smaller class size would mean either a tuition increase or pay cuts, with the accompanying flight of incredible teachers who have bills of their own to pay.

So, sure, small class size is great. But be careful about making any one factor (other than safety) a deal breaker.

Great post.

 

[Aliceacc]

So, would anyone be willing to do me a favor? It is something that may take a lot of time so I will not be offended at all if nobody wants to. Can you take a look at the schools we are looking at and let me know what you think?

Kristine

Sure, if you think it will help. Probably our best input wil be questions based on what we see.

But remember: you really want to go with your gut here.

I'll be back online tonight (I hope--after the kids are in bed.) I'm leaving for speech in a few minutes, then it's homework, dinner, and oh, yes, getting my own stuff ready for school tomorrow

 

[connorlevismom]

Sure, if you think it will help. Probably our best input wil be questions based on what we see.

But remember: you really want to go with your gut here.

I'll be back online tonight (I hope--after the kids are in bed.) I'm leaving for speech in a few minutes, then it's homework, dinner, and oh, yes, getting my own stuff ready for school tomorrow

Thanks! Yes, my gut is what I go with but I just want to see if anyone might see something that I don't. And like you said, questions based on what you see.

Here are the schools.

http://www.holy-spirit.org/

http://www.nativity-mn.org/School/About/schoolAbout.html

http://www.stjohnsoflc.org/School/SchoolHome.htm

https://www.markerspride.com/index.cfm

http://www.stodiliaschool.org/

http://www.presentationofmary.org/school.php

Thanks again!

Kristine

 

[grlpwrd]

One caution for Catholic schools - depending where you are - they MIGHT not get the funding they need for certain programs. Public schools get way more funding (depending) for 'special' programs - whether they be things geared toward the advanced student or geared toward a student needing extra help.

I went K - 8 to a very good Catholic school in a great, 'high end' suburb and when I got to the public school in 9th grade I was WAY behind my peers. Granted, I had areas that I had way more knowledge than they did (I could graph the heck out of a sentence but had read very literature like everyone else). And, most important to me at the time - I was not offered the advanced, year-ahead courses that the kids in the public schools were. So - advanced kids my age were taking their 10th grade Math and Science and I was stuck taking the 9th grade level since the Regents exams weren't available in my 8th grade.

There are a lot of aspects I love about Catholic schools (I'm a huge proponent of uniforms for ALL schools), but because i was set so far behind in my own education by attending one I have opted to send my own kids to public.

So watch out for this type of situation - it can happen!

I attended Catholic middle school, a Protestant high school, and I spent 3 years at a private Jesuit university.

I love parochial schools, too, but yes, definitely... there are virtues in a public school education. This is why my kids are enrolled in public schools.

 

[Mkrop]

I havent had a chance to look over your choices but wow you have a lot. We dont get that many choice around here. Where do some of the neighborhood kids go? It is always nice to have some of the kids in the neighborhood (and I dont mean on your same block) go to the same school.

I drive DS10 all over for playdates and stuff but no one is 15 nimutes or more away. This would be something I would consider as well.

I know some people dont mind driving their kids far to school but I always think it is hard if they do extracurricular stuff or if they just want to get together.

We only have one other family on our actual block but many families live within walking distance or a short car ride.

Just something else to think about

 

[connorlevismom]

I havent had a chance to look over your choices but wow you have a lot. We dont get that many choice around here. Where do some of the neighborhood kids go? It is always nice to have some of the kids in the neighborhood (and I dont mean on your same block) go to the same school.

I drive DS10 all over for playdates and stuff but no one is 15 nimutes or more away. This would be something I would consider as well.

I know some people dont mind driving their kids far to school but I always think it is hard if they do extracurricular stuff or if they just want to get together.

We only have one other family on our actual block but many families live within walking distance or a short car ride.

Just something else to think about

Oh you have no idea! Just in the county we are looking at, they have 64 private schools! It has been quite a chore to get though all of the information but the ones we have narrowed it down to seem to fit us on paper.

As for location, the school will be near our work places because we will eventually move to the area, just not right now. When he starts needing to be shuffled around for things, we will move. Right now is just not a good time with the market and all and we want to have him in a school and love the school before we pick up and move. We don't want to move and put him in a school only to find out it is not the school for us.

Kristine

 

[Mkrop]

Oh you have no idea! Just in the county we are looking at, they have 64 private schools! It has been quite a chore to get though all of the information but the ones we have narrowed it down to seem to fit us on paper.

As for location, the school will be near our work places because we will eventually move to the area, just not right now. When he starts needing to be shuffled around for things, we will move. Right now is just not a good time with the market and all and we want to have him in a school and love the school before we pick up and move. We don't want to move and put him in a school only to find out it is not the school for us.

