Parochial School vs. "Excellent" PS? 1st grade.

[SKL]

Given the choice (and no option to homeschool now), which would you choose, and why?

 

The parochial school is Lutheran, which I know has high academic standards. I'm not a church member, and don't consider myself Lutheran, but we do attend that church and I'm OK with my kids being exposed to their teachings (with me commenting where I disagree).

 

My kids will turn 6 in October and January of 1st grade, so they are on the younger side, but will start 1st grade at or above the class's academic standard.

 

Just wondering how you all would weigh the usual pros and cons.

[MyLittleWonders]

I know dh and I have had the "what if" conversations and one thing that I've brought up is if they (the kids) ever had to go to school, I'd want it to be Catholic/parochial school. I'm a product of our city's school system and not a huge fan, and though I know there can be just as many problems in private school as public school, I do feel the academic standards, at least at our local parish's school, are higher than our local PS.

[Carol in Cal.]

One of things that I would consider is the atmosphere of each place. I like the 'small school' model where everyone gets to know everyone else, and there is typically only one teacher per grade; sometimes even two grades to a classroom. Is the Lutheran school like that? I find that for our family that has some intangible but noticable value.

 

The other thing that might make me lean toward the Lutheran school would be if it went through middle school but the PS did not. Locally at least, the PS middle schools are pretty big, and I have always been concerned that kids in 6th grade should have a more intimate learning setting that is more personal. Continuity is valuable, IMO.

[Chris in VA]

Parochial, probably. We are Christian, tho. I don't believe our beliefs get a fair hearing in public school. Not opening a can of worms with that (please).

 

That said, I would investigate the kind of curriculum used, the way they teach reading, the "punishment/discipline" methods used, the class size and demographics, and those sorts of things before I'd truly be able to compare.

 

Dd is in public school--if there were a parochial school close enough and cheap enough that I agreed with, I'd have put her there.

[wapiti]

For both schools, I'd be asking about challenge level, and whether there is differentiated instruction for math and reading, if those are possible needs either now or in the foreseeable future. Class size and level of general mutual respect in the classroom (i.e., "atmosphere," for lack of a better term) would be important factors, though for the latter I'd ask other parents, if possible.

[Carol in Cal.]

Wanted to add something--I would also think through whether the tuition at the Lutheran school would stop me from paying for enrichment activities that are a high priority, like piano lessons or something.

 

I should add, though, that LCMS and WELS schools have outstanding Bible training, and that would be worth a tremendous amount to me, and would tip the scales significantly. But that didn't sound like the OP's POV, which is why I did not mention that before.

[AimeeM]

For me, if the academic standards were similar, my default would be with the parochial; however, my priorities may be different.

If I can achieve similar academic success, I will always choose a faith based school.

Parochial schools are not subject to budget cuts on the level that even excellent PSs are these days (and these can come into play a year, two, or several after your child has been at the school). Class sizes in parochial tend to be smaller. Teachers in parochial school are given more creative license to teach how they feel approaches a subject best. Parents seem to be more involved because, let's be honest, they are paying for the education so they like to make the most out of it :tongue_smilie:.

[chiguirre]

My kids will turn 6 in October and January of 1st grade, so they are on the younger side, but will start 1st grade at or above the class's academic standard.

 

What is the public school cut off in your area? I'm pretty sure no state will allow a kid turning 6 in January to enter 1st grade the September they are 5. 6 in October is past most states cut offs too. Private schools might let you grade skip, but you'll have to check their specific policies.

[twoxcell]

The parochial school would be my choice.

[Parrothead]

I can't afford private school so excellent public school it would be.

[ChristineW]

I'd tour the public school, and if it is "excellent" then I'd save the money for future education or other expenses.

[fhjmom]

If the academics are equal (or at least very similar), then the only thing that you have shared that makes the parochial school different is a belief system that you admittedly do not whole-heartedly believe in yourself. Based solely on this information, I would choose the public school simply because it would not be worth it to me to pay extra for the only added benefit of exposure to religious instruction that was not important to you anyway. I would go with the public school and use the money for additional enrichment opportunities.

 

If there were other differences in the schools that made one more or less desirable for your child's needs, then I would maybe give a different opinion.

 

Now in my own opinion, religious instruction from a perspective that is inline with my own beliefs is important, so I would prefer a parochial school over a public school, if we could afford it. We can't right now which is one reason we homeschool.

[SKL]

I would like to add some facts that I didn't think to include before.

 

My girls may stand out in the parochial school, perhaps more so than in the public school. Among other things:

 

• They are brown-skinned
  
• They are immigrants
  
• They were adopted
  
• They have only one parent
  
• Their mom works and won't have time for a lot of "involvement" at school
  
• They are young for their grade
  
• One is a "brain," years ahead
  
• One is a shrimpy kid with glasses.
  

I am sure that the school would theoretically try to encourage inclusion or whatever it's called nowadays. But will they really be accepted? Will it make more of a difference as they get older? Have you any experiences along these lines?

[SKL]

What is the public school cut off in your area? I'm pretty sure no state will allow a kid turning 6 in January to enter 1st grade the September they are 5. 6 in October is past most states cut offs too. Private schools might let you grade skip, but you'll have to check their specific policies.

 

I'm working with the public school on getting the younger tested for early entrance. I'm pretty confident that she'll be accepted. Since both girls are now officially in KG, schools seem more open to the idea of letting them into 1st next year. I won't consider putting them into any KG next year.

