School Ratings Thread - READ FIRST for school inquiries. (Atlanta: crime, how much)

[maggie2008]

Thanks lastminutemom for the “education”! I really need these to help me get involved. In fact, I’m learning while my little girl is growing. ☺ Your feeling is right, foreign-born parents don’t contribute as much mostly because we don’t know what to do. Language barrier and culture difference made most of us difficult to involve. Plus, many first generation immigrants, especially moms (and especially first-child young moms), have to work full timely and usually don’t have very high income to support.

Actually I have sent my daughter to both private and public programs for preschool. She was in a Montessori school for two years before going to Pre-K. The reason of sending her to private school was because there wasn’t too much difference in terms of tuition, but the Montessori school offers better manner and safer environment than public daycares. It did required lots of extras both time wise and financially. I remember doing culture show, reading books for kids, garden work, preparing and cleaning after holiday pot-luck, scrapbook projects, etc. Financial wise, there ware a lot fund risings (auctions, buying Montessori materials for class, art sales etc) and gifts and appreciation breakfasts for teachers. I remember there was a children-painted (teacher helped) bench chair sold for $600. I would say we spent ~ $500 per school year for donation, and that was in preschool. We didn’t do auction as we are pretty tight after the tuition already. I guess we were among those that were not that involved, but we did have pretty good relationship with the teachers and almost all the parents. The good part is that there are not many children in private schools so parents get to know each other easily. And there were way too many birthday parties, sometimes 2 or 3 per weekend. I have to say it was very good for social for both kids and parents, but we were so busy and I couldn’t count how much money we spent on birthday gifts…

I wonder how much approximately will a family donate for one child per year on average in a “private” public school such as Mary Lin, Fernbank, also Morris Brandon and Warren Jackson? Can moms make some comments on it? ☺ If what we have done in that Montessori school is comparable to that in those public schools, I would feel the donation would not stretch us, as we are not going to pay huge tuition. I also agree that parents should support their children’s public schools, but those good schools in DeKalb county get way less funds from the county than those in Atlanta city, so even parents donate so much, the schools still look in poor conditions. Although Livsey is located in a much less expensive community than Vanderlyn (Dunwoody), on the surface they look just the same.

We then sent our daughter to a public Pre-K and she is graduating in two months. The pre-K is not even in an elementary school, but I already like it very much as the local teachers are very experienced, parents are very active and children know so much. It might also because my child is growing older so that WE both learned more. I feel even more involved than in the Montessori school. There are lots of home projects, wish lists, parties in class (i.e. sign up for preparing food, I remember once peeling apples for two hours), donate toys for treasure box, books, etc. I have done three volunteers in class, including one culture show, one science show and one reading books. I feel I’m about average on doing so comparing with other parents in the class. Donation is not much – maybe because this is in a daycare so it is different than in a school. We probably spent less than $200 on class supplies and food. A big difference is we did not have many birthday parties at all. If any, the majority are drop-off parties, which are cheap and sweet. My daughter is still very popular and we still get to know many parents through her and arrange play dates for her occasionally.

I would expect to spend more time and money when she goes to a real school. How much volunteer (and what kind) would be proper and how much finical support would be at average in a public elementary school in a mid to mid-upper class community, like in those we have mentioned about? Very appreciate everyone! It’s been a quite interesting discussion here. ☺


BTW, plessthanpointohfive, you are right. It's hard to say what will be in the future. We just feel we are not ready for buying a house around Emory. Hope things get better soon. Good luck to you, too!

[plessthanpointohfive]

I would say at Mary Lin, and a lot of other schools, it's not so much that parent's just hand money to the school as it is there are fundraisers like auctions (much like you mentioned) and other things. Another route is legislation. In districts like Mary Lin homeowners often CHOOSE to pay higher property taxes (renters will pay them in the rents to the landlord) so that they can then vote for increased spending on the schools in their districts.

A lot of the involvement is just being there and volunteering for things - not necessarily paying money.

One benefit is you get to know more parents and have people you can call if you're in a bind (say to pick your daughter up if she is sick and you can't get to her for a little bit).

Good luck to your husband, too! Perhaps by the time he makes tenure at Emory the economy will be better and he will find he has established a very good lab for students and post-docs! And then you will stay!

