Privates that tolerate early release for sports?

[Anonymous]

DD does a sport that doesn’t have many facilities so we drive pretty far to after-school practice.

This year her school changed the bell schedule to add 15 minutes for upper elementary and middle school. As crazy as it sounds, that extra 15 minutes will add 30-45 minutes to our drive time and she will be late to practice. She cannot make up the missed portion of practice or start practice late because supervised warm-ups are required for safety. So, no 15 minute early release=no team.

She’s currently at a prek-8 so when we applied to the school when she was 2, we didn’t know that she would become serious about the sport nor that the school schedule would change.

School is resisting early release and suggesting that in future grades it will be impossible and disruptive. In hindsight, her school has never had kids who did equestrian sports/gymnastics/Nutcracker/figure skating or any of the kinds of activities that often require a modified schedule. I assume they go elsewhere after receiving similar pushback.

Her teammates come from all over and mostly attend publics and parish schools that are closer to the facility or have earlier release times. There is one girl from a very selective school but she is more advanced and it’s the kind of school that would respect niche excellence.

Can anyone suggest k-8 privates or other schools where you know kids are signed out early? Our public has a late elementary release so it’s not a great solution. A move is possible but not this year.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know of any privates that would honor this in elementary. I know Holton does have this in high school. But I have no clue how old your child is

[Anonymous]

Where is the activity? That would be helpful info.

[Anonymous]

I know a couple of people whose privates would not let them out early -- but the local public would. You may need to consider.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you just need to look at schools closer to where your kid needs to be for practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a couple of people whose privates would not let them out early -- but the local public would. You may need to consider.

Thanks, this is helpful.

I guess I was naive about the situation. I grew up in public schools and they were inflexible and it was more about what was good for everyone or easy for the school. The publics near me are obsessed with attendance numbers now, to the extent that my friend’s child hit day 6 of being sick one year and she was summoned to the assistant principal’s office for every subsequent absence. I went to an elite college and my classmates knew so much from private school about how to make the system work for them. I hoped a school we’re paying for would have some flexibility. Especially when it’s their last-minute schedule change!

[Anonymous]

It's out in the sticks, but McDonogh School allows for modified schedules. Pam Shriver switched there after a different elite school would not allow it.

[Anonymous]

I think some girls at Holton do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD does a sport that doesn’t have many facilities so we drive pretty far to after-school practice.

This year her school changed the bell schedule to add 15 minutes for upper elementary and middle school. As crazy as it sounds, that extra 15 minutes will add 30-45 minutes to our drive time and she will be late to practice. She cannot make up the missed portion of practice or start practice late because supervised warm-ups are required for safety. So, no 15 minute early release=no team.

She’s currently at a prek-8 so when we applied to the school when she was 2, we didn’t know that she would become serious about the sport nor that the school schedule would change.

School is resisting early release and suggesting that in future grades it will be impossible and disruptive. In hindsight, her school has never had kids who did equestrian sports/gymnastics/Nutcracker/figure skating or any of the kinds of activities that often require a modified schedule. I assume they go elsewhere after receiving similar pushback.

Her teammates come from all over and mostly attend publics and parish schools that are closer to the facility or have earlier release times. There is one girl from a very selective school but she is more advanced and it’s the kind of school that would respect niche excellence.

Can anyone suggest k-8 privates or other schools where you know kids are signed out early? Our public has a late elementary release so it’s not a great solution. A move is possible but not this year.

Tell the school you are not worrying about future years right now. Deal with the issue you have in front of you-- the school changed the schedule last minute, and you are in a position where you cannot adjust due to the short time frame. I would just say you're picking up the kid early and they can deal with it. Next year you can think about moving, changing schools, etc but it's not possible now.

I would just push the issue. They created the problem so they are going to have to deal with your solution. The school using a "slippery slope" argument or talking about future years is not going to cut it. You need a solution for THIS YEAR. Don't let them twist it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD does a sport that doesn’t have many facilities so we drive pretty far to after-school practice.

This year her school changed the bell schedule to add 15 minutes for upper elementary and middle school. As crazy as it sounds, that extra 15 minutes will add 30-45 minutes to our drive time and she will be late to practice. She cannot make up the missed portion of practice or start practice late because supervised warm-ups are required for safety. So, no 15 minute early release=no team.

She’s currently at a prek-8 so when we applied to the school when she was 2, we didn’t know that she would become serious about the sport nor that the school schedule would change.

School is resisting early release and suggesting that in future grades it will be impossible and disruptive. In hindsight, her school has never had kids who did equestrian sports/gymnastics/Nutcracker/figure skating or any of the kinds of activities that often require a modified schedule. I assume they go elsewhere after receiving similar pushback.

Her teammates come from all over and mostly attend publics and parish schools that are closer to the facility or have earlier release times. There is one girl from a very selective school but she is more advanced and it’s the kind of school that would respect niche excellence.

Can anyone suggest k-8 privates or other schools where you know kids are signed out early? Our public has a late elementary release so it’s not a great solution. A move is possible but not this year.

Tell the school you are not worrying about future years right now. Deal with the issue you have in front of you-- the school changed the schedule last minute, and you are in a position where you cannot adjust due to the short time frame. I would just say you're picking up the kid early and they can deal with it. Next year you can think about moving, changing schools, etc but it's not possible now.

I would just push the issue. They created the problem so they are going to have to deal with your solution. The school using a "slippery slope" argument or talking about future years is not going to cut it. You need a solution for THIS YEAR. Don't let them twist it.

+1 agree. Just pull the kid for now - if you are talking elementary school, it really doesn't matter at all. Then I would consider a move to public.

[Anonymous]

Or dump whatever activity your kid does. Seems like you've pulled yourself into some kind of trap. Really.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PPs to push the issue for this year because it’s such short notice, do the early pickup, and take your time over this coming admissions season to find a better fit if the sport it your/her priority, or consider whether dropping the sport makes more sense. For this year, you can assure the school that you understand it will be more disruptive in future years and will look into alternative solutions, but because of the short notice of the bell change and that you’ve already committed to this sport for this year, you need the 15 minutes for this year. Buy yourself some time to address it more permanently by changing schools or dropping/relocating the sport.

I had friends at NCS who participated at elite levels in figure skating, equestrian, and diving, and NCS at the time accommodated the schedule adjustments needed, but that was in MS and HS, not elementary. It was also in the 1990s.

[Anonymous]

Also, remind them you are committed to the tuition so not much either of you can do for this year....

[Anonymous]

Just put your kid in a school near the horse farm, gym, or whatever. I would not expect schools to bend over backwards for a sport. Lots of elite athletes are homeschooled.

[Anonymous]

Where are you located and where would you consider a potential school to be? It may be worth compiling a list of school options and calling each with your situation and asking if they would work with you were you to switch schools as your child is serious about the sport. It may be worth considering how schools structure their day as well. LCDS in Loudoun county, for instance, has/had PE at the end of the day M-TH and ends an hour early on Fridays. It may be that they would be more willing to swap a sport for a sport.