Combined center-local full time orientation?

[Anonymous]

Some regions are pushing centers and local full time programs to do a joint orientation at a "neutral location" (so not at the feeder schools or the center school). I am curious about what current and prospective full-time parents think about this idea.

The reasoning I have been told is that a combined orientation would help dispel the perception that the programs are different at center and local full time, as well as the idea that center and local programs "compete" for full time students. (Whether these perceptions are accurate or not, the district does not what to perpetuate them.) Also, parents would only have to attend one orientation.

If your child is in full time, would you have liked this arrangement instead of having the option to attend orientations at both schools?

Do you feel that attending a center orientation helped you be more secure in your decision (either to stay at your local or to change to a center)?

If you are a second grade parent, would you like this? Or would you prefer to have the option to attend both?

[Anonymous]

Our base school still doesn't have local full time.

A joint event seems convenient, but also unreliable.

[Anonymous]

I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

[Anonymous]

I have a child in full time at the center school and a current 2nd grader at our base school. I prefer having separate orientations. It is misleading to say the local program and center program are the same. Our base school’s local program does a cluster model which does not appear to meet the needs of the full time students. School environment, culture, staff and extracurricular activities are different. Being able to compare the schools in person is valuable.

[Anonymous]

No, we are in 3rd grade at a center school (moved from base) so attended both orientations last Spring. The difference in presentations was night and day and actually really helped me compare the schools’ beliefs about AAP and its importance. We moved and have had zero regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, we are in 3rd grade at a center school (moved from base) so attended both orientations last Spring. The difference in presentations was night and day and actually really helped me compare the schools’ beliefs about AAP and its importance. We moved and have had zero regrets.

This. If everyone were combined you wouldn't get to see the differences between the programs, it would just be a nonsensical "we all do level IV curriculum!"

[Anonymous]

I would hate combined. Does that mean the center school has to do multiple presentations, one for each base school with a local program? If yes I feel bad for the school and that seems like a waste of staff wages and time. If not, does that mean one presentation for all the base schools and local schools together? As a parent I have to sit there and hear about how other base schools do their local program? No thanks. That's a waste of parent and staff time and confusing. That would also backfire spectacularly if one base school is doing contained classroom and another cluster model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would hate combined. Does that mean the center school has to do multiple presentations, one for each base school with a local program? If yes I feel bad for the school and that seems like a waste of staff wages and time. If not, does that mean one presentation for all the base schools and local schools together? As a parent I have to sit there and hear about how other base schools do their local program? No thanks. That's a waste of parent and staff time and confusing. That would also backfire spectacularly if one base school is doing contained classroom and another cluster model.

Same poster by "does that mean one presentation for all the base schools and local schools together" meant one presentation for the center school and all the local programs at schools that would feed into the center together.

[Anonymous]

I would want to tour the school my kid would potentially be going to. So these seems like a bad idea and much more work for center school teachers/admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

Why was see the families who were interested in each program critical for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

Why was see the families who were interested in each program critical for you?

Did you put zero thought into your question before you asked it? Kids want to go to school with their friend groups. They want to know who is planning to go where.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, we are in 3rd grade at a center school (moved from base) so attended both orientations last Spring. The difference in presentations was night and day and actually really helped me compare the schools’ beliefs about AAP and its importance. We moved and have had zero regrets.

This. If everyone were combined you wouldn't get to see the differences between the programs, it would just be a nonsensical "we all do level IV curriculum!"

You are the reason that schools are moving to this type of presentation. All schools—full time center or local full time—use the SAME slides. There is ONE slide where there would be differences: if the school uses the cluster model or if the school uses the full class model. Everything else IS the same curriculum for the full-time services students. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

Why was see the families who were interested in each program critical for you?

Did you put zero thought into your question before you asked it? Kids want to go to school with their friend groups. They want to know who is planning to go where.

Sure, but no one is making a decision at the meeting. They’re just information meetings about programs. Parents make a choice in the privacy of their home on a computer. You have no idea who is choosing which school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

Why was see the families who were interested in each program critical for you?

Did you put zero thought into your question before you asked it? Kids want to go to school with their friend groups. They want to know who is planning to go where.

Sure, but no one is making a decision at the meeting. They’re just information meetings about programs. Parents make a choice in the privacy of their home on a computer. You have no idea who is choosing which school.

No, the person asking that question was trying for a "gotcha" implying that PP was racist for wanting to see which families were interested in the program. They were so caught up trying to find something to be offended over they couldn't even see the clear and obvious reason people would want that chance to see which other kids were considering the center or to stay at the local school for third grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently have a fourth-grader at a center. Attending the two different orientations was critical. The local program was a cluster model vs. a separate classroom, which we learned at the orientation (that wasn’t advertised). We could also see the families who were interested in each program.

Why was see the families who were interested in each program critical for you?

Some ethnicities are only comfortable around their own ethnicity. In fact, often times it is a particular sub-sub-group of a particular ethnicity that wants to make sure there are other members of the sub-sub-group.