https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:53:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613486 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 14:15:05 +0000 mediagirl 2613486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilteacherbee: yeahhhhh...the local charter here is huge on homework. Like, the first day of school, they came home with workbooks they need to work on every day. I'm not a fan of that.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613483 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 14:10:29 +0000 lilteacherbee 2613483@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our biggest thing is deciding whether our kids go to school with DH (third grade teacher). I'm leaning towards our assigned school because if DH moves schools, I don't want our kids to keep switching. Plus, my sister teaches at our assigned school (and I told her she has to stay there for awhile 😉).</p> <p>We could send them to a local charter school, but I'm not impressed with that school's teaching methods. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613437 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 13:24:50 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2613437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you looked into the cost of before school care? Our elementary school offers it on site and it's not that expensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613393 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 12:48:12 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2613393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is not even one and I'm already thinking about this! We want to move to another state before she starts kindergarten. I'm trying to do as much research on school districts as I can so we can choose the best place to buy a house. I'd love to send her to public school. The private school options aren't that great. There's also a couple of STEM and IB magnet schools that I could put her in the lottery for. It's a lot to think about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613390 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 12:42:25 +0000 autumnlove 2613390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are assigned a school! Can't wait because it is walking distance. I want to go back to work in a few years so I will prob use a combo of aftercare and Grandma if she is interested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613296 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 11:05:38 +0000 Truth Bombs 2613296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Oh yeah, 9:15-3:45 is a short day. We are lucky that my husband will do drop off and the YMCA provides after care at our school for only $40/wk. I think it's $60/wk if you need before and after, which is still super cheap compared to what we pay in day care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613291 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:56:55 +0000 mediagirl 2613291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: oh and my work doesn't let anyone leave until 5pm. So, we are hoping my husband finds a job with flex hours if we end up going to one of the later schools. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613289 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:55:14 +0000 mediagirl 2613289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: the schools have the weirdest times. These are times from the schools we are considering:<br /> 9:15 - 3:45<br /> 8:45 - 3:45<br /> 8:00 - 3:00 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613287 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:51:32 +0000 Truth Bombs 2613287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Is there a grace period after school like before school? I assume if she starts later she would end later? Our elementary school is 8:30-3:30. So if we started at 9:15 we would end at 4:15. With a small grace period maybe you could make that work without having to do after care? I pick my kids up at 4:30, which seems pretty average for the parents at our day care, so it sounds to me like that might work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613285 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:50:15 +0000 PurplePeony 2613285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The public K-8 school we're currently zoned for is very highly rated, but a new elementary (K-5) is slated to open in our neighborhood the year before DD starts kindergarten. The two schools are pretty much equidistant from our house -- 10-minute walk -- and they haven't released the new zoning map yet, so I don't know which one she'll be assigned to. I'm torn -- the new facility is beautiful and will be completely renovated (it's an old school building that sat closed for many years and is being reopened) and the current school is not in great condition. But the current school is a known entity and she would be able to stay there until high school rather than being bussed to the already-crowded middle school that the new K-5 will feed into. </p> <p>We also have tons of private school options fairly close by, though not in our neighborhood (well, there is a Catholic school 2 blocks from our house but it isn't an option for us). DD's birthday is in early December, so she will be on the older side of her class if we go public. I'm still not sure if she would be ready to start school at 4, but I'm also worried that she's going to be super bored waiting out that extra year. I'm also not thrilled at the prospect of spending $$$. So we have a lot to think about in the next year... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613283 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:47:18 +0000 mediagirl 2613283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: I can get away with no before care IF the school starts at 8:45 or earlier. If it starts at 8:45, I can drop off at 8:15 and not have to pay for before care. And, if the school starts at 8:45, the bus should arrive by 8:15 or earlier. I will have to pay for after care and I'm okay with that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613281 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:44:41 +0000 Truth Bombs 2613281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Wouldn't you have the before/after care issue no matter what school you send her to? I assume full time working parents will always have a longer day than the hours for an elementary school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613267 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:24:32 +0000 mediagirl 2613267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: I know it. We moved from our last house to our new town this month because of the schools in our town. They are great! I just didn't realize that to send her there, we would have to pay before and after care. :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613266 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:23:11 +0000 Mama Bird 2613266@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: local not local to us - how familiar! The school zone line is across the street from our building!!! And the school on the other side is much better, so a lot of people we know don't have to freak out about this because if all else fails, their backup is pretty good. But we can't just walk the two blocks to that school unless we move. Stupid zoning. I'm kicking myself for not having looked up schools when I was a single girl moving to this apartment :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613259 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:16:23 +0000 mediagirl 2613259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: yeah. 90% of the parents in my daughter's class are either sending their kids to the local (not local to us) public school or private school. Not helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613237 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:44:25 +0000 Mama Bird 2613237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, heavens... we have lots of options but none of them are good. I'm in NYC so school quality is very non uniform and I'm losing my marbles trying to figure out where we can move so the elementary school and the middle school will both be good, and we won't have to go broke paying for a shoebox apartment, and there will be some kind of afterschool option that's more than a holding place. It's like some stupid 500 piece puzzle. Where we grew up, the schools were all more or less decent and safe, and you just sent the kids to the neighborhood school and that was that. And most of their friends from kindergarten went with them too. </p> <p>I've been asking other parents from B's day care, and 90% are going to the same private school. Ugh. I'm still hoping to avoid that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613234 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:41:52 +0000 cascademom 