https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:40:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2627345 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 12:57:15 +0000 looch 2627345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: you hit the nail on the head for me with your last sentence, about being surrounded with similarly high achieving, motivated students with involved parents.</p> <p>I think thats what is actually shown to make a difference, the involvement of the parents, and in some cases the fathers being involved makes more of a difference than the mothers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2627300 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 11:35:54 +0000 lamariniere 2627300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My answer would depend on your childcare situation during the breaks. My DS's school is pretty similar to a year round school and we have 1-2 week breaks every 6-8 weeks and 2 months off for summer. I think we've got most of the breaks covered for this school year (travel and visiting grandparents), but I have no idea if it will always work out so well in the future. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2627277 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 10:45:21 +0000 winniebee 2627277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tough call. They both sounds like very good options though!</p> <p>My feeling on this may be somewhat skewed, since I live in New England, where our good weather months are so few. But I wouldn't want my kids in school in the summer. I loved my summers growing up - swimming, beaches, time with neighborhood friends, getting to "stay up late" etc. I want my kids to have that experience, even if it means that they have to go to some camps in the summer or we have a summer nanny while I work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2627272 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 10:36:13 +0000 Anagram 2627272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: just saw this. I would definitely have to schedule tours to make a final decision. </p> <p>The thing with classroom ratios is that the schools all count every "teacher", whether or not they are a classroom teacher. And how those teachers are allocated across the school really varies by school. Like one school may have a higher number of special ed teachers because they have a higher spec ed population, and half those teachers are in class support for particular students. So although the on-paper ratio might be 1:16, in real life, it might be more like 1:22. Sometimes there might also be "testing coordinators" who teach 1 class a day and are listed as a teacher, reading specialists, math specialist, curriculum specialists, etc all listed as teachers who don't actually teach full time classes.</p> <p>For me as a working parent, I would do the tour, figure out my before/after school care options and options about care on Spring break, and make my decision based on that. Basically, I would make my choice based on our work schedules as car options first, unless one school seemed way, way better than the other.</p> <p>I'm sending my kid to public pre-k in a district that is widely considered (by test scores only) to be kind of "bad", and I work in an area where the test scores are very, very good...and I see no difference between the quality of teachers or education. I do see a very big difference in socioeconomics of the enrolled students in each district. As my girls get older (like....middle school, high school years), if we are still in the same area, I might have to reconsider our options. Just because I do want her surrounded by similarly high achieving, motivated students with involved parents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626667 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:41:32 +0000 Andrea 2626667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The year round sounds good as long as child care during these "off" breaks aren't an issue for you. Our private school doesn't have the same breaks as the public schools throughout the year so all of the vacation camps are out for us. Hopefully your area is well equipped for that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626656 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:07:47 +0000 sapphire 2626656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Those are still good teacher:student ratios- I wouldn't call those big classes. Both schools are large (around here elem schools have about 300 students) so I don't think that would make a difference. I'd like the year round schools! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626516 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 12:17:29 +0000 PinkElephant 2626516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister lives in the same area and started her kids in the traditional (neighborhood) school, then switched to the year-round school. She did find that at the year round school, they met fewer neighborhood children, but no one was from TOO far away. She ended up being very happy with the quality of education, the school community, and the schedule of a year round school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626466 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 11:02:40 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2626466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: my choice is almost always year round, just because I like the calendar more. You can learn a lot about different schools looking at the teacher working conditions survey in NC. It gives you really in depth survey results and compares them with the state, other elementary schools, and other schools in the county. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626459 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:45:21 +0000 MamaG 2626459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really like the idea of year round school. And that's where I would lean, depending on how care would work in off school times. If the process and availability for breaks is equal for both options, I'd choose year round :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626446 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:27:56 +0000 808love 2626446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would choose the year round one. I am biased toward smaller class sizes generally but given your circumstances, 16-17 is still pretty small. Higher test scores seal the deal. It says a lot.