https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 18:05:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924859 Tue, 07 Sep 2021 14:00:20 +0000 agold 2924859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since there is no plan to attend public HS, I would keep him at his current school and supplement as needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924853 Mon, 06 Sep 2021 11:54:38 +0000 poppygirl15 2924853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How is the middle school program at the magnet? If it's not that great, then I'd keep him at the Catholic school since he'd only be in the magnet for one or two years. Could you just plan to supplement his Catholic school education with a prep course for high school admission exams if it seems like he'd need it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924851 Sat, 04 Sep 2021 09:28:32 +0000 periwinklebee 2924851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If there is a significant academic difference, I personally would go with the stronger school academic wise, as it can open a lot of opportunities for him and his siblings (all the more if the magnet school is a lot stronger in stem). By virtue of it being a lotteried public school, I wonder if diversity could also be stronger than at a private school??? covid closures won't last forever (although right now I know it seems like they will, at least to me), with three kids and the fact that you might stick with this school all the way through high school, that's something like 15/16 years of potential opportunity? I also feel like kids tend to be pretty adaptable. </p> <p>That sucks that they gave you such little time, have you had luck getting in touch with any families from the magnet school to get their perspectives? If families were really unhappy with the school, obviously that would push to stay where you are, or vice versa... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924850 Sat, 04 Sep 2021 07:48:36 +0000 Chuckles 2924850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted for him to stay because kids can get a good education anywhere, especially if you're able to provide enriching experiences over summer.<br /> My only caveat is similar to @autumnleaves: and @Corduroy: in that it would depend on how inferior the school is and whether you are considering keeping him in the magnet school through HS. I used to work in test prep in Chicago for the middle schoolers applying to high schools. It is extremely competitive and extremely stressful for kids and parents. If you can avoid that or make sure he's better prepared, that would definitely factor into my decision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924849 Sat, 04 Sep 2021 07:08:05 +0000 autumnleaves 2924849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your current school is significantly inferior academically that is definitely a reason to change schools but if the difference is not that big or could be erased due to Covid/funding I would consider staying.<br /> We had a similar decision to make last year and we decided not to change schools/not move forward with the highly ranked magnet school. For us though the magnet school was further away than the current public school. We had a lot of changes last summer, unknowns with Covid and felt it was too much to add a new school as the school year just started.<br /> That being said we had left a private school before last summer and I regret it because they were able to have school in person all last year, they have excellent leadership and not the school system issues we are dealing with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924848 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:14:21 +0000 Shantuck 2924848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: By opening doors, I meant that a stronger academic elementary school would help him perform better on a high school admissions test. We do know for certain that he won't be going to the neighborhood public high school so he will be taking a high school admissions test pretty much anywhere he will be going for high school.</p> <p>Also, this magnet school runs through 12th grade so there is the option of going all the way through. However, I think they are more known for their elementary school than their high school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924847 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:05:01 +0000 Corduroy 2924847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>By opening doors do you mean he would have automatic admission to a great middle school (and then high school) program if he took the 4th grade spot? If so, that might tip the scales towards the magnet for me. Otherwise I think I'd keep him where he is since he's happy and doing well and we don't know what new hell Covid will bring. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924845 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 20:44:11 +0000 Mama Bird 2924845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm thinking there's a reason he got into the school now. Kids are probably leaving because the school system is a mess. I doubt that the magnet school will be better academically this year, too - wouldn't be surprised if they have to repeat last grade's program for all the kids that could not remote learn properly last year. </p> <p>My kid made it into a pretty good gifted program last year, with a waiting list for an even better one. Pulled him out of the public school system because the chances of in person learning didn't look good. Well, it went even worse than I expected with public school, and this year is not looking great either. My one regret is that he lost touch with some of his friends, but that was going to happen no matter what we did... once this school chaos started, everyone scattered to different places :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924842 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 17:06:19 +0000 bhbee 2924842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is so tough. We had a kind of similar decision last year … my oldest was asked to join a new program at one of the magnet schools which was top testing kids who would skip a grade together. It would have been an awesome peer group but we ultimately decided against it. Social concerns were a big factor (part of it not wanting to skip a grade and leave her friends behind but part not wanting to leave her current school and social group). We also didn’t want to add in the extra driving required although we could have moved both kids there. I wonder if there might be some other enrichment options that could happen at school or out of school - to prepare for maybe going to a more rigorous upper school. I don’t think our current school is ideal academically but being happy and well adjusted means a lot. We did have her test into skipping a grade in math as a challenge. It’s not the same as a better peer group but something to push her. We made it part of the discussion about the new school … if you stay, we have to build in some challenge (which required extra work for her). I think really what your gut says is right. I haven’t regretted our decision at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924839 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 16:04:13 +0000 LadyDi 2924839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oof. That is a really tough one. I would lean towards leaving him in his current school, he seems extremely happy there. A "better" school academically might not matter too much in the end because it sounds like he's really excelling where he's at, even if it isn't as great academically.. If he was younger I would say move him, but 4th grade is hard. I don't know, I feel for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difficult-school-decision-what-should-i-do#post-2924837 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 15:40:10 +0000 Shantuck 2924837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son (oldest of my 3 kids) is in 4th grade and has been going to his neighborhood Catholic school since he was 3 years old in their pre-school program. He loves his school and is a very social kid who is well liked by his classmates. One block away from his school (both are very close to our house) is a magnet school that is part of the public school system in our city (Chicago) that is very difficult to get into (due to a lottery - not as a result of testing in). I have applied to this magnet school every year since my son was 4 and entering kindergarten and every year I end up with a comically high spot on the waitlist. I have applied mostly to see if we would ever get in but wasn't really ever expecting it to happen. Flash forward until two weeks into the school year and I got an email yesterday that my son got into the magnet school and we have until Monday morning to decide whether to accept the offer. My son is absolutely devastated at the idea of leaving his friends and the school he calls his "happy place." However, his school is far inferior academically to the magnet school. His being at the magnet school would mean that both of his younger siblings could be pulled into the magnet school at the kindergarten level. However, the magnet school is part of the Chicago Public School system which has been a mess for the last two years (a month long strike before Covid; bitter union battles last year meaning they were closed pretty much until last month of school when they went hybrid). His Catholic school was in person all of last year without interruption. There is definitely a possibility that anything changing for the negative with Covid could mean he is back to remote learning. </p> <p>I would feel terrible yanking my son out of a school where he is happy and content but I can't help but think that the better school might open up lots of doors for him. Also, my daughter just started the preschool program at his current Catholic school so this means we would now have a third drop-off in the morning (one to daycare, one to the Catholic school, and one to the magnet school) if we accepted until she could join at the magnet school this year. I'm scared about causing any more trauma to him after the last year and a half of Covid related trauma that we have all endured.</p> <p>Tell me, hive, what would you do?!? I have this awful pit in my stomach in trying to make this decision. </p>