Sunday, August 02, 2009

Public VS Private School: The Big Debate

After initially thinking Alivia would for sure be going to public school, we are now pondering our options.

Options, in no particular order.

1. Standing Bear:

PROS: Public OPS school. We have heard a lot of positive feedback about this school from neighbors as well as people wanting to move to the area to go to the school. It is also free for the most part(well, we pay for it in our taxes, of course). Small class size: 20 or fewer kids per teacher plus a helper. This school is also within walking distance of our home.

CONS: Neighbor kids go there. There are 3 five year olds on our street who are not kind to us that could be in Alivia's class. That would make it hard on her. The next door neighbor would definitely not be nice to her in person, where the other kids are probably more oblivious to adult stuff going on. Alivia...well she is kind to everyone! The lack of Christian influence is difficult for us, only because we are not happy about NONGOD everything has become in public schools. School hours are from 8:50-3:50 which I think are so late!

2. St Vincent de Paul:
PROS: She will go Mass and have Catholic influence in her education. Uniforms will be nice and not nice at the same time. They are only good for school...so any money spend on clothes is really a waste because they can not be worn anywhere but at school (and I assume get quite worn looking in a year). Good education. Class hours are better.

CONS: $2000 or more a year per child and we may eventually have 3 kiddos in school there (not to mention all the little extra fees they appear to charge through the year), not as close to home - can not walk there. Class size of 30 kids! YIKES! That is a lot come from 7 other kids in Alivia's preschool class. Also, Alivia's babysitter, who is quite shy, told us that the kids were not nice to her and she would not recommend SVDP because of that. She thought it was difficult for shy kids in such large classes with more spoiled kids. Mind you, she is 17 - but she is a smart little 17 year old and we do trust her opinion (or I would not have asked her). I also think the babysitter and Alivia are a lot alike as far as their personalities, shyness, etc. Oh, then there is the main thing...we don't even know if Alivia can get into SVDP yet because they have not called me back yet. So, we may have only have 1 option.

So, we will see what we decide. Any opinions? 

 

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2 comments:

O'Toole said...

My shy cousin had the same troubles at StVdP.

Austin Family said...

Yeah, I unfortunately have heard this a lot. We will probably end up at Standing Bear as I do not think SVDP is an option.