Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The car magnet.

It's 100% worth 30K price tag to be able to drive around with my X sticker on the back (actually, on the gas cap part) of my Mercedes wagon.

Yes, that is why we applied also.

I just had a friend grab an extra car magnet for me. That way the $$ We save in a year's private tuition for 2 kids can pay for my MB wagon.

Sun in their eyes?

Great - what school is that clearly not mine.

I did not say that was our schedule I was just saying there is room for breaks - which our public school does not have - kids can't play outside when it is cold or god forbid snow on the ground.

Lunch is 20 minutes - which is really like 10-15 once they are sitting - wolf the food down - to indoor recess 1/2 the time.

Wow - 2 hours of reading, writing and phonics - I hope they do some jumping jacks somewhere in there maybe at the hour mark. I was at a conference and even adults lose interest after sitting for 1 full hour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I want my kids to learn to love learning. I don't want them to go to an Ivy or other crazy notions that are immagined about why I send my kids to a private school.

I just don't want my kids to hate school.

What do you think parents of children in public school want? And why don't you think what you describe is possible there? I only ask because I want to be sure people investigate their own specific local school to decide whether it offers these things, rather than assume all public schools are alike.

I did investigate our specific local school, quite extensively. Unfortunately, it didn't offer the things we want. No foreign language in elementary. Art, music and PE all 1 time a week, 20 minute lunch, 1 30 minute recess. It doesn't really seem to allow kids the opportunity to just be kids. 28 kids per class with 1 teacher. The teaching style was more worksheet/lecture, not much interactive, hands-on learning. That's not the type of environment my kid will be excited about every day. And he's a hand-on type of learner, he won't get as much from the type of instruction offered in public. We would have loved to send our kids to public, but in the end, we felt it wasn't a good option for them and absolutely feel that private is worth every penny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With multiple rescess, long lunches, PE everday and other expanded specials..when are academics included? I am sure some classroom activities are more efficient with smaller classes. Is the class day longer? The amount of time in public school seems short so I am having trouble imaging more non academics added..not saying they are not important too..but is the school day longer to accomodate?

Reading, Language Arts, Science, History, Math

40 minutes each LA 8-8:40, 20 minute break/recess, Reading 9-9:40, 20 minutes Break/recess/snack/etc, Science 10-10:40 (with outdoor activities), 20 minute break/recess, History 11-11:40, recess, lunch until 1:00, PE 1-1:45, Math 2-3.

Okay I really just made that up because I don't knew the exact schedule but explain why other schools don't have time for breaks, Art, Band, and PE.

Why can't reading happen outside on a nice day or Science involve outdoor activities.

I don't pay $30K or anywhere near that. I want my kids to learn to love learning. I don't want them to go to an Ivy or other crazy notions that are immagined about why I send my kids to a private school.

I just don't want my kids to hate school.

Public school teacher here, and that schedule's ridiculous.

First of all, public schools around here generally run a 32.5 hour week, not 35 (8 to 3, M - F).

Secondly, you say you don't know why kids can't have art or band, but there's no art, music (band or otherwise), library, or foreign language in the schedule you propose. Most public schools have some or all of those things.

Third, kids in public or private, need time in the a.m. to transition in, put away their belongings, greet the teacher, have a class meeting, review any schedule changes for the day. They also need to time to close things out and say goodbye. You didn't build any of that in.

Finally, 80 minutes a day doesn't work for Reading and language arts together. In a typical day our elementary schoolers get time to read independently on their level (lets say 20 minutes, building the ability to sustain this is really important) and in a small group (another 20 minutes), to listen to a read aloud (10 minutes bare minimum, hopefully more), to participate in a shared reading of a text (10 minutes), to be taught some new skills in phonics, comprehension, and writing (30 minutes divided up into 3 10 minute "mini lessons"), and to spend some time working on a piece of writing (30 minutes). At a bare minimum that takes 2 hours.

Our kids get that 2 hours of reading, plus an hour of math, daily science, art, music, PE, Spanish each twice a week, 2 recesses a day, snack and lunch. They do go outside for science activities, PE, and sometimes for lunch, but not usually for reading. We're in an urban neighborhood and between traffic noise, the wind blowing, and sun getting in their eyes, kids get distracted too easily. So they read indoors and play outside.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I want my kids to learn to love learning. I don't want them to go to an Ivy or other crazy notions that are immagined about why I send my kids to a private school.

I just don't want my kids to hate school.

What do you think parents of children in public school want? And why don't you think what you describe is possible there? I only ask because I want to be sure people investigate their own specific local school to decide whether it offers these things, rather than assume all public schools are alike.

Well, I did investigate my local school. Here is what I learned that stopped me cold: one in three children in our neighborhood school has a family member currently incarcerated. 33% of the children required IEP's and less than 30% were able to read and write at grade level. The play ground is regularly strewn w/used condoms and broken liquor bottles. There was no art on the walls.

This sent me to calling Janey. Murch, and Horace Mann to ask their boundaries. They refused to provide same. Somewhere down the line I got the info and spent every weekend for nearly a year driving through those neighborhoods ( I had drawn the borders on a map) looking for apartment buildings that I could possibly afford.

