Would you do it differently??? (child, classes, students, high school)

[syracusa]

Originally Posted by imcurious

My advice would be not to use logic to make the decision, but to trust your gut. What does your gut tell you is right for your family?

This - because gut is always the smarter guy and what Zimbochick says.

Here's the 2 cents from someone who has been in a situation somewhat similar to yours.
Have lived in Atlanta for 10 years, always disliked it mainly because it tends to be a cultural wasteland without any appealing public spaces to stroll on; hated the suburban life (still do), experienced it as very dry, felt like we never had anywhere to go during the week-ends (how may times can you go to the GA acquarium and the zoo?); but kept going because this is where we both had our jobs and where my husband also had his family, mine is overseas. (In sum, people have this weird habit of wanting to eat).

Then my husband lost his job and there were no other local prospects for him, so, per aforementioned habit, we ended up moving to Massachusetts. I went there with an open mind, determined to start afresh in a much lauded place: great education, enlightened people, safety, the works.
The education may have been great, the people may have been enlightened and the safety stats may have been wonderful (though it did not help to hear about that horrific home invasion in neighboring CT that left a doctor without his wife and daughters who were all left to burn alive).
Anyhow, those pluses did not manage to cover the following BRUTAL realities:

1. Housing was excruciatingly expensive especially if you wanted a good school district.

2. The endless cold, the snow and the wind were just that: BAD and made everything more cumbersome.

3. The Massachusetts suburbs were way, way gloomier and duller than what we knew in Atlanta. Breaking news: only Gods live in the actual city
of Boston, or as our real estate agent put it: "forget about those areas, NOBODY lives there". Of course, if you compare the actual city of Boston with the actual city of Atlanta, there is no contest. But if you compare the nicer suburbs of Atlanta with the typical New England small town turned plain suburb where most mortals live, Atlanta won for us.
More sunshine, more chirpy neighbors, closer commercial avenues - hey, good enough for the mortals.

4. Yes, the cliques. Had we not joined a church attended mainly by immigrants in my own ethnic community, we would not have been able to make one single significant acquaintance/friend; and my husband is American born and raised, admittedly not the most astute social butterfly, but a very pleasant person nevertheless.
The supposed stereotype about the cliquishness of communities in the NE ares turned into pure empirical evidence for us.
People were, of course, perfectly OK, but overall closed. They had their own families and friends already.

Two years into our stay in New England, when the opportunity came along, we decided to return to Atlanta.

Atlanta is still the same - nothing has changed. I didn't necessarily gain renewed appreciation for it just because Massachusetts REALLY did not work for us. Atlanta is what it is - with its advantages and disadvantages. But it was the more sensible choice to make in our case. Both of us have jobs here now, and we can easily afford to live in one of the most sought-after suburbs of Atlanta (East Cobb), not too far from the metro area. This suburb feels absolutely as safe as the 'burbs of Massachusetts even if it might not be, statistically speaking. I don't know for sure.

I do know it has some of the best public schools the state has to offer (that might not say much, given GA) but I know they also rank very well nationally; so we did the best we could.

Still hoping to move to Europe one day to be closer to my aging parents as well as aging sidewalks and hopefully some leftover "Old World" wisdom.

If schools are your main concern though, you should definitely consider East Cobb or Johns Creek areas. Those have lots of the ingredients typical of good New England areas: emphasis on academics, competitive children and parents (God Bless Their Hearts), pressure-cookers, clusters of never resting Asians headed straight to med school, the works.

This way you might get away with both a good education for your kids AND the safety/forgiving weather combination.

Good luck to you!

[Siggy20]

We are in a similar situation trying to get out of the NE into a more comfortable place for our family. The schools here are very good (elementary and middle) but if we stay, we will be paying for private since I'm am less than enamored with the HS in our area.

If you enjoy Atlanta, as others have said in the thread, consider a move to find a good school district. If you don't feel comfortable moving back to Minneolopis, I wouldn't. Stick with Atlanta where you have friends and are comfortable.

[WannaBeinBoston]

Thanks to all the replies thus far especially from Zimbochick and Syracusa. They resonate with me and hit very close to home. While we have heard good things about the public schools in East Cobb, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, etc. after a horrible experience in the "good" elementary school of APS, we just can't bring ourselves to trusting that other "good" schools are that good. We recently pulled our oldest son out and put him into a private school and frankly, still not impressed, even though we now pay a chunky tuition. I'm okay with paying for private as long as it seems worth it but this does not.

So onto the bigger issue, if I think with my brain, then we would move back to Minneapolis. But my gut doesn't seem quite settled here in Atlanta and so much of this is due to trust issue I have with schools.