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

I mean no offense with this, but my children attend very diverse schools, including children in families with similar situations to yours, and frankly, the foreign born parents aren't as involved ... often because the culture of the home country and schools is very different than here. Most public schools are dependent on parents, both financially and time wise, to add extras.

I really feel for foreign-born parents who have language and culture barriers in this situation. Heck, I'm a foreign-born parent whose first language is English and who comes from Canada, an adjacent country of similar culture to the US. However I probably fit the "uninvolved foreign-born parent" stereotype. I'm busy working, while our area is full of SAHMs, and even though I may look and speak like I should feel comfortable and know the ropes at my child's school, the US school system is actually quite foreign and mysterious to me. I've been here going on 6 years now, and my daughter will be entering high school (horrors!) this coming fall, so I've gotten more acquainted with the system here, but it does take time, and every new school level is pretty new.

Then there are the PTA meetings which start with everyone putting their hand over their heart, saying the Pledge of Allegiance and looking sidelong at the non-participant. Who's not actually a communist (as I imagine them all thinking), just a foreigner not yet eligible for citizenship, who feels it would be disrespectful to pretend to join in.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Wow, they say the pledge at your schools PTA meetings? Our PTA meetings start with a cocktail! Just kidding...

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Wow, they say the pledge at your schools PTA meetings? Our PTA meetings start with a cocktail! Just kidding...

Laughing out loud here. But seriously, they don't at your kid's school? I don't think I've ever been to a school meeting here that didn't start with the pledge. Elementary and middle school. Well ... the recent meeting for 8th graders and parents at Lassiter high school didn't have the pledge. Instead it opened with a color guard parade of the flag, while the school orchestra played the Star Spangled Banner. It was very nicely done and everyone put their hands over their hearts (except us), as usual.

I'll now try to be fair and say that the academics at Garrison Mill elementary and Mabry middle school have been awesome. Mabry has terrific music programs too, and all these good things are said to carry over to Lassiter.

[lastminutemom]

Here goes -- the City of Atlanta spends more per child (on average) than any school system in the Southeast. (You can certainly question whether they are getting results, but this is the reality.) From my perspective, you can see where some of this money goes -- when you compare the schools in Atlanta to those in Dekalb.

[plessthanpointohfive]

RainyRainyDay, nope no pledge or star apngled banner. I love my country and all but over the top stuff like that (at a freakin PTA meeting, fer chrissake) just makes me squirm like a rebellious teenager. I can't even think of the relevance of what equates to a federal/national pep-ralley at a Parent Teacher Association meeting......

We have high PTA involvement, too.

Often, we do end with a performance from some of the kids. I like that....

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by maggie2008

Thanks lastminutemom for the “education”! I really need these to help me get involved. In fact, I’m learning while my little girl is growing. ☺ Your feeling is right, foreign-born parents don’t contribute as much mostly because we don’t know what to do. Language barrier and culture difference made most of us difficult to involve. Plus, many first generation immigrants, especially moms (and especially first-child young moms), have to work full timely and usually don’t have very high income to support.


I would expect to spend more time and money when she goes to a real school. How much volunteer (and what kind) would be proper and how much finical support would be at average in a public elementary school in a mid to mid-upper class community, like in those we have mentioned about? Very appreciate everyone! It’s been a quite interesting discussion here. ☺

First, lets talk about time. Not every parent needs to be uber parent but it is helpful if you volunteer to send in supplies, when requested, occasionally go on a field trip and help at a class party and serve as mystery reader once or twice. Asking the teacher if there is anything you can do to help on occasion is a nice thing as well.

Money is also like that -- if you can just give a little that is ok, as long as you give a little. Selling Sally Foster wrapping paper isn't necessary, but at least buying a roll or two yourself is helpful.

If you are choosing a school because of all the extras that are supplied by the community, it is important to participate and contribute so that those extras continue.

[evanharrison]

I am a 2nd grade teacher in Charleston County Public schools and am moving to Atlanta. I am seeing a lot about assistants(paraprof.) in the classrooms. What is the avg. size of a public school class and do any grades (besides K) have assistants?
Thanks!

[gumboula]

We have gotten off thread a good bit, but Maggie2008 mentioned commute being a concern and I wanted to suggest trying the Buckhead-to-Emory commute at rush hour before making a decision. The Candler Park/Lake Claire-to-Emory commute is an absolute dream. The Buckhead-to-Emory commute is NOT. I would choose Mary Lin over any of the Buckhead schools on that point alone.