2613234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: Yep, this was one of the main reasons we moved where we did. The thought of tackling the Chicago public school system was daunting and not worth it. We had a neighborhood Catholic school, but couldn't find a house where we weren't getting gouged for space and price. Going suburban just made so much sense for our family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613232 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:39:42 +0000 cascademom 2613232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved to a suburb with fantastic public schools. Right now, the district is getting a bit overcrowded with some turnover in a subdivision near us. We don't have to deal with this until next year, fall 2017. I'm hoping by then that it will be figured out. There's talk of an individual kindergarten that could happen by the time our second kiddo gets to that age. For us, we're riding out the school issues for now until registration for next year comes around. We're already planning on using our daycare for after care since his brother will already be there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613226 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:30:02 +0000 looch 2613226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In thinking about this more, what kills me about the whole thing is that the state where I live consistently ranks in the top 5 in the US in terms of performance. I wonder sometimes about how much of the problem with my perception of the school district is valid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613210 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 09:10:09 +0000 Truth Bombs 2613210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought our house in a place where you either go to the assigned school, or you go to private school. No lotteries, no magnet schools, etc. The assigned elementary, middle, and high school are all 10s and have great reviews from current families. It was a HUGE factor in why we bought where we did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613206 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:54:02 +0000 pregnantbee 2613206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm getting anxious about this. We'll prob end up at our assigned public school, but I have no idea what to do about after care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613204 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:51:14 +0000 Foodnerd81 2613204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are moving to a town with excellent public schools, and there is just one school for each grade, so basically by buying our house, decisions have been made through graduating high school! (Unless for some reason the school is just not working for our LOs but there is no way to know that right now and I don't expect it to be a problem. I hope since we are certainly paying up for our house to be in this town). </p> <p>In our current city it's nuts. Like @catlady: said, it's a lottery. So you won't know what school you are assigned to until April before your LO starts, based on how you rank things. I have a friend whose son got a coveted preK spot at one of the best elementary schools in the city, but it means an almost 30 minute commute for her each way- and that's whether she walks, drives, or takes public transportation. I think he is eligible for a school bus but she doesn't want to put her 4 year old on a bus with 14 year olds just yet. She stays home so has that option but not everyone would. Our local walking distant school is not very highly rated, but they have a gifted and talented program starting in 3rd grade that not all schools have... So there is tons to think about here. I'm happy that our decision is pretty much done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613191 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:38:27 +0000 Andrea 2613191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're assigned to a school and that's it. You either go there or to a private school. It took us about 2-3 years to figure out what we wanted to do so yeah, big decision! We ultimately went with a private school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613188 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:36:03 +0000 avivoca 2613188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The county we currently reside in makes it easy: all elementary schools start and end at the same time and all middle and high schools start and end at the same time. The cluster system we are assigned to isn't super awesome and the best school is the furthest from us. Either way, I hope one of us can be home for bus drop off and pick up.</p> <p>The county I want to move to, all schools start and end at the same time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613187 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:33:34 +0000 catlady 2613187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I have close to 2 years before I need to deal with this but it is already stressing me out. In our current city, we have a lottery system where you are allowed to rank your top 3 schools. The schools are highly variable, so you really want to get into a good one, but some of the best ones are nearly impossible to get into, so even if you rank them #1, it is unlikely you will get into those, and also unlikely you will get into #2 or #3 (since other parents will have ranked those as their #1 choice). Our neighborhood schools are some of the lowest performers, so we'd also have to decide if we really want to send our LO to school across the city every day.</p> <p>Due to this system, there is a very good chance we will just end up moving to a city where there is no lottery and all the schools are excellent. Even if we do that though, we need to decide when to move. Our current system offers pre-K, and the town we'd move to does not. So we have to decide whether to stay here for a year of pre-K or else just move and switch her to a new preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613183 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:26:30 +0000 looch 2613183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I chose to send my son to a magnet school. I agonized over the decision to accept the placement (once we went through the lottery) because the elementary schools in town are fine, but the middle schools get shady. So, I couldn't imagine being in the position of having to make a decision for 6th grade and having limited options, so I am intentionally making my life difficult from k-5 so we have a good option when it comes to middle school.</p> <p>The only thing I didn't consider was Catholic school. Not an option for us. Everything else is fair game.</p> <p>eta: also, did you look at before and after care? You mentioned the start time not being ideal, but what about looking into those programs, a lot of schools in my town offer them onsite, so you just drop your kid of at school, just earlier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613181 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:24:12 +0000 Adira 2613181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm kind of dreading this whole thing. We don't live in a great school district, but we're not really up for forking over $$$ to send our kids to a private school (unless they are really struggling, then we will have to re-evaluate). For now we're planning on just sending them to the public school we're assigned to. There's before-after care provided by our local YMCA, so we'll be utilizing that.</p> <p>I'm totally dreading when school starts... need to savor these last two years of daycare while I can! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613179 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:21:19 +0000 Mamaof2 2613179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I cant imagine! We have wonderful public schools here and you go where you are assigned - end of story! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613178 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:20:49 +0000 MamaCate 2613178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: yes! Well at least several options on the list. LO1 will start K next year so we need to make a plan. We are in a district with low performing schools but next to a better district that offers open enrollment so I think those district schools and parochial school will be the first two options to look at (so 6 schools total). I have a lot of reservations about charters so even though there are some well-regarded ones I hope to avoid them at this point. It feels like such a big decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-decisions#post-2613173 Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:15:15 +0000 lamariniere 2613173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had at least 4 feasible options. But it was pretty easy to narrow down the choices. When I was a kid, there were only two (1 public and 1 private). </p>