Lets here everyone's thoughts on private school. Preferably from those that have researched them, sent kids to, or have other first hand experience.
Some things you have to consider, while private sounds really good sometimes, there is also the kids there that got kicked out of so many public schools that was the only option.
Other than that, "private schools" is too general of an option. There are secular, non secular, prep, etc, etc, etc.
Other than that, "private schools" is too general of an option. There are secular, non secular, prep, etc, etc, etc.
The key is to be involved in whatever school you send them to
We started going to a private school when our daughter was going into 3rd grade. She's a senior this year - best decision we've ever made.
Small class sizes. She knows all the kids from K4 up to 12. You give up some stuff (bigger sports, etc) but to us it was totally worth it.
Being on the board at our school, I've worked with most of the other ones in town. Do you have one in mind?
We started going to a private school when our daughter was going into 3rd grade. She's a senior this year - best decision we've ever made.
Small class sizes. She knows all the kids from K4 up to 12. You give up some stuff (bigger sports, etc) but to us it was totally worth it.
Being on the board at our school, I've worked with most of the other ones in town. Do you have one in mind?
i'll say upfront that i went to a private school from pre-K through high school and i loved it. There are certainly some disadvantages to it, but i was certainly able to do more than i would have been able to at a union or jenks. Because of smaller classes, i was able to do everything from photography and art classes to football and baseball. I recognize i wasn't a good enough athlete to play at the larger schools, but I was able to play at the private school i went to and it was a great experience.
Though it isn't the case at all private schools, i also really liked the face that mine didn't require teaching certificates. One of the best language teachers i had was an art history major who lived in spain for three years. Fantastic teacher and knew how to teach spanish but couldn't have been hired at a public school because her diploma said the wrong subject.
It may not be for everyone, but i really enjoyed it
Though it isn't the case at all private schools, i also really liked the face that mine didn't require teaching certificates. One of the best language teachers i had was an art history major who lived in spain for three years. Fantastic teacher and knew how to teach spanish but couldn't have been hired at a public school because her diploma said the wrong subject.
It may not be for everyone, but i really enjoyed it
It depends on your district. My kids go to mustang schools, I am very happy with them. I have a friend that his son would be going to John Marshall here in OKC, he will attending his first year at Casady instead. Private schools are good in my opinion. Look more at college prep private schools. I went to Heritage Hall here in OKC.
Same here, k-12, and a private University too. All in the Tulsa area. If I could afford it, my kids would be going to a private school, if that tells you anything.
The tuition for my kids to attend private school is more than my mortgage. I don't even think twice about it. I went to private schools my whole life. Most of them weren't very good. My kids are attending the school I graduated from and I think it is outstanding. The peer pressure among the kids when I was there was to do the right thing. They are also outstanding academically and their ACT scores typically rank top five in the state.
For our family, it is the right decision. We have the financial means and agree with the charter from the school. The overwhelming majority of my friends have chosen the public school option. I have no doubt that their kids will go grow up to be good kids because they have dedicated parents doing the right things at home. As whitey said, the question is too broad. There are so many variables. I think each family has to weigh all the options and decide.
For our family, it is the right decision. We have the financial means and agree with the charter from the school. The overwhelming majority of my friends have chosen the public school option. I have no doubt that their kids will go grow up to be good kids because they have dedicated parents doing the right things at home. As whitey said, the question is too broad. There are so many variables. I think each family has to weigh all the options and decide.
I grew up in dallas, and the difference between the public and private schools can be pretty extreme as far as the education is concerned. However, when it comes time for college if you plan on applying to a state school it really doesn't meant much because of the top %10 rule. I don't really know much about the public education system here in oklahoma, but if the private schools offer a higher curriculum, its worth it. I blew through undergrad with minimal effort mostly due to the fact that everything in the first three years I had already done in high school. I know if I stay in oklahoma and raise a family it is something I would seriously investigate. As the poster above mentioned sometime those schools are for kids that got the boot from public schools, however some are academically focused and manage to not get suckered in by the parents of bad kids with lots of $$$
I know more than a few friends who have kids in private schools and again, the term is very subjective. I don't find that they've gained much over my kids (who are in small town schools with smaller class sizes) other than more money for certain things in some cases. Several have kids who have graduated and they don't seem to have much more in the way of academic advantages, scholarships, or safety (from public-school problems) than my kids do at an AA public school.
They are offered a few more subjects, but once in high-school, most kids can attend concurrent classes at a local college or AP classes off-campus (you have to dig/poke around and really push for it, but you'll find that most principals / counselors will work with you).
Smaller class-sizes come with with benefits and disadvantages though (one major disadvantage is that you're stuck with the classmates/teachers you have and you don't have a lot of choice - so hope there are some good kids/parents/teachers in there or its a rough 12 years). Small towns come with small-town politics which can be worse than big cities (we just transferred our kids to another slightly smaller school because of some politics, but I still don't want them in a huge school as it would be a shock to their systems at this point).
We're involved parents and I find that no matter what the school is (my wife is a teacher and has friends in several schools), we're in the minority if we give a crap as parents. Just remember, private school doesn't always equal parents that give a crap.
They are offered a few more subjects, but once in high-school, most kids can attend concurrent classes at a local college or AP classes off-campus (you have to dig/poke around and really push for it, but you'll find that most principals / counselors will work with you).
Smaller class-sizes come with with benefits and disadvantages though (one major disadvantage is that you're stuck with the classmates/teachers you have and you don't have a lot of choice - so hope there are some good kids/parents/teachers in there or its a rough 12 years). Small towns come with small-town politics which can be worse than big cities (we just transferred our kids to another slightly smaller school because of some politics, but I still don't want them in a huge school as it would be a shock to their systems at this point).
We're involved parents and I find that no matter what the school is (my wife is a teacher and has friends in several schools), we're in the minority if we give a crap as parents. Just remember, private school doesn't always equal parents that give a crap.
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