https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 28 Jun 2026 06:16:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49655 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:19:54 +0000 JessicaMcB 49655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to public school for K-12. DH went to a combination of public and Catholic school because his family moved a lot. We found that while I did well in school, it was in spite of the schools I went to (some of the worst in the city) and it was only because I was a strong reader, etc. that I succeeded and went to college. Meanwhile, DH did very well in Catholic schools, but barely passed in public schools because they were essentially drop-out factories if you couldn't teach yourself and he suffered for it.</p> <p>In all likelihood we would put our kids in Catholic school because in our province the class sizes are smaller (25 kids in a Catholic classroom to 40+ in public), independent testing has proven the actual education to be of better quality, and my MIL is very involved with our cities Catholic school board. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49651 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:08:15 +0000 ALittleP 49651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to private or Catholic schools my entire educational life and my DH went to public. If we live in a great neighborhood with a great school, we will send to public. If in a great neighborhood with so-so schools, we will think about private/Catholic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49580 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:36:37 +0000 mynoahbear 49580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I both went to public schools. But because we are living abroad, our LO will have to go to international school, which would be considered private. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49559 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000 mrscheesefries 49559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are both products of public schools, so when we bought our house a few years ago, being in a good district was important to us. St Louis is pretty easy to determine what's good and what isn't, and most private schools here are Catholic (which we are not). </p> <p>We were lucky to buy a house in one of the top-rated districts in the state. Unless that changes, we already know where the Future Baby Cheesetots will be metriculating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49557 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:27:57 +0000 hilsy85 49557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the input ladies! It seems like most of you are leaning toward public, as long as you're in a good neighborhood. The neighborhood we're likely moving to IS good, but the test scores of the elementary school, while okay, aren't great (low 80s percentages for reading and math scores). I know that gifted and talented programs and great to get extra enrichment (assuming my kids is gifted and talented!) and of course, extra curricular activities are helpful too. I also hear what some of you are saying about diversity, and that's definitely a concern, I'm imagining that while we're on the fence about elementary school, middle school and high school may end up being private because I think those in the area are awful, or so it seems from my first look. </p> <p>@plantains: We're planning on moving to brooklyn heights! I know it's not RIGHT next to PS, but we could be brooklyn buddies :)</p> <p>@Maysprout: I think that's really important, and very true--private schools give kids the sense that they can do anything. At the bad extreme, that turns into arrogance and an annoying sense of entitlement, but on the good end of the spectrum, it gives them a lot more confidence and encouragement. </p> <p>@Mrs. Bee: I've heard a TON about the great schools in park slope; if we were moving there I would have no concerns! But I've heard much less about brooklyn heights (PS 8 Robert Fulton school), which makes me nervous, although it might just be that I don't know anyone who lives in BK and has kids :) </p> <p>I guess we'll have to see what our financial situation is like when we have kids, and what the public school is like at that point-- a lot could change in 5 or so years (new principle, new testing standards, etc). Plus, if we want more than one kid (which we do)--private school x 2 or 3= insanely expensive!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49470 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:43:15 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 49470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>IF we are able to afford it by the time our kids are in elementary school, we plan on sending them to a Christian, private school. We are for sure doing a private, Christian pre-school.<br /> we are open to the idea of public high school, but public elementary and middle school are out of the question. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49406 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:32:20 +0000 Rescuemom10 49406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to both growing up. K-8 was at a private, then HS was public. I loved that I got to experience both. I def could see that at the private school the education was better. When I hit HS it seemed like a joke, everything was much easier, and I felt like I didnt even need to "try". But def opened my eyes to other social experiences that I think was good for me to experience as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49398 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:20:24 +0000 venice4504 49398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I both went to private school our whole k-12. I have little to no faith in the public school system and our school district here so we will be sending our son to a private Catholic school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49397 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:18:53 +0000 plantains 49397@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm thinking public as long as we can afford to buy around park slopish. Right now we live in LIC and I would have to do private if we stayed here. Private in NYC is just so expensive though, plus I want my kids to have a better mix of schoolmates so hopefully public. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49386 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:07:27 +0000 banana 49386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We purposely moved to an area that has great public schools so we'll definitely be sending our LO to a public school. I attended a really great public school growing up and I loved it. Plus, we'd rather save the money we would've spent on private school for college. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49367 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:42:46 +0000 Sha 49367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Probably public assuming we're living in a decent school district. I went to private and husband went to public and I think they both have pros and cons. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49366 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:39:55 +0000 mrsjazz 49366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Public school for us. This is one of the reasons we're moving to a better neighborhood this year. We both went to public school (Brooklyn for me, near Atlanta for husband) and my husband teaches English in public school. We were both above average students, thanks in part to school and a major emphasis on reading in both of our households. We'll continue the tradition. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49351 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:20:48 +0000 tequiero21 49351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hands down, public.... unless we move to an area where public schools are not good (like i heard fort worth/dallas was).... