https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:52:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794376 Sun, 31 Dec 2017 21:56:42 +0000 youboots 2794376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted A. I have a mental block about getting in the car and adding drive time in most cases.</p> <p>That said we are deciding on DD going to private which is a further drive than public, but she’s been going to school there since 5 months and will start preschool there in the fall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794375 Sun, 31 Dec 2017 21:11:26 +0000 Kemma 2794375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: I’m a big believer in attending local / the closest school for a whole host of reasons so unless school A was completely crap then I’d send the kids there. And in my experience most kids who have involved parents will do well wherever they attend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794314 Sun, 31 Dec 2017 10:01:36 +0000 catlady 2794314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Yeah, I still do walking drop-offs, although now that DS is 1, it has become harder (I still wear him in the carrier and push DD in the stroller, but he is heavy!). We don't have a parking spot right now and our area has become really built-up over the past few years so we try to only move the car on weekends or else we have to park really far away from the house. A parking spot is definitely going to be a deal-breaker for our new house though so I hope to have a spot by the time DD starts school. </p> <p>Lots to think about. Thanks all for your comments! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794231 Sat, 30 Dec 2017 15:06:17 +0000 looch 2794231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: That's interesting you mention the neighborhood kids and having the ability to play with them, we have a family next door with a daughter the same age as my son and they play together all the time, and they don't go to the same school! We see each other a lot during the summer when we are outside, but this year we said we were making an effort to see each other during the winter so we do movie nights. It's a lot of effort, but worth it.</p> <p>And then there are the kids that are from school, some of which live in our town, some of which live in the town where the school is...I find it good to have a mix, but it does mean sometimes we are in the car on the weekend going there, which I tend to dislike, but I do it for the social aspect.</p> <p>It also makes it harder for me to do events after school...I just want to go home, and not go back. I do a lot during the day because I am in town working near the school, so consider that as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794229 Sat, 30 Dec 2017 14:58:51 +0000 Foodnerd81 2794229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: so in that case, I wouldn’t place much emphasis on it being a neighborhood school in the way most local schools are- like for @travellingbee: The commute is still a big factor but not the neighborhood feel. </p> <p>Have you been doing to walking drop offs already? I just know when we lived in the city, I walked everywhere with one kid in the stroller. Once we had two in the stroller I started driving more anyway. But still, walking is a lot nicer than loading up in the car. Also what’s your parking situation? If you have a spot, fine, but if you need to look for street parking every night that would probably be the deciding factor for school A. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794227 Sat, 30 Dec 2017 14:31:28 +0000 catlady 2794227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: They will be coming in from over the city. Some of the schools have a more "local" population, but those schools are all the way on the other side of the city (we didn't even tour them). Ironically our next door neighbor's child goes to School B. For various reasons, our neighborhood schools are the most unpopular in the city so many of the local kids end up elsewhere, and many of the kids coming to our local schools are bussed in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794224 Sat, 30 Dec 2017 14:24:26 +0000 Foodnerd81 2794224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: would most of the other students be local to school A? Or are they coming from all over the city anyway?<br /> I’m still not sure which we would pick, but the easier commute AND all the students being very close neighbors would be nice. As opposed to a longer more annoying commute but other kids are still all over the place either way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794222 Sat, 30 Dec 2017 14:10:08 +0000 travellingbee 2794222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a teacher in our district and I could have transferred my kids to school with a better reputation than we are zoned to. I didn’t. I want him to go to school with our neighbors and be able to have play dates with kids who live near us. I think the school that we are going to is perfectly fine and I even like it although I don’t love all of their policies. I’m not at all motivated to get my kid into the best school that I can. I think if they go to a average to good school and you are involved in their education, they will do great. So I vote choice A. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794143 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 20:56:10 +0000 wrkbrk 2794143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>IDK. School is one of the most important decisions we can make I think. So I’d pick the school that had a better “feel” for me and overall reputation whether that meant an annoying commute or looking to move. If at all possible, of course. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794141 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 20:52:50 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2794141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I chose B, but after reading about your commute, I would definitely pick school A. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794081 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:21:10 +0000 snowjewelz 2794081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: I feel like school A is just so easy then! Esp being winter, it would be really annoying to get in &amp; out of cars times 2 kids. And personally I try to avoid buses where possible till they are older... I think school A has potential... But of course if they're not gearing up to be great, then you're kinda stuck there. But with two young kids myself living in the NE I feel like I'd choose convenience. If they're the same district, school A can't be that bad right?