<br /> ETA: I attended Year Round conference and research has shown the retention is great woth breaks throughout the year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626430 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:06:05 +0000 Cole 2626430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Will it be harder to accommodate the frequent breaks with year round schooling? Here at least camps are available to help bridge the summer gap for working parents but it would be harder with the breaks from year round schooling. My experience has been that class size is likely to be the most important with a kid that could get easily lost in the shuffle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626429 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:05:06 +0000 mediagirl 2626429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: HA! I totally get it. I have considered magnet and charter, as well but I really want to keep her in a school near home where she will hopefully meet kids who live near home (rather than all over the county). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626421 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:01:31 +0000 JennyPenny 2626421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Lol, my son is 2, but I am strangely worried about school decisions and have been researching for a while. I work in the education space and as part of that we end up visiting lots of schools in the area, especially charter schools, which always fuels my curiosity. Plus I grew up here and went through the magnet schools so I've got that perspective in the back of my mind too... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626404 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:40:28 +0000 mediagirl 2626404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: I know the one for the year round comes around 8:45 (I get to work downtown at 8:30) but we will see what my husband's schedule looks like next year. </p> <p>How old are your kids? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626402 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:38:55 +0000 JennyPenny 2626402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: I don't know your work schedule, but you might wanna check the bus times anyway. For us one bus comes just in time for us to make it to work, and the other comes 30 minutes earlier. In your case a long bus ride might be good cause it could negate the need for before care? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626399 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:37:49 +0000 looch 2626399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: out of curiosity, which would you choose?</p> <p>I know that there are some schools of thought that basically say year round schools only benefit those in the lower socioeconomic brackets, because the kids continue to get breakfast and lunch at school, are in a climate controlled envirornment, are supervised, etc. These are the kids that are likely to be left home alone during the summer while the parents work, not enrolled in camp or enrichment activites that parents in the upper brackets seek out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626392 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:33:24 +0000 mediagirl 2626392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: Ooooo good point. Both of these schools start later so, I think we will be doing both pick up and drop off as she will have to do both before and after care. :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626390 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:32:41 +0000 looch 2626390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Ok, just for full disclosure, one of the reasons why I sent my son to the school we did is because it is K-8, so if one of the schools offered it, that's what I'd choose.</p> <p>Given your information, I'd pick the year round school, even though it is bigger and has higher ratios. As a working parent, this is key. I also believe that there is a lot of learning that is lost during the summers, especially when you look at it over the course of 13 years, not just year to year.</p> <p>Also, I read an article from The Atlantic that you might find interesting.<br /> <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/and-dont-help-your-kids-with-their-homework/358636/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/and-dont-help-your-kids-with-their-homework/358636/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626383 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:28:37 +0000 JennyPenny 2626383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in the same area as you, and I know for us there is a huge difference in busing time between our base school and our calendar options. If there were a big difference in bus time I'd be inclined toward whatever is closer to my home, but I suppose that only matters if you are planning on using the bus. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626379 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:27:12 +0000 mediagirl 2626379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pancakes: this is a good point and I honestly worry about the bigger school becoming even bigger. I don't worry about the other school becoming bigger. It's not widely know, doesn't have a reputation (good or bad) and is literally just a neighborhood school. There are companies here that do "track out camps" we need to find out if the ones we like do track-out, as well as summer camps, though. </p> <p>@KayKay: really good point about having more breaks and not having that long summer break to miss your friends.</p> <p>@Anagram: I can absolutely see the socioeconomic difference between the two schools and coming from an area where we had very low performing schools, I can see how that one thing would affect scores. Your comment was really helpful, thank you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626366 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:22:51 +0000 mediagirl 2626366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: the schools here are K-5, 6-8, 9-12. So all public elementary schools are K-5 school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626362 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:21:08 +0000 looch 2626362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need one more piece of information to make a decision (and this was a deciding factor in my choice)...are both schools set up with the same grades, like k-5 or k-8? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626351 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:06:35 +0000 Pancakes 2626351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll just share one factor to consider, based on my own recent experience of sending a child off to K. We toured our zoned elementary school last spring and I was really pleased with the small class size. But when we got to school in the fall, I found out that there is a huge jump in enrollment this year and while the classes aren't overwhelmingly huge, they are much bigger than last year. So I think I would tour both schools and see what kind of a vibe you get overall, and just remember that any numbers (test scores, class size) can fluctuate from year to year. Personally I find the idea of year-round school very appealing. What will she do during her breaks? In your area will you be able to easily find some kind of temporary childcare solution during her more frequent short breaks, or will it be easier to find things for her to do during the summer while you're at work, when more kids are out of school and there are more camps, etc. To me, it's so nice that you have a choice. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626346 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:56:59 +0000 KayKay 2626346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the class-size in both is pretty great -- even the bigger one at only 17ish would be "small" for my neighborhood!</p> <p>As a family with parents who work normal (i.e. not teaching) jobs, I'd prefer year round schooling so that you get more frequent breaks and can take vacations at "off" times of year.</p> <p>I'm fairly introverted and don't think the year-round/traditional schedule would've made that much of a difference -- it actually may increase likelikhood of making additional friends since you won't have such a LONG summer break where you only see certain friends? And it might be nice to have more frequent bits of downtime away from the school setting to recharge? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626345 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:53:47 +0000 Anagram 2626345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh. I work in education, so my feelings about test scores are totally based on my profession. In my experience, test scores have the most to do with socioeconomics rather than good/bad teachers.</p> <p>However, some people want their children educated mainly with other children of the same socioeconomic level. Sometimes there are differences that extend beyond school when you talk about peer groups. If you are really torn between to two, I would ask to schedule a school visit with both schools.</p> <p>I read a fascinating article (maybe it was even posted here) about a mother whose family moved from a very white collar professional area to a more blue collar area due to her husband's job (I think she moved form somewhere like Boston suburbs to a factory town in Michigan. And she talked about how even the small things were really different--at a play date in Michigan, the kids were sat in front of cartoons and given kool-aid and chips while the moms all chatted, while in MA, the kids would have been given an art project to do together or would have played outside, with water/milk and carrot sticks and hummus as snacks. In Michigan, most of the moms formula fed, in MA, the author felt guilt about formula feeding. In MA, the mothers were rabid about car seat safety, and in this blue collar town, mothers were extremely lax and most used older, second hand seats without regard for expiration dates or extended rear facing. But it wasn't all negative--the author also felt a lot less mom competition and guilt in the blue collar town--in fact, the mothers just didn't talk about or reflect on parenting to the same extent. And in some ways, the author liked it.</p> <p>Obviously, your parenting and your child's personality will make the biggest difference in her education....but there are a lot of other nuances that may affect her schooling experience. I would look at the year round schedule and figure out the options you have for all the school breaks and holidays, since the happen more frequently throughout the year, vs the traditional school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626344 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:50:02 +0000 avivoca 2626344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been an introverted child in both situations and I would choose the year-round school. It's much easier to arrange for childcare with multiple smaller breaks, and really, class size or number of students in the school didn't have any impact on how shy I felt at school. I still found my niche and had my close group of friends despite the school being larger or smaller. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626343 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:49:44 +0000 Mamaof2 2626343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would love to send my kids to a year round school based on the only one I know of that is in VA.</p> <p>The longest break they have is in summer and is 4 weeks - the other breaks are spread apart and the school has 'camp' then for those kids with working parents.</p> <p>I think 10-12 weeks off in the summer is a LOT and I do think the summer slide is real </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-school-would-you-choose#post-2626335 Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:43:25 +0000 mediagirl 2626335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a choice in what school we can send our child to next fall. It can either be the year round school or the traditional calendar school. </p> <p>The year round school has a great rating with high test scores (6th in the county). It has a higher student:teacher ratio (16.8) and is a bigger school (838 students). </p> <p>The traditional calendar school has a much lower rating with lower test scores (55th in the county). It has a lower student:teacher ratio (12.8) and is a smaller school (541 students). </p> <p>We have what appears to be an introverted child who has motivated and involved parents (to the point we can be as both of us work outside the home). </p> <p>I would love to send her to the "better" school but wonder if the traditional calendar and smaller environment would be better for her. </p> <p>WWYD? </p>