Kristine

well if you are not settled then this makes sense.

 

[lesliewitt]

Kristine-

I can't believe it, I started looking through your schools and realized that you live right near us. We live in Chanhassen and our kids go to St. Hubert's, also in in the Mpls/St. Paul diocese. I am familiar with all of your choices! Have you decided exactly what suburb you will be moving to, or will it depend on the school you choose? If you want, I can talk to some friends that have children in those schools, or have attended them and you can PM me or call me, if you want (since it is a local call). Good luck! Let me know if you want help in that area, if not no problem.

 

[connorlevismom]

Kristine-

I can't believe it, I started looking through your schools and realized that you live right near us. We live in Chanhassen and our kids go to St. Hubert's, also in in the Mpls/St. Paul diocese. I am familiar with all of your choices! Have you decided exactly what suburb you will be moving to, or will it depend on the school you choose? If you want, I can talk to some friends that have children in those schools, or have attended them and you can PM me or call me, if you want (since it is a local call). Good luck! Let me know if you want help in that area, if not no problem.

OH my gosh! That is to funny! My brother and his family attend St. Hubert's church and 3 of his kids have gotten married there! Wow - small world.

I will PM you for sure. Thanks!

Kristine

 

[Aliceacc]

OK, my head is spinning.

I did get through the Holy Family site. I like the fact that they offer a scholarship of some form (although that's not what they called it) although I suspect that your income will disqualify you.

Do the other schools offer any sort of tuition assistance?

Holy Family also mentions that a huge percentage of their kids go to the same Catholic HS. What do you think of that particular school? I suspect that your child will want to go to HS with ALL of his friends, so it might be worth taking a look.

I love that St. John's Pre-K philosophy is "learn through play." A LOT of preschools focus on all academics, when their students are still babies.

I like that Markers Pride makes early mention of a "safe learning enviornement." I take that as meaning very little tolerance for bullying. THis is something you may want to ask schools about.

I love that Presentation's Principal dressed up as Elvis!

Lots of the schools mention sports. Do they have other activities beyond sports?

It looks as though you have lots of good choices. My advice: Buy a binder, some looseleaf and some pocket folder sheets for the binder. Take careful notes-- what they tell you as well as your impressions. When you get home from each tour, make a list: Pros, Cons, impressions.

Good luck!!!

 

[connorlevismom]

OK, my head is spinning.

I did get through the Holy Family site. I like the fact that they offer a scholarship of some form (although that's not what they called it) although I suspect that your income will disqualify you.

Do the other schools offer any sort of tuition assistance?

Holy Family also mentions that a huge percentage of their kids go to the same Catholic HS. What do you think of that particular school? I suspect that your child will want to go to HS with ALL of his friends, so it might be worth taking a look.

I love that St. John's Pre-K philosophy is "learn through play." A LOT of preschools focus on all academics, when their students are still babies.

I like that Markers Pride makes early mention of a "safe learning enviornement." I take that as meaning very little tolerance for bullying. THis is something you may want to ask schools about.

I love that Presentation's Principal dressed up as Elvis!

Lots of the schools mention sports. Do they have other activities beyond sports?

It looks as though you have lots of good choices. My advice: Buy a binder, some looseleaf and some pocket folder sheets for the binder. Take careful notes-- what they tell you as well as your impressions. When you get home from each tour, make a list: Pros, Cons, impressions.

Good luck!!!

Now you know why I am so confused!

Thank you so much for all your comments and for taking the time to go and look at the websites. I really appreciate it.

All the schools offer assistance of some sort but we could not utilize it.

Both of the HS that kids would go to at these schools I am cool with. I have researched them as well. They may be completely different when he actually get to HS though.

All of the schools have TONS of exta activites for the kids. That was very important to me because I want him to have options.

As for the Presentation principal dressing up as Elvis, I loved that too! From his picture he looks like a really young guy which could be good or bad I guess. Maybe he does not have the experience that an older principal would have, but he is fresh and may have some new ideas too.

Kristine

 

[GatorGirl]

It looks as though you have lots of good choices. My advice: Buy a binder, some looseleaf and some pocket folder sheets for the binder. Take careful notes-- what they tell you as well as your impressions. When you get home from each tour, make a list: Pros, Cons, impressions.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! My list is only 3 schools but I have printed off all the posts and complied them for me to look over and take with me.

connorlevismom -- my schools look very similar to yours -- especially Holy Family and St. Johns I think it was. Your tuition rates are better than ours, the rates I am finding our $5000-$6000 for the kindy year.