Public School #2 and Private School #4

Public school #2

The school I had heard so much about. People said it is wonderful, one of the best public schools in the county, great, blah blah. I found the total opposite to be true. Here are my observations:

1. Long drive - 35 minutes to be exact! Even if this was our district school and we had bus service I would still have to drive the boy. He can't ride the bus until he can carry his epi's on his person. So this school would require 4 trips a day at 35 each way. Ouch.

2. The school is kind of gross. It is dirty, old and in some disrepair. I spent the 15 minutes I was being ignored by the office staff looking at the corners and trying to figure out if the line of damp darkness was mold or just grime.

3. A very "closed" door policy. Every other school that I have been to at this point was very open when I showed up. Took me around, introduced me to people. The first school the principal encouraged me to sit in on multiple classes and multiple teachers, this one said when I asked if I could, "we do not encourage parents, it disrupts the classroom". Oh. Wow. OK.

4. With all this yuckiness there were two redeeming traits. First, they had a fairly well defined peanut policy and seemed very knowledgeable. Second, this was by far the most diverse school yet.


Private School #4

This was one that I was not all that interested in but loved the location so I thought I would check it out anyway. Observations:

1. Uber religious. Bible study every day and chapel every week. I am hardly anti-religion and really liked the other religious school I looked at but ultimately Averill and I are believers in the separation of religion and schooling especially when it is a fear-based religion.

2. No diversity. Not surprising, I know, given that this is private and religious

3. Very open and welcoming. The staff was great, the admissions counselor very nice and I got to talk to a teacher in one of the kindergarten rooms and really liked him.

4. Very vague peanut policy but clearly would be willing to make whatever accommodations needed.

If it was not for points 1 and 2 I would be really happy with this one. The building is nice, classrooms clean, on the "cheaper" side of the private schools and a very welcoming atmosphere.