Seaton vs. ITS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op: kids in elementary at ITS use Eureka math. Mine seems to like it and is learning a lot. Not sure of the name of
ELA curriculum

It's Writer's Workshop I believe. And Lucy Calkins (which I like).

I can't say I feel my kid is being especially challenged in math, but I like the Eureka Math curriculum.

Thank you! Seaton uses eureka math as well.

[Anonymous]

I think the only valid concern you have is middle school.

Your child will make friends at a new school, you will embrace that community and the guilt will go away, and your kid will probably be challenged in a similar fashion. Seaton is a good school. ITS is a good school. Your kid is fine at either one.

So what to do about middle? Do you go with choice A, where you have 6 great years and potentially scramble for a viable Middle School option or Choice B where you also have 6 great years and viable middle school option? A lot can change in 6 years... for either schools Middle School option.

[Anonymous]

OP, from your post, I'm going to say that your child's education is extremely important to you. ITS is a good school, but the dynamic changes in late elementary and lots of kids leave. ITS MS is better than your IB school, but I doubt your going to be totally comfortable with it. Since you'll be worried about HS as you get closer to MS, you'll lottery every year until you get into a Deal feeder or you'll move. Point is, ITS is just a stop-over until you find your "forever" school system where you feel comfortable. I would be realistic about what you want, long-term. Minimize the disruption and wait until you get into a Deal feeder or have the means to move. It gets easier to lottery into Deal feeders with each grade, especially if you're willing to make a last minute switch in October. Just wait until you get what you really want. I speak from experience tinged with regret.

[Anonymous]

My guess is actually that PP who is weighing Seaton and Inspired would probably be quite ok with the experience you describe as "the dynamic changing" in middle school.

The Inspired middle school is still young - there won't even be a full cohort of middle school kids for two more years. It's a small school and won't suit kids who want high-level athletics or extensive extracurricular opportunities. But man - if it's not walking the walk about figuring out how to live and think and be in a diverse community and world, then I don't know what that would look like.

Last year's 5th grade (this year's 6th) had 46 kids take PARCC. About half of them got 4s and 5s. So, that's a cohort of 20+ kids on grade level in 5th grade.

The 6th grade cohort last year had only HALF those kids (22) and fewer kids who scored 4s and 5s. Though more than half of that cohort scored 3+.

I care a lot about my kid's education and I am comfortable with those numbers, that cohort, and that trajectory, as long as my kid stays happy and engaged at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a child in an older grade at Seaton. So far, we have felt that our child was appropriately challenged- with teachers being very good about offering differentiation as needed. We love the parent community and the teachers/staff. Our child has a number of friends- some at the same/similar academic level, and some not. The community is diverse, friendly, non-competitive. They just feel like “our” people.

That being said, Middle School remains a big challenge. Cardozo- as it currently stands- isn’t an option. It could change, in that location or another, but I am not counting on that. I don’t know what we will do- but I am not panicking yet.

Thanks for this! I also feel really fond of the community at Seaton and share the feeling that it is full of "my people." There is going to be big attrition (people going to their IB schools in upper NW, moving houses, and other lottery-ers) from PreK4 this year, so our son's next year will be a mystery. It's a huge bummer and one of the reasons we lotteried as well, which i know just feels like adding to the cascade.

[Anonymous]

Tough choice, OP. We're at Seaton and love it. We love the community, the teachers, and the experience we've had there. We played the lottery and if we had gotten our first choice, with a path through middle school (at least), then we would be leaving. We might still leave as we are thinking through moving so that our kid can be in a school community for as long as it works...

Are you IB for Seaton? If yes, then if I were in your shoes, I'd go ahead and enroll at ITS and hold the spot. Was ITS your top choice? Do you have other schools on your list with low numbers? Maybe you get in somewhere else before the end of the summer. As long as you're inbound to Seaton you can always walk in at any moment and enroll your son. And FWIW, I think people get it. This is the reality of our "choice" system. You have to do what's right for you and your family.

As for ITS - we have several friends at ITS with kids in PK, 3rd, and 4th grade and they universally love it. They're also all committed to staying at ITS through MS and we've heard genuinely excellent things about differentiation and meeting their kids where they're at. I think if you do move that you will find "your people" there too. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tough choice, OP. We're at Seaton and love it. We love the community, the teachers, and the experience we've had there. We played the lottery and if we had gotten our first choice, with a path through middle school (at least), then we would be leaving. We might still leave as we are thinking through moving so that our kid can be in a school community for as long as it works...

Are you IB for Seaton? If yes, then if I were in your shoes, I'd go ahead and enroll at ITS and hold the spot. Was ITS your top choice? Do you have other schools on your list with low numbers? Maybe you get in somewhere else before the end of the summer. As long as you're inbound to Seaton you can always walk in at any moment and enroll your son. And FWIW, I think people get it. This is the reality of our "choice" system. You have to do what's right for you and your family.

