My daugher is in second grade and my son is in kindergarten. For the past two years, my daughter went to the school in my neighborhood. My son went to the pre-k school that all of my kids are cycling through :o). So, we are just having some issues at the new school they are going to, in my mom's neighborhood about 10 minutes away. The new school, PP, has the best test scores in the county, but I definitely do not like a lot that goes on there. The school they went to last year, PH, does not have the best scores, but are improving every year. And i think the biggest thing, is that at PP I cannot be very involved because it is such a hike from my office to the school, whereas PH is only 10 minutes, so I can go for lunches, pop in visits, whatever. My gut is telling me to put them back at PH, where I know they would both be happier too. What would you do??
The kids go back to PH on the 15th! YEA! I should have mentioned why they switched in the first place. My husband was out of work for 5 months, and we were pretty much guaranteed that his new job would have him working 90+ minutes away, meaning he could no longer help with the morning OR afternoon routine. So my mom gets the kids on and off the bus for me. I have now been able to work it out at my job to come in a little later and work 5 days a week instead of 5 days one week and 4 days the next. So basically it was a matter of me being able to get them on and off the bus. But they are both excited to be going back to that school.. My daughter has a lot of friends there and my son has his best friend from pre-k there. So it is going to be a great move!! Thanks for the advice mama's!!!
Hello Mom2KCK,
Test scores are just numbers! Kids don't really know or care about how their school rates in the county. Kids thrive and are more successful when they are happy. Happiness leads to less stress and higher self esteem. I would first talk to them to see which they prefer, but I say move them back to PH!
Good luck,
L.
Keep them at PH. As long as you stay involved, thats what matters. Your children will thrive and you will not have a knot in your stomach every morning dropping them off at school. Go with your gut and smile because youre a great mom! =)
Absolutely follow your gut!! If having them at PH will make the kids happy, they'll do better in school. Test scores are not everything. Here is my own experience - my daughter was tested and found eligible to go to a special Gifted and Talented Program in a new school. One of the things it meant for her was that when she entered 3rd grade she'd have to leave the school where she'd been since kindergarten (and was very happy). We chose not to send her, for a variety of reasons that I won't get into here. I trusted my gut. She's in 4th grade now and we're all happy she's where she is. She's at an excellent school. One with excellent test scores. Just not as high as the school she could've gone to. Touch decision ahead for you, I know. Feel free to private message me and I'll tell you more about how we came to our decision.
K.
go with your gut. two of my kids were in a school that wasn't the "best" school in terms of scores but the principal knew every child's name, the teachers were kind and caring and committed to teaching. we moved and switched schools where the standards were much higher. (we had no choice, we moved from one county to another, so my kids had to go to the new school). I wish with all my heart that my kids could have been put back at the other school. anything that is lacking in the school, you can provide at home (extra work, more challenging work etc). The school that doesn't seem to be the best scorewise could very well be the best at the overall development of your child. Children can always learn academics but not self confidence and loving school. I strongly believe that if your child enjoys going to school, they will do better in school.
Make the sacrifice and send your children to the finest schools available.
Follow your gut. I put my child into the best private K and the tone of the classroom was really quite negative to the 8 kids who were not ready to read by week 4. I should have trusted my gut and pulled her. The other parents of the 7 "underachievers" feel the same way. *Of course we don't think our children were underachievers. The teacher's standards were too high for five year olds.
Our child was perfectly on track to learn, but we gave into the hype and wanted to make sure they didn't miss out on the advantage.
I know which 1 school here has the best scores everytime. We seriously thought about transferring, even moving there. The neighborhood school here is a better fit for us, especially our child. There she would be pressured much more and she shuts down.
Just wondering why you switched in the first place. The school atmosphere is hugely important, and the other poster is right that you can help make up for any perceived inefficiencies. I say perceived since test scores do not tell the whole story as we well know. What about recess, PE, art music, etc? Plus you can be more involved (which schools love and need), and then you can see for yourself the effort they make and what is really going on with the learning. I say move them back. You are lucky that you have that choice!
Well, test scores aren't the most important way to judge a school. Test scores can reflect a lot of things -- they can reflect, yes, the level of teaching and academics at a school. They can also reflect the demographics of the kids who go to the school. That does not mean that those kids are bad kids or won't succeed, just that they may not be as academically prepared as the kids at the other school. Do you feel that the teaching and academic levels at the two school are basically on a par? If so, then I wouldn't worry about the test scores. Also, your kids are very young -- as long as they are getting good basics -- then I feel that the social aspect of the school and your opportunity to be involved outweigh slight academic difference. When these slight differences will start to matter is in Middle and High School. In grade school, what is important is that your kids get strong basics and have a good experience.