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49340 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:06:57 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 49340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are pretty set on homeschooling. I was homeschooled for some of my education, I also went to public school and private school. My husband always went to private school. His high school education was way better than mine and he was more prepared for college than I was. So I we do wind up not homeschooling we will send our children to private school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49314 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:42:07 +0000 Maysprout 49314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to public and my husband went to private. We've talked about it a lot and I can see positives and negatives to both. He went to a really stellar private school where I can see the advantages but even for such a great school it comes at a huge cost. So I think we'll go public and try to supplement and encourage a lot at home. I know the encouragement sounds silly but that was a big thing I've gotten from our talks is expectations. At his school everyone was expected and encouraged to be 'great' and pursue lots of outside interests and get into the top tier of colleges. I just didn't see that at my high school, even for some really talented people, they sometimes were 'brought back down to earth' instead of helped along.<br /> We've started attending quaker church, which I really enjoy and would love to send her as a yougin to a friends school but I think the cost is too much for us right now so we'll settle for church for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49259 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:49:34 +0000 DillonLion 49259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I both went to public school and barring some huge issue, our kids will be doing the same. We bought a house in a good neighborhood with a good school district for this reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49242 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:31:29 +0000 Adira 49242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I both went to public school our whole lives, so our children will do the same. Plus, I'm honestly not sure we could afford doing private school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49240 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:31:14 +0000 Mrs. Bee 49240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we are definitely sending charlie and olive to public school. we moved to park slope, like most young families, because the public elementary schools are great here.</p> <p>the biggest factor in our decision is that we want charlie and olive to be exposed to as much diversity - race, religion, socioeconomic levels -- as possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49237 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:26:39 +0000 MrsBrewer 49237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH would love to send out children to private school (we both went to private schools growing up) but we will see if it's in our budget when the time comes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49206 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:40:38 +0000 pelikila 49206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We plan to move into a good school district before my son starts kindergarten specifically so he can go to a good public school. Our decision was based on financial goals, the quality of education, and the social development that tends to arise from each style. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49201 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:30:20 +0000 looch 49201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hope to send LO to public school. We're looking to buy a home in the next year or so and one of the criteria is the schools. I am not sure what we'll do for preschool, I am currently getting my Montessori certification for preschool, so it might be home schooling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49196 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:21:24 +0000 yoursilverlining 49196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're lucky to live in a city with a good k-12 public school system (and we're both big fans of public school), so it will be public for our kids. I am looking into a Montessori school for the very early years, but would then transition into public school after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49194 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:19:29 +0000 chopsuey 49194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to public and DH went to private his entire life (child of privilege!) :P :)<br /> I think it really depends where we are when our LOs are school aged. I'm thinking about homeschooling for a couple of years too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49189 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:16:17 +0000 MH.Abroad 49189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a very big fan of Montessori School if you decide to go with private. I went to Montessori as a young child, and I've researched it a lot as an adult.<br /> That said, we'll be homeschooling our children, partially because they will be raised abroad. But I plan to incorporate some Montessori methods into my homeschooling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49188 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:15:18 +0000 Mrsbells 49188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our kids will most likely go to public school, although I wish they could go to a school that makes the kids wear a uniform </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49183 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:07:12 +0000 PastaAndPotato 49183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>for me, it depends more on the neighborhood than any other factor, really. i attended catholic school k-12 because the public school where i grew up was notoriously bad (when my older sister attended, there were riots and stabbings in the hallways). </p> <p>now, DH and i live in a quiet shore community, with an excellent public school (and, actually, the primary school is on the same block as our house, which was a huge bonus in purchasing). so, our kids will be attending public school here, because there just aren't the same concerns that my parents had when they put me into private school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49156 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:08:51 +0000 heffalump 49156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a great public school right down the street, which is a big reason we bought this house. My husband and I both went to public schools. So my lo will probably be going to public school. The only reason she wouldn't is because they're opening up a new Jewish day school, so we're thinking about that too. Luckily she still has a while before we have to worry about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/private-school-vs-public-school#post-49154 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:04:25 +0000 hilsy85 49154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you going to be sending your kids to private school or public school? Or a combination ([private elementary and public high school, etc)? How did you make your decision?</p> <p>DH and I are thinking about moving to a new area, and there's only one zoned public school, as far as I know, and while it seems to be okay, we don't know if it's GREAT. So our next option would be private school, either at a traditional private school, a Montessori School, or a Friends school. Of course these are freaking expensive--around $30k a year!! :/ Does anyone have any opinion on these types of private schools, or on the whole private vs. public discussion? I'd especially love to hear from NYC mamas/Brooklyn mamas!! :) </p>