Cannon and Rachel and Devon are all going to attend charter school in the Fall. Jed and I enrolled them this past winter and after a lottery they were accepted. It is Kindergarten through 8th grade and the school is located about 3 miles North of our house. The three main reasons we decided to change our current school are:
1. Charter schools are more flexible with different academic levels. The traditional schools focus most of their instructions to the mainstream and expect other students to comply. While this may be good for most kids, we wanted to see if expecting more from our kids would encourage them to be better than average. Several experiences we've had in our school now have made us discouraged about pushing our kids (scholars is the word the charter school uses) to a higher academic level and we hope that a change in philosophy will enable the bar to be set higher.
2. Uniforms. Enough said. I am thrilled that my kids will be forced to wear a uniform to school. I think it is brillant!
3. Music classes, band, and P.E. taught by specialized teachers not their classroom teachers. Clubs during school. The school day is 1 hour longer than the other schools to allow for various club time. Dance, science, music, book club; lots of variety for scholars to try new experiences.
I admit I was on the fence about charter school until about a month ago. I have loved Overlake Elementary in our neighborhood on many different levels and I'm sad that I won't be continuing my volunteer time with people I've come to love and respect. However, I am so grateful for this challenge. It's so exciting that all my kids will be able to attend the same school and I am in awe how the inspiration came to enroll them in the lottery during a time when that was the last thing I wanted to do! The positives far outweigh the negatives. I'll keep you posted. The school is not completed yet, they're hoping for a late August start date but we have been warned it might not be until September--which I would love.
7 comments:
Awesome! I teach at a charter school and I don't know if I will ever be able to go back-- it's a great alternative model to what we have available in the traditional system. Just remember to hang in there the first year; even with excellent administration and faculty, the first year can get a little crazy as everyone works out the kinks. It will be worth it!
I am so EXCITED for you and your kids! What a fabulous opportunity for them! Hey ya can't knock the hour longer school, you will like that when they get older! I have always wished there was a school like that up here, La Center is great but all the extras that come with the charter school are so AWESOME!WHOO HOO for uniforms, I had to wear one for 8 years!
That is so awesome. Stacy told me a little about it. That sounds like a wonderful opportunity for your kids. You are an amazing mom.
wow, that sounds amazing. All the reasons you listed sound very convincing to me too. It must feel soo exciting to be able to do something about enabling them to be a scholar instead of being held up by the rest.
That is going to be great, I can't wait to hear all about it!
They will love it! I myself would just love that they get smaller classroom sizes!
I think it will be great for your kids.
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