Tell me why your school is a special place...

[Anonymous]

We send DS to an HRCS that we are very impressed with. There are lots of little things that we believe make the school a special place to learn. And our son's progress this year has been amazing (admittedly, he is in PK3). However, since we have basically only one school experience so far and nothing to compare the HRCS to, I keep wondering if our impression that the school is a special place is just inexperience. And drinking some of the school kool aid. Would we be similarly impressed with any good school that we sent him to? So -- to other parents, do you think your school is a wonderful, special place of learning and if so, why? Or similarly, is it a solid, good education (no frills necessary) and that is why you are happy with it?

Here, I'll go first to answer my own question. Here are the reasons that we feel our HRCS a is a special place:
- The children in the classrooms are remarkably happy to be there and incredibly engaged in learning;
- The teachers are warm and loving towards the kids and foster an atmosphere of love and caring between then students themselves;
- There is a sense of community and supoorting one another;
- The school is constantly trying to improve itself from the teaching approaches to the physical plant;
- There are regular all school assemblies in which the kids have an opportunity to demonstrate their learning;
- On a fairly regular schedule, there are special events that bring the school community together;
- The diversity of the school both socioecomically and racially is quite impressive;
- The older kids appear to be articulate and thoughtful youngsters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We send DS to an HRCS that we are very impressed with. There are lots of little things that we believe make the school a special place to learn. And our son's progress this year has been amazing (admittedly, he is in PK3). However, since we have basically only one school experience so far and nothing to compare the HRCS to, I keep wondering if our impression that the school is a special place is just inexperience. And drinking some of the school kool aid. Would we be similarly impressed with any good school that we sent him to? So -- to other parents, do you think your school is a wonderful, special place of learning and if so, why? Or similarly, is it a solid, good education (no frills necessary) and that is why you are happy with it?

Here, I'll go first to answer my own question. Here are the reasons that we feel our HRCS a is a special place:
- The children in the classrooms are remarkably happy to be there and incredibly engaged in learning;
- The teachers are warm and loving towards the kids and foster an atmosphere of love and caring between then students themselves;
- There is a sense of community and supporting one another;
- The school is constantly trying to improve itself from the teaching approaches to the physical plant;
- There are regular all school assemblies in which the kids have an opportunity to demonstrate their learning;
- On a fairly regular schedule, there are special events that bring the school community together;
- The diversity of the school both socioecomically and racially is quite impressive;
- The older kids appear to be articulate and thoughtful youngsters.

Yours sounds like an excellent school. I would say our school (a JKLM) has everything that you listed with the exception of the broad diversity. There is significant cultural diversity at our school but not much in the way of SES diversity. In addition, I have been impressed with the commitment to differentiated and progressive learning, which may be encompassed in your item number 4 but teaching approaches are a big part of why I love our school.

I agree it is generally difficult to measure the quality of the school if your are not an educator with knowledge of what to compare it against. I have two children in our school that are older than yours and we have been their 5 years. I try to find opportunities to get the opinions of the teachers about the school vs. elsewhere they have taught. Those conversations help me feel better that I am not just drinking the kool-aide.

[Anonymous]

If you don't name the specific school, how is this thread helpful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't name the specific school, how is this thread helpful?

It's a brag thread.

[Anonymous]

Other things that I've seen at other great schools:

- the principal and other senior staff being at the door every morning to greet the kids and parents as they arrive
- everyone in the entire school knows every child and every family
- kids respect each other's differences and treat each other kindly (no bullying or teasing)
- regular communication with parents such as weekly and monthly newsletters from teachers and admin, as well as updates at other times
- immediate calls home if your child is hurt on the playground, even if it turns out to be minor (usually the case)
- an active, engaged and effective PTA
- parents who show up to school events
- beautiful classrooms and a well cared for building
- school gardens that are used as a learning tool for all kids

[Anonymous]

Ours is terrible - you want all the reasons why???

[Anonymous]

Now that I have a kid in the upper grades, I've come to realize that the early grade stuff is somewhat simple. It's easy to be satisfied as long as the environment is safe, clean, and comfortable. And most early education programs are designed to be these things. So... everything is simple.

Things are less easy in upper grades, when things become a mix of academics, peer issues, teaching styles and testing. I love our IB school--and yet it is making my child miserable. Is that my child? Is it the school? The kids at the school? Or some combination of all of that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ours is terrible - you want all the reasons why???

sure, but name it. Without a school's name, it doesn't help anyone. How would someone taking a tour know what to look for?

Are people afraid that the administration or their friends at the school will know who is posting?

[Anonymous]

Van Ness Elementary School will be a special place once it opens this Fall. The fact that they have chosen exceptional leadership and that the school is being completely renovated will help out tremendously. Also, the Capitol Riverfront is a great place for an elementary school!

[Anonymous]

The family atmosphere.
That all of the children hold the door open for one another.
The teachers are incredibly accessible and responsive.

It's also walking distance, a neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Van Ness Elementary School will be a special place once it opens this Fall. The fact that they have chosen exceptional leadership and that the school is being completely renovated will help out tremendously. Also, the Capitol Riverfront is a great place for an elementary school!

+1. Even though it hasn't yet opened, it has all the qualities OP listed in her post. Plus, every time I walk by the building, I hear angels singing -- and this is *before* renovation!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that I have a kid in the upper grades, I've come to realize that the early grade stuff is somewhat simple. It's easy to be satisfied as long as the environment is safe, clean, and comfortable. And most early education programs are designed to be these things. So... everything is simple.

Things are less easy in upper grades, when things become a mix of academics, peer issues, teaching styles and testing. I love our IB school--and yet it is making my child miserable. Is that my child? Is it the school? The kids at the school? Or some combination of all of that?

I had a teacher friend tell me that when I toured schools for PK3, I should ask to see some of the upper grades. There were definitely a lot of well-regarded schools that didn't look so pretty further up. Hard to tell why that is or if that will change down the line, but most schools are going to look good at the PK level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that I have a kid in the upper grades, I've come to realize that the early grade stuff is somewhat simple. It's easy to be satisfied as long as the environment is safe, clean, and comfortable. And most early education programs are designed to be these things. So... everything is simple.

Things are less easy in upper grades, when things become a mix of academics, peer issues, teaching styles and testing. I love our IB school--and yet it is making my child miserable. Is that my child? Is it the school? The kids at the school? Or some combination of all of that?

I completely agree with this. One of my kids attended a title1 for prek, the other an HRC, very little difference in the quality of programs at that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours is terrible - you want all the reasons why???

sure, but name it. Without a school's name, it doesn't help anyone. How would someone taking a tour know what to look for?

Are people afraid that the administration or their friends at the school will know who is posting?

Oh, I'm not afraid to name it. Tyler. Horrid. Two years wasted.

[Anonymous]

I think OP might be at our HRCS, but I will also to all of the above that there is good communication between the school and parents (we get weekly newsletters, all events are emailed and robocalled, etc). We were at a neighborhood school for PS3 that had a lot of buzz, but communication was nonexistent. The principal and all other admins were so overwhelmed dealing with the behavior problems in the upper grades (3/4th) - both the students and their parents - that dealing with our questions about lunch menu or aftercare curriculum was just not possible. The thing about HRCS is that you have to make an effort to apply and then actually get your kid to the school - that usually translates into more engaged families, regardless of SES, etc.