Going from private school to public school

[georgie34]

My family recently relocated and next year my 8 yr old will be going to a public school. My problem is that she is used to a small christian school setting. The public school she will be attending is one of the better ones in my area, but it is a very large school.

I am just hoping she will adjust. The classes at her old school were very small and God was a big part of her studies. Also because the school was small there were alot of clubs and sports that every one could be a part of.

I am not putting down public schools, I myself went to public schools and most of my friends send their children to public schools, it is just a big change for her. I have already heard that at the grade level she will be in there isn't alot of after school activities for the kids.

Am I worrying for nothing?

[fifistoosh]

Its a big step for her on her first day, but kids are tougher than we think. the other children will want to be the 'new girls' friend and I am sure the teacher will put her with a responsible and caring friend.
There will be some clubs out side of school I am sure. Chat to the other mums in the yard, see where some of her friends go, she could tag along with them.
Invite new friends round for tea, you can get to know other parents this way too.

[southjerseymom]

Change is hard. I know! But I'm sure it will all work out. You might want to meet with the teacher to address your concerns. He/She will most likely be able to put you at ease. I believe it's always harder on us parents than our children! Network with the other parents to learn about extra-curricular activities.

[mwessell]

I think you should be very careful. My daughter attended a private parochial school through the 5th grade. In 6th grade we moved to another town and decided to give public school a chance.It has been a nightmare. Not to say that your experience will be...just saying be careful...

Here's some of the problems I have encountered...

Lack of funding: what the kids get for programs depends on what the school committee says they can have...kids at my daughter's can't stay after school for extra help because they have cut late busses from the budget. If their are no late busses, no one can stay after whether the use the bus or not. They also have no sports unless the parents raise the money ourselves. Last year 3 of us - only 3 of us - did this - LOTS of work and we were criticized every step of the way. No yearbook, drama, band or any other club - all cut from the budget. BUT THE TEACHERS GET THEIR AUTOMATIC RAISES EVERY YEAR AND THE JANITORS MAKE $50,O00 A YEAR.

No morals or values taught on a regular basis: Yeah, once in a while the kids get a little lecture about being good...that's all. At a private school it is an expectation of the kids to act according to a high standard of value.

UNIONS: In a private school the teachers do not belong to a union...public school teachers usually do. They do NOTHING without ample compensation. Don't expect them to go out of their way for any kid if they don't get a stipend for it.

Politics School committees - this can be a joke - ours has no clue - and the kids are paying for it. Principals walk around with their hands tied...they have very little power dealing with the superintendant, school committee and unions. They are afraid to discipline the students for fear of retaliation from the parents, lawsuits, etc. MAKES ME SICK. 2 KIDS GOT IN A FIST FIGHT LAST YEAR...ONE LEFT IN AN AMBULANCE - NO SUSPENSIONS OR EXPULSIONS. In private school, if a hand is raised with intetions of violence, they are expelled. Period. Take your things and go. Buh bye.

The list goes on and on and on and on...get the picture? I am putting my kid back into private school after 2 years of public school. $6,000 a year. Worth every cent. The last straw was when a kid brought narcotics to school last week and handed them out to some seventh graders. Some of these kids were foolish enough to actually ingest them. THANK GOD no one died. He is a known troublemaker, known to have had drugs in the school before and yet he walked the halls of this middle school. If I had to hear the term "Zero Tolerance" one more time I was gonna scream. This kid is STILL NOT EXPELLED. Next time they will have a few dead kids on their hands - but not my kid - we are outta there. Private schools would have handled this differently. He would have been expelled LONG before this last incident.

The problems I have mentioned are the tip of the iceberg...I could go on for hours and hours...

[southjerseymom]

Mwessell, it's a shame your experience has been terrible, but I don't think it's fair to say that it's like that all over. I taught in a private school in the early 90s and while I enjoyed my students and believed my colleagues were dedicated professionals, we made ALOT less money than a public school teacher (what do you think of $12,000 a year compared to a starting salary of $25,000 in public school? We ALL had college degrees and were certified). We did not have all the resources we needed. Often teachers would pay for things out of their own pocket. Many had other jobs. While I believe the children got an adequate education, it didn't come close to those in public schools. We have fine public schools in my county and I am actively involved. Sure there are some issues but what system in this world is perfect? The quality you find in a public school versus a private school will vary . In some places the public schools will be better, in others private will. It just depends.