[syracusa]

Originally Posted by WannaBeinBoston

While we have heard good things about the public schools in East Cobb, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, etc. after a horrible experience in the "good" elementary school of APS, we just can't bring ourselves to trusting that other "good" schools are that good. We recently pulled our oldest son out and put him into a private school and frankly, still not impressed, even though we now pay a chunky tuition. I'm okay with paying for private as long as it seems worth it but this does not.

Would it be too much if I asked about the "horrible" experience with the "good" elementary school of APS? Also what's APS? Atlanta Public Schools?...

Also, what aspects about the private schools left you "still not very impressed"?

I am asking because I find myself in a similar situation but have no choice.
The public school our son is going to now is considered one of the best in GA and ranks very well nationally. So this is a state school that is considered "all around great". This is what wonderful public schools are supposed to act and look like in the US. That's the deal, take it or leave it.

So far so good, no horrible experience of any sort; but then again, he's in K. However, if you ask me whether I am head-over-heels about the actual educational experience that comes out of this school, I remain somewhere between the "luke-warm" and the "unimpressed" points on the continuum. From what I was able to take home so far, I do get the feeling that the curriculum is and always will be fluffly, flimsy, superficial, cursory, with nothing of the heavy substance of old-fashioned, classical education.
A penny here, a sight word there, a president here, a Pilgrim there, ridiculous "social studies" that should have no place in the K curriculum, flying work-sheets, playing games and using tons of resources only so the child can read a word like CAT, etc.

My question remains: if I go private, will my issues be taken care of or do private schools in the area do mainly a state-like curriculum, only with extra "country-club" frills?

I still don't know. I asked some of these questions at a Catholic School nearby and all I was told is that there is a long waiting list and that unless you're Catholic you have few chances of being admitted. They didn't tell me whether Latin is part of the curriculum (in a Catholic school you would THINK it would be) or whether they use the approach of the classical education curriculum.

I am not sure what kind of school my children should go to and how expensive it should be in order for them to receive the kind of classical education and the kind of instruction that I have in mind (some call it "elitist"; it's not - but I am using this pathetic label for the sake of talking the same language some people would talk).

So I am curious about your experience with the school, what you identified as "horrible" with the state, and as "still unimpressed" with the private.

[WannaBeinBoston]

Syracusa, did you somehow step into my life? We had and are having the exact same experiences. Yes, APS is Atlanta Public Schools and yes ALL those frustrations you've experience with your Kindergartener is the same as what we went through. That why I asked if you stepped into my life. We were so frustrated that we pulled our oldest and sent him to a private school nearby, and still I'm unimpressed. I don't want to rip publicly...will send you an IM

[Zimbochick]

LOL! Sorry, but I just have to laugh at the criticism of the K curriculum. I have stated this before, and never get answers, but if your child is in a reasonably good school, why not offer some enrichment outside of school? There are literally hundreds of opportunities either within the schools or outside to stimulate a child. My oldest is in 5th grade, and he is doing things I really wish I had done at school.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by WannaBeinBoston

Yes, APS is Atlanta Public Schools and yes ALL those frustrations

If you feel APS aren't up to your standards.....move! Why all the angst about cliques in Minneapolis? It's obvious you value a certain type of education. If that's your priority in life for your children, go where you think your kids can get it. Winter coats are on sale now. Buy the size you think your kids will be wearing next year and save some coin.

(Though I am wondering why someone with the user name WannaBeInBoston isn't IN Boston.)

[Kibbiekat]

I would be very surprised if you had to move to a different state to find good schools. As others have suggested, move to a different district.

[Mattie]

LOl, on Latin in Catholic schools. No, but my son was able to take it in Milton high school.

I agree with Zimbo. My kids in No. Fulton had the opportunity to take classes far and away above what was available when I was in school. And, they aced them, despite a much less curriculum based early elementary program than what is now offered.

[syracusa]

Originally Posted by Kibbiekat

I would be very surprised if you had to move to a different state to find good schools. As others have suggested, move to a different district.

From what I gathered, the wannabeinBoston's problem is mainly the curriculum. Moving to a different district, here or in another state, will not change that. Public schools have certain standards EVERYWHERE in the country - things are done in a certain way because there are "NCLB" mandates, etc.

Being in a high-income area anywhere in a US public school will not necessarily ensure that the kids will write sophisticated texts in note-books in 1st grade as opposed to filling out blanks on a work-sheet, etc.

Public education in this country promises to educate EVERYBODY at a basic level before promising to challenge the naturally brilliant or the family-privileged.

This reality leaves parents with more advanced children (how they got to be advanced is irrelevant) with the difficult task of paying for the right kind of private school (not all will do the trick), homeschooling them, supplementing heavily at home or what have you.

It is indeed a vast and diverse country and democracy and egalitarianism (fundamental values of this culture) are not easy ideals to bring to life.
I do agree that this country is trying - with the very best of intentions. They don't always work out.