Reply to k-12 or k-8?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s hard to explain to those who haven’t been at a K-8, how fundamentally different they are institutionally from a K-12. K-12s are going to be measured and judged principally by how good the high school is. So I t’s only natural that that is where the most institutional energy and attention will be focused. And high schools take a lot of resources and administrative attention to run well: beyond the academics, you’re talking about college counseling and placement, performing arts programs, athletics programs, sophisticated STEM programs (and the facilities to go with it), the list goes on.

Administrators, heads of school, boards of trustees only have so much time and attention to allocate. Sure, K-12 schools have division heads (as do most K-8 schools), but then they are one of several competing constituencies vying for institutional attention and resources. At a K-8 by contrast, there’s much more institutional ability to focus on every grade and every division, and to know that the entire institution up through the HoS and Board is focused on the lower and middle school experience. That may not matter to everyone, but it does make a noticeable difference when you experience it. [/quote]

Do you have any experience sending your children to a K-12? [/quote]

Not the PP, but yes.  Two kids, one went through a K-8 and is now at a K-12.  The other is at the same K-8 and will be applying out after 8th.  So, while we didn't experience the brunt of the issue highlighted, we are in a position to see it.  We are strong believers in the K-8 approach for many of the reasons cited.  The high school search was stressful at times, but it was also a good learning and growth experience (for us and for our daughter) but the placement assistance and counseling provided by our K-8 was invaluable.  I don't think it would be terribly controversial to state that if you were to compare 8th grade outplacement efforts between a K-8 and a K-12, the K-8 is much more interested in finding a good placement while the K-12 generally seeks to retain students for their own upper school.

But, none of this outweighs the particular fit of a particular school for your particular kid.  [/quote]

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