As for ITS - we have several friends at ITS with kids in PK, 3rd, and 4th grade and they universally love it. They're also all committed to staying at ITS through MS and we've heard genuinely excellent things about differentiation and meeting their kids where they're at. I think if you do move that you will find "your people" there too. Good luck!

yup. it's OP, we are doing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tough choice, OP. We're at Seaton and love it. We love the community, the teachers, and the experience we've had there. We played the lottery and if we had gotten our first choice, with a path through middle school (at least), then we would be leaving. We might still leave as we are thinking through moving so that our kid can be in a school community for as long as it works...

Are you IB for Seaton? If yes, then if I were in your shoes, I'd go ahead and enroll at ITS and hold the spot. Was ITS your top choice? Do you have other schools on your list with low numbers? Maybe you get in somewhere else before the end of the summer. As long as you're inbound to Seaton you can always walk in at any moment and enroll your son. And FWIW, I think people get it. This is the reality of our "choice" system. You have to do what's right for you and your family.

As for ITS - we have several friends at ITS with kids in PK, 3rd, and 4th grade and they universally love it. They're also all committed to staying at ITS through MS and we've heard genuinely excellent things about differentiation and meeting their kids where they're at. I think if you do move that you will find "your people" there too. Good luck!

yup. it's OP, we are doing this.

This sounds like the right plan, and I totally get why you are doing it- would make the same call myself.

That being said, it makes me sad that schools like Seaton are losing good people simply because there is not a Middle School option people are even willing to consider. Seaton has no control over the Middle School, so no matter what they do to make their school successful- they will still lose people every year.

This isn't your fault (or your problem) OP. Just a general lament over the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tough choice, OP. We're at Seaton and love it. We love the community, the teachers, and the experience we've had there. We played the lottery and if we had gotten our first choice, with a path through middle school (at least), then we would be leaving. We might still leave as we are thinking through moving so that our kid can be in a school community for as long as it works...

Are you IB for Seaton? If yes, then if I were in your shoes, I'd go ahead and enroll at ITS and hold the spot. Was ITS your top choice? Do you have other schools on your list with low numbers? Maybe you get in somewhere else before the end of the summer. As long as you're inbound to Seaton you can always walk in at any moment and enroll your son. And FWIW, I think people get it. This is the reality of our "choice" system. You have to do what's right for you and your family.

As for ITS - we have several friends at ITS with kids in PK, 3rd, and 4th grade and they universally love it. They're also all committed to staying at ITS through MS and we've heard genuinely excellent things about differentiation and meeting their kids where they're at. I think if you do move that you will find "your people" there too. Good luck!

yup. it's OP, we are doing this.

This sounds like the right plan, and I totally get why you are doing it- would make the same call myself.

That being said, it makes me sad that schools like Seaton are losing good people simply because there is not a Middle School option people are even willing to consider. Seaton has no control over the Middle School, so no matter what they do to make their school successful- they will still lose people every year.

This isn't your fault (or your problem) OP. Just a general lament over the system.

People don't owe it to Seaton to give up a good middle schoop just because it isn't Seaton's fault.

[Anonymous]

Totally get why you are keeping your options open, OP. Good luck as you work through your decision and try to figure out what's best for your kids and family.

Folks who are mad about Inspired not moving the kindergarten waitlist early in the summer last year - this is one (of many) scenarios that could cause that to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally get why you are keeping your options open, OP. Good luck as you work through your decision and try to figure out what's best for your kids and family.

Folks who are mad about Inspired not moving the kindergarten waitlist early in the summer last year - this is one (of many) scenarios that could cause that to happen.

But ITS is very different from other schools in how its K wailist moves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally get why you are keeping your options open, OP. Good luck as you work through your decision and try to figure out what's best for your kids and family.

Folks who are mad about Inspired not moving the kindergarten waitlist early in the summer last year - this is one (of many) scenarios that could cause that to happen.

But ITS is very different from other schools in how its K wailist moves.

It was only last year that ITS had the infamous heavy August waitlist movement. Let us see if it happens again or if it was a fluke.

[Anonymous]

Do current ITS parents know if calling the school would shed any light on waitlist movement prospects? I realize it's early in the game, and the school has other things to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do current ITS parents know if calling the school would shed any light on waitlist movement prospects? I realize it's early in the game, and the school has other things to worry about.

I'd suggest you wait until mid-May - they won't have too much information until the initial enrollment/re-enrollment for current students is complete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do current ITS parents know if calling the school would shed any light on waitlist movement prospects? I realize it's early in the game, and the school has other things to worry about.

Current family re-enrollment just started today so I doubt they will have any insights on movement until May when that concludes