School options- wwyd?

[Octobermommy]

We are in a similar situation, but dh needs to find a new job for us to move. My dh's job requires him to be a certain distance from work and all the SD in our area and private schools aren't much better. We are hoping to move sometime in the next five yrs. The school district we're in is OK, but I know it's nowhere as competitive as highly competitive districts in other parts of the country. I went to what was supposedly a good SD and had a rude awakening my first semester in college and I was a top student. So I too am afraid to set my kids up for this situation.

Thanks hellokitty for understanding!

[Octobermommy]

I too would look at your middle school options carefully, moreso than elementary. Does your DD start middle next year? Here, our public middles (with the exception of maybe one) are very weak. The bright, high achievers from elementary continue to not be challenged and the gap between the private and public students widens greatly. I agree w/ pp, if you have good middle school options available (including enriching after school activities, clubs, advanced classes, etc.) I would stay put and consider a move before your oldest starts high school. If not, I would talk to your DH about how feasible a move would be for the next year.

I had a great ms and hs experience which really made me dig into academics--I loved it. I would have been bored to tears and very unplugged if I hadn't been challenged those years. Yes, it is certainly possible to excel in college w/o a rigorous hs prep, but it can be unnerving to enter college and realize others have a much greater knowledge of your field of interest because of their backgrounds, especially in the sciences.

Yes, she will be in middle school next year. They have "honors" classes but from what I understand are not very challenging. I will go speak to the school soon about options for her being challenged next year.

[Octobermommy]

Thanks to everyone that has chimed in. I just want to make the best decisions for my kids. I will be talking to her school next year about enrichment and advanced studies. I will look in to some homestudy curriculum that will challenge her.

Thanks again!

[KpbS]

Is your oldest taking any music lessons? If not, I would start those 2x a week if possible and maybe also a language program like Rosetta Stone or something along those lines.

[arivecchi]

Is your oldest taking any music lessons? If not, I would start those 2x a week if possible and maybe also a language program like Rosetta Stone or something along those lines.

Learning a language was my first thought too. Kids would be appropriately challenged if we had more opportunities for language education.

[Momit]

PPs have had some great suggestions - finding language, music, Odyssey of the Mind, etc. programs in your area would be a good place to start, whether or not you end up moving.

Could you find some curriculum options at your kids' ability levels and ask their teachers to let them do independent study projects, work on math problems, or read more advanced books when they have down time in class or they're waiting for others to finish?

It's too bad the school doesn't provide these services, but since they don't - you need to help fill in the gaps.

Are your kids happy? Or are they miserable at school?

If your middle school options also aren't great, I would at least consider moving.

[smilequeen]

This is very interesting to me, smilequeen, and troubling as this is what I want to avoid. I don't want my kids to think that a school choice impacted their life negatively. Could you elaborate? Do you think enrichment after school would have helped?

At this point the earliest we could move would be during 6th grade or between 6 & 7 grade.

Thanks so much for your honesty!

You know what though? My parents did the best they could with what they could and I appreciate that. They couldn't have paid for a private school. I went to Catholic. Our public schools were not good at middle school/HS...so that kind of made them leery of putting me in for elementary school. And they really wanted us to go to Catholic school. I went to a private Catholic HS and it was much more challenging. I know my mom wishes I could have had what my kids have, but I totally don't hold a grudge that they did what they could.

I do think learning something challenging outside of school would have helped. I think languages would be such an awesome idea. Very few kids get that. An instrument is also a great idea. An art class. A sport that they find challenging? I think just dealing with *something* challenging could do wonders. It doesn't just have to be school.

[arivecchi]

I do think learning something challenging outside of school would have helped. I think languages would be such an awesome idea. Very few kids get that. An instrument is also a great idea. An art class. A sport that they find challenging? I think just dealing with *something* challenging could do wonders. It doesn't just have to be school.

You are so right. My DH went to mediocre/poor public schools but he always excelled in sports and that made him excel in other areas as well and got him into a great college. Sometimes it's better to be the big fish in the small pond too as opposed to being just another bright student at an intensely competitive school.