DC was given numbers 98 and 83 respectively in the Cap City and EL Haines Lotteries. DC did not get in at Janey, HM or Murch as out of bounds. Eventually he was taken off a wait list at a wonderful private school and is very happy there.

That is how I came to " choose private".

I would've moved to Arlington. How were you able to afford private school if you couldn't afford to move?

Um, I'd assume financial aid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I want my kids to learn to love learning. I don't want them to go to an Ivy or other crazy notions that are immagined about why I send my kids to a private school.

I just don't want my kids to hate school.

What do you think parents of children in public school want? And why don't you think what you describe is possible there? I only ask because I want to be sure people investigate their own specific local school to decide whether it offers these things, rather than assume all public schools are alike.

Well, I did investigate my local school. Here is what I learned that stopped me cold: one in three children in our neighborhood school has a family member currently incarcerated. 33% of the children required IEP's and less than 30% were able to read and write at grade level. The play ground is regularly strewn w/used condoms and broken liquor bottles. There was no art on the walls.

This sent me to calling Janey. Murch, and Horace Mann to ask their boundaries. They refused to provide same. Somewhere down the line I got the info and spent every weekend for nearly a year driving through those neighborhoods ( I had drawn the borders on a map) looking for apartment buildings that I could possibly afford.

DC was given numbers 98 and 83 respectively in the Cap City and EL Haines Lotteries. DC did not get in at Janey, HM or Murch as out of bounds. Eventually he was taken off a wait list at a wonderful private school and is very happy there.

That is how I came to " choose private".

I would've moved to Arlington. How were you able to afford private school if you couldn't afford to move?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With multiple rescess, long lunches, PE everday and other expanded specials..when are academics included? I am sure some classroom activities are more efficient with smaller classes. Is the class day longer? The amount of time in public school seems short so I am having trouble imaging more non academics added..not saying they are not important too..but is the school day longer to accomodate?

I agree. It's starting to sound like the twilight zone when parents pay 30K for elementary school and give as their reason that they want their kids to spend more time on recess, lunch, and specials. One might solve those problems by walking to school for exercise, giving kids a hearty snack on the way home, and enrolling in some art and music extracurriculars.

+1

Clearly missed the point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With multiple rescess, long lunches, PE everday and other expanded specials..when are academics included? I am sure some classroom activities are more efficient with smaller classes. Is the class day longer? The amount of time in public school seems short so I am having trouble imaging more non academics added..not saying they are not important too..but is the school day longer to accomodate?

I agree. It's starting to sound like the twilight zone when parents pay 30K for elementary school and give as their reason that they want their kids to spend more time on recess, lunch, and specials. One might solve those problems by walking to school for exercise, giving kids a hearty snack on the way home, and enrolling in some art and music extracurriculars.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I want my kids to learn to love learning. I don't want them to go to an Ivy or other crazy notions that are immagined about why I send my kids to a private school.

I just don't want my kids to hate school.

What do you think parents of children in public school want? And why don't you think what you describe is possible there? I only ask because I want to be sure people investigate their own specific local school to decide whether it offers these things, rather than assume all public schools are alike.

Well, I did investigate my local school. Here is what I learned that stopped me cold: one in three children in our neighborhood school has a family member currently incarcerated. 33% of the children required IEP's and less than 30% were able to read and write at grade level. The play ground is regularly strewn w/used condoms and broken liquor bottles. There was no art on the walls.

This sent me to calling Janey. Murch, and Horace Mann to ask their boundaries. They refused to provide same. Somewhere down the line I got the info and spent every weekend for nearly a year driving through those neighborhoods ( I had drawn the borders on a map) looking for apartment buildings that I could possibly afford.

DC was given numbers 98 and 83 respectively in the Cap City and EL Haines Lotteries. DC did not get in at Janey, HM or Murch as out of bounds. Eventually he was taken off a wait list at a wonderful private school and is very happy there.

That is how I came to " choose private".

Anonymous wrote:The car magnet.

It's 100% worth 30K price tag to be able to drive around with my X sticker on the back (actually, on the gas cap part) of my Mercedes wagon.

Yes, that is why we applied also.

Obviously people who are willing to pay for private feel it has benefit that justify the costs. Since each child is different there is no one answer. One child might get lost in a larger public school class. Another will learn great coping and independence skill that will be his/her ticket to success. As parents we only make the best choices we can...

Public school sucks.

Lol dcps d c piece of shit

Anonymous wrote:

It's starting to sound like the twilight zone when parents pay 30K for elementary school and give as their reason that they want their kids to spend more time on recess, lunch, and specials.

NP here. I mean this in all sincerity, without snark: ^^^ this is not a small reason why we chose private school in NW DC for elementary. We are very retro. Most of my friends live in the Whitman cluster and are politely surprised at how far ... "behind" DS compared to their E.S. kids, especially in math. He's probably 2 grades "behind" the kids at Bradley Hills and Somerset, as far as I can tell. We we talk about curriculum, I get a lot of raised eyebrow looks and comments like PPs above.

I'm not the least concerned.

I don't understand your post.