[Blessedchaos]

I would choose the excellent public school.

 

Admittedly a big part of my reason is that we are not religious and if I do not believe in what the school is teaching my children, well, let's just say we are going to have problems.

 

But it is also because of our experience this year with a charter school my ds started attending in the fall. While the small atmosphere is great, it comes with trade-offs. Academics are better, but offerings are fewer. Teachers are overworked and often don't check homework. Teacher turnover is extremely high. Communication has been non-existent; I have had zero luck trying to get information or questions answered. The school is extremely disorganized.

 

So even with the shortcomings in our regular public schools, I now appreciate what they have to offer.

 

I'm not saying that every small school is like ours, but definitely ask a lot of questions and trust your gut.

[Little Nyssa]

Besides the religious aspect, which only you can decide, I would check what curriculum they use in each school and where they expect the kids to be at the end of the year. I was surprised to find that DS, who went to an excellent KG in an RCC school in a very affluent area, actually learned less than DD is now learning, in an average PS. He learned all the letters & their sounds-- she has learned to read. And it's not just him-- I was there frequently and that was the curriculum.

[Carol in Cal.]

I would like to add some facts that I didn't think to include before.

 

My girls may stand out in the parochial school, perhaps more so than in the public school. Among other things:

• They are brown-skinned
  
• They are immigrants
  
• They were adopted
  
• They have only one parent
  
• Their mom works and won't have time for a lot of "involvement" at school
  
• They are young for their grade
  
• One is a "brain," years ahead
  
• One is a shrimpy kid with glasses.
  

I am sure that the school would theoretically try to encourage inclusion or whatever it's called nowadays. But will they really be accepted? Will it make more of a difference as they get older? Have you any experiences along these lines?

 

I don't want you to think that I am 'selling' Lutheran schools. But I have a very strong opinion about this.

 

I grew up in SF, and the Lutheran schools were the ONLY schools in the city that were racially balanced voluntarily. I grew up believing that that was because that was how God wanted things to be. I am SO GLAD that I had that early exposure to what others might have called radical integration. We had an African American kindergarten teacher in the 1940's.

 

I was a brainy, shrimpy kid with glasses who was a year too young for my class. At the Lutheran school I was completely physically safe, and that would not have been true at the public schools at all. My best friends all through the middle school years were African-American, and we entirely took that for granted. We were friends because we liked to read so much.

 

As I have gotten older and seen more of the world, I have learned that not all Lutheran schools were always this open and natural and loving. You do have to evaluate what is available to you locally. But the two Lutheran schools that I know of within 30 miles of here now are just exactly the same way.

[Ellie]

Parochial school. There are too many social issues that must be taught in public schools today, besides the fact that I just don't trust public schools for their academics. I'd have to go into a public school classroom and see all the textbooks and other instructional materials (including teacher editions, because sometimes that's where the garbage is), samples of student work, and so on. I'd want to know what kind of end-of-year testing goes on (tests other than SAT/ITBS/CAT etc. would not be acceptable), and more.

[catz]

If you have an average to bright child that would fit in well, I'd probably go with the private school if it aligned fairly well with your beliefs (I'm not religious, so no comment there!). If you have a child that might have special needs of any kind (from struggling learner to profoundly gifted), I think you probably have a better chance at the PS.

 

I went to an academically rigorous private Catholic elementary school as a probably highly to profoundly gifted overly sensitive girl and it was bad to the point that I think I probably had depression through my elementary years. PS definitely would have given me a better chance socially and academically because they had the ability to differentiate there.

 

And no matter what you chose, plan on being involved and at the ready. Honestly, I found being a PS parent (my son went for 2 years) more mentally exhausting than homeschooling this particular kid.

 

 

Ok - I just caught this ...

 

• They are brown-skinned
  
• They are immigrants
  
• They were adopted
  
• They have only one parent
  
• Their mom works and won't have time for a lot of "involvement" at school
  
• They are young for their grade
  
• One is a "brain," years ahead
  
• One is a shrimpy kid with glasses.
  

I would likely pick PS in this case unless your parochial school is overly accomodating. I've found the parochial school I've attended and the dozen I've looked at when looking at schools for my oldest tend to be very "one size fits all". They're definitely modeled to a particular student that wasn't ever me or what my kids looked like.

[Dmmetler]

I sent my DD to a LCMS school for K, despite having excellent public schools and having early entry to both systems for two reasons

 

1) In the LCMS school, I'd gotten to meet the teacher she'd have, and the teacher had been actively involved in the decision to let DD enter K at 4, and was excited about working with DD and took me seriously as a parent. In the public school, they didn't even know for sure what teachers would be at a given school, let alone what teacher would be assigned a given student. So, DD could have gotten a teacher who felt that 4 yr olds never belong in kindergarten, didn't want to work with me, believed that sensory integration disorder was simply bad behavior, believed that giftedness was totally due to parental pushing...and so on.

 

 

2) The LCMS school had two recesses a day, PE two times a week, music twice a week, art twice a week, library, computer, and chapel. The PS had 30 minutes of PE a week, no recess, and due to budget cutbacks, didn't have a music teacher, art teacher, or librarian-it was up to the classroom teacher to teach those classes.

 

Even though the LCMS school had larger class sizes, I decided it was worth the tuition money to send her to the LCMS school. And if DD hadn't been just SO asynchronous and just plain hard to accommodate in the school setting, she'd probably still be there, because it's a great little school for kids who are at or close to grade level and don't have special needs.