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794078 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:00:39 +0000 Pollywog 2794078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>School A. I would view it as a 1 year solution and then you can reevaluate if moving makes sense. It is far better to have outside time walking to school and being close to you if something goes wrong than being in a car. </p> <p>Also, don't worry about school wide policies. If there is a good principal and good teachers, school wide policies are often not necessary. The teachers come up with their own policies that are often very similar to each other. I also wouldn't worry about where the middle school is because that is so far away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794074 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:53:38 +0000 catlady 2794074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@azjax: I think it may only add about 15 min in commute time but it would just change things (I'd switch from a walking to a driving commute). We hope to move in the next 6 months so it would be before DD starts school anyway (but we need to enter the school lottery next month). DS has 3 more years before he starts so we will have a long time of double drop-off/pick-ups! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794070 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:47:23 +0000 azjax 2794070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you need aftercare and the commute change adds more than 15 minutes, totally school A. If you end up moving, can you switch schools then? How long until LO2 starts school? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794069 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:45:37 +0000 catlady 2794069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: For School A, I'd walk DS to daycare, then walk DD to school, then walk to work (they are all close to each other). DD would stay at school for aftercare and then I'd walk both kids home after work. </p> <p>For School B, I *think* DD would take the bus to get there, but for aftercare, we'd have to figure out something. There is an aftercare in our neighborhood that she could get bussed to, but I don't think we will like it (however we haven't toured yet). There is a great aftercare near the school, but we'd have to drive over to pick her up. I think if we really want School B, we'd probably commit to moving at least a bit closer to make that evening commute better (and also switch DS's daycare to be closer). So this would be a bigger change for us, especially since neither of us currently drive to work (DH takes the train, in the opposite direction). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794066 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:36:50 +0000 looch 2794066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: My personal view is that kids are for sure not bored in elementary school, there is soooo much going on and there are so many skills they have to master, plus the teachers (at least where my son is) are really good at identifying kids that need extra help (in both the remedial and the accelerated sense), so I don't worry too much.</p> <p>I love the idea of language immersion, but I do have to say, the second school seems more interesting to me based on my son's interests (that maker space, wow!!!). If it's like what I think it is, that's what I would choose over language immersion. Some factors that play into my decision are that my son also already speaks a second language (native language from my husband) and he is starting Saturday language school next month. I also commute my son to school, he goes to a school two towns over from us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794063 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:32:06 +0000 snowjewelz 2794063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How complicated would commuting be, and what would you be doing for childcare? I lean torwards B but details of my questions would need to be considered... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794061 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:30:18 +0000 catlady 2794061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I can't decide how important the language component is. Portuguese wouldn't necessarily be our top choice for language but I grew up in an immersion program (French) and although I don't use the language, I think it was probably beneficial for me anyway. It starts at Jr K (age 4) and the kids become fluent quickly. DD is already starting to read and write so we thought that introducing another language would be a good way to keep her from getting bored (but the extra arts/music/tech at the other school would also be good for that). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794047 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 11:58:04 +0000 looch 2794047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How important is the language at school A to you? Also, what grade, starting in Kindergarten? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-elementary-school-would-you-choose#post-2794027 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 10:36:36 +0000 catlady 2794027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you had the choice, which of these public elementary schools would you choose?</p> <p>School A:<br /> Pros: Within walking distance, brand new school being built, Portuguese immersion, onsite aftercare, middle school next door<br /> Cons: Didn't love the overall "feel" of the school, lacks school-wide policies on basic stuff (like homework) and is just not as thoughtful as School B. Temporary school until 2019 is old and K classes are in the basement.</p> <p>School B:<br /> Pros: Everyone loves this school, it has caring teachers, excited kids, and highly involved parents. Extra music and arts classes plus a maker space. Everything from class composition to homework policy is really well thought out. Feels more like a private school.<br /> Cons: Far from our home and would require a big commute change. No on-site aftercare, no languages. Middle school is separate and even further away.</p> <p>Wildcard: We are thinking of moving next year so we could try to get closer to School B, although we probably can't afford to get within walking distance. We like our current neighborhood though (School A's neighborhood), which is convenient for our own work commute and LO2's daycare. </p>