What Would You Do - Strong Public Middle or Average Private?

[Anonymous]

We are at private school that has excellent instructors; however the kids are not motivated and it is highly unlikely that the class make up will change so this is the hand we are dealt. My kid could sleep through a test and still yield better scores than his classmates - I am not bragging on my kid - I am actually surprised that this is the case - but for my kid and one or two other kids, most of the class literally doesn’t try or care. We are zoned for an excellent middle school where we can get both - strong academics, academic peer group and a culture where learning/being smart is not considered uncool. We know the info about the public middle is accurate because we have lots of friends there since kid was formerly in public elementary school. Trying another private is not an option because we like our local public high school and plan to go there so don’t want to hop to another private middle only to end up back at the public high school. Would you stay for the excellent instruction alone or move to the public middle?

[Anonymous]

I would move your thread to the public school forum where public school parents comment.

[Anonymous]

If you're already planning on going back to public for HS, it's not a bad idea to go back to public for the remainder of middle - especially if you don't feel you're getting the bang for your buck. It also seems like it would help to get assimilated back into the friend groups and rhythm of that particular cohort of students before the chaos of 9th grade hits when multiple middle schools collide.

[Anonymous]

Public. The teaching will be spottier but a strong peer group is invaluable at this age. Rich and careless is a terrible attitude to pick up, especially if you don’t have a trust fund yourself, but really even if you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would move your thread to the public school forum where public school parents comment.

I thought about posting there but did not want to get the potential anti-private venom from those who have often never been in private school. I recognize this situation is unique and that all private schools are not like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would move your thread to the public school forum where public school parents comment.

I thought about posting there but did not want to get the potential anti-private venom from those who have often never been in private school. I recognize this situation is unique and that all private schools are not like this.

Your kid should stay in private. You have right attitude already.

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about how you gauge how the other kids are in class. I ask because I have no idea how the other kids in my DCs classes do academically. At all.

Also, I am hearing that COVID has set kids back in maturity and that this is most obvious in early middle school and early high school classes. It should change as kids get used to being social again. Do you think this could be going at your school? Have the public shcool friends commented on behaviors this year? Our normally excellent and well run public middle school is a wreck due to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about how you gauge how the other kids are in class. I ask because I have no idea how the other kids in my DCs classes do academically. At all.

Also, I am hearing that COVID has set kids back in maturity and that this is most obvious in early middle school and early high school classes. It should change as kids get used to being social again. Do you think this could be going at your school? Have the public shcool friends commented on behaviors this year? Our normally excellent and well run public middle school is a wreck due to this.

I’m not sure. Virtual instruction at this school was excellent. We were really impressed compared to public. But I agree the lack of socializing did probably impact them - I know it impacted my own child.

[Anonymous]

^^ Meant to add that we know grades because the kids compare scores and show their papers. Or the teacher will tell the kids that generally the class did not do well or how scores broke down and my kid is usually way higher - most of the kids get Cs, one or two As (usually my kid) and a couple of Ds. And this is consistently. I wish it wasn’t this way because I would just leave him there until graduation but it is hard to justify when no one seems to care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ Meant to add that we know grades because the kids compare scores and show their papers. Or the teacher will tell the kids that generally the class did not do well or how scores broke down and my kid is usually way higher - most of the kids get Cs, one or two As (usually my kid) and a couple of Ds. And this is consistently. I wish it wasn’t this way because I would just leave him there until graduation but it is hard to justify when no one seems to care.

You're telling me that there is a private middle school where a classes are graded to a C average? I'm calling BS on that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Meant to add that we know grades because the kids compare scores and show their papers. Or the teacher will tell the kids that generally the class did not do well or how scores broke down and my kid is usually way higher - most of the kids get Cs, one or two As (usually my kid) and a couple of Ds. And this is consistently. I wish it wasn’t this way because I would just leave him there until graduation but it is hard to justify when no one seems to care.

You're telling me that there is a private middle school where a classes are graded to a C average? I'm calling BS on that one.

If someone asks for an opinion/help and the best you can do is call “troll” please keep scrolling.

[Anonymous]

Public..shouldn't even be a thought. The peer group is extremely important. They help push each other to their best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Meant to add that we know grades because the kids compare scores and show their papers. Or the teacher will tell the kids that generally the class did not do well or how scores broke down and my kid is usually way higher - most of the kids get Cs, one or two As (usually my kid) and a couple of Ds. And this is consistently. I wish it wasn’t this way because I would just leave him there until graduation but it is hard to justify when no one seems to care.

You're telling me that there is a private middle school where a classes are graded to a C average? I'm calling BS on that one.

If someone asks for an opinion/help and the best you can do is call “troll” please keep scrolling.

What middle school has a Cs for class averages with just as many Ds as As? There is grade deflation at some schools, but no school that I can think of goes that far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at private school that has excellent instructors; however the kids are not motivated and it is highly unlikely that the class make up will change so this is the hand we are dealt. My kid could sleep through a test and still yield better scores than his classmates - I am not bragging on my kid - I am actually surprised that this is the case - but for my kid and one or two other kids, most of the class literally doesn’t try or care. We are zoned for an excellent middle school where we can get both - strong academics, academic peer group and a culture where learning/being smart is not considered uncool. We know the info about the public middle is accurate because we have lots of friends there since kid was formerly in public elementary school. Trying another private is not an option because we like our local public high school and plan to go there so don’t want to hop to another private middle only to end up back at the public high school. Would you stay for the excellent instruction alone or move to the public middle?

Strong vs average? Choose strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at private school that has excellent instructors; however the kids are not motivated and it is highly unlikely that the class make up will change so this is the hand we are dealt. My kid could sleep through a test and still yield better scores than his classmates - I am not bragging on my kid - I am actually surprised that this is the case - but for my kid and one or two other kids, most of the class literally doesn’t try or care. We are zoned for an excellent middle school where we can get both - strong academics, academic peer group and a culture where learning/being smart is not considered uncool. We know the info about the public middle is accurate because we have lots of friends there since kid was formerly in public elementary school. Trying another private is not an option because we like our local public high school and plan to go there so don’t want to hop to another private middle only to end up back at the public high school. Would you stay for the excellent instruction alone or move to the public middle?

Hate to burst your bubble, but my kids 'strong public middle school' is the same. They had a stronger elementary school in terms of homework and expectations. I find even in great school districts like ours---middle school is usually the weak point.

I sent my kids to a strong private HS and it is definitely more academically sound than our 'strong public HS' which is now ridiculously over-crowded.