Researching schools is stressing me out

[s7714]

I've been researching local public and private schools lately since my older DD is rapidly approaching that age and it's stressing me out. I don't know if I'm just being too judgmental of the schools by wistfully comparing them to the great public schools I got to attend as a child or what. I realize things have changed and I'm looking at schools in a different state with a different population level, but it's still depressing me.

I dread the thought of having to come up with $ to pay for private school, but the more I look at public schools, the more I'd rather go private because that seems to be the only way to get small classes and things like music programs. (And for those that will mention home schooling...yes, I know it’s an option, but that's just not my cup of tea at this point in time!) Another frustrating thing is that the "best" public schools in the area literally have admission only by lottery, so even if we got one DD into the school, who's to say if her sister would get in later on.

Ugh. I know I'm really just rambling here, but I needed to vent to someone. Sometimes I wonder if it's just better to NOT research things so thoroughly and leave some rosy tint to my glasses...

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Limit Tester 6/05

Our bones may be brittle, but our spirit is unbreakable.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta www.oif.org

[SnuggleBuggles]

"Ugh. I know I'm really just rambling here, but I needed to vent to someone. Sometimes I wonder if it's just better to NOT research things so thoroughly and leave some rosy tint to my glasses..."

I completely understand that sentiment- and have said it myself to dh! I wish that I could just sign him up for the local public school and call it a day. I went through that school district as did many other people that I would say turned out well. :) But, the class sizes are so big, they have no recess and (among many other issues) I also hate standardized testing (mainly NCLB). I just wish I didn't know what I know now about schools. I also wish that my wondeful, small preschool hadn't spoiled me. :)

You will feel better soon. You will make a choice and then you will be done. Well, until you need to research the next round of schools. :) It took dh and I about 4 months to finalize our school choice for kindergarten. Fingers crossed now that he gets a spot as it was the only school that made the cut!

Your public school really doesn't have a music program? That is crazy. I heard of schools that did that (or tried to do that) but I thought things had swung back to the arts. That really stinks.

If you do go the private school route apply for financial aid. You never know if you'll get at least something. Be warned though that the forms require that you have good financial records on hand. They want to know everything.

Good luck with your decisions!!

Beth

[MelissaTC]

I am totally with you. I couldn't sleep last night after I found out that the school we want had 200 applicants. I hope we get a spot!!!

[KAK22]

I completely understand the frustration! DD is only 2 and I am already stressing out about what to do about preschool and Kindergarten.

Can I offer a little bit of perspective from a teacher? (Yes, I know I need to do this when I worry about DD, but...)

I teach in a very low socio-economic school. (I have taught K, 1, 2 in this building - but have worked K-12 in my district). Parents are a child's first and MOST important teacher. I have found that my students whose parents make education a priority and take the time to read with their child, check homework and talk to their child have the most willing, respectful, able learners. These students are my most successful, no matter their income or home situation.

There are great teachers, so-so teachers and the dreaded teachers. I honestly learned from all of them growing up and hope for only great teachers for DD, but know she will get some who are challenging to work with.

Trust your gut and if you care this much already, then your DC will probably do very well in school!

[s7714]

>You will feel better soon. You will make a choice and then
>you will be done. Well, until you need to research the next
>round of schools. :) It took dh and I about 4 months to
>finalize our school choice for kindergarten. Fingers crossed
>now that he gets a spot as it was the only school that made
>the cut!

My DD still has a year of preschool to go, but we've been trying to decide the public vs. private grammar school issue now, because it directly effects our preschool choice for next year.

I am starting to feel a bit better now that I've been picking through the info. on some other elementaries that are reasonably close to us. The one that's our "default" school by location scares me for a number of reasons. I've at least moved to a feeling of being able to comfortably send my DDs to a couple of the other ones, although I haven't done any visitations yet...

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Limit Tester 6/05

Our bones may be brittle, but our spirit is unbreakable.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta www.oif.org

[chlobo]

"Another frustrating thing is that the "best" public schools in the area literally have admission only by lottery, so even if we got one DD into the school, who's to say if her sister would get in later on."

Be sure to check if they have any special rules for siblings. In our town the public pre-school (which is very pricey) is hard to get into since most of the slots are for special needs. However, if one kid gets in through the lottery the other kids are automatically admitted and don't need to go through the lottery later.