Kindergarten Options - Page 2

[MJB]

Okay, I am from Louisville and they are lying. If he is in a public school, you can put in a transfer application without pulling him from his school.

As far as next year goes, I have a 2nd grader at C-T Montessori. He started there a few weeks ago after homeschooling after starting at a school that we did not like and having our transfer denied. Anyway, we like C-T so far and everyone I know whose kids go there are happy with it. I have also heard good things about the Waldorf-inspired program, but I am anti-Waldorf so we didn't consider it. Brown was our first choice on our original application last January but we did not get in and neither did anyone we know. Since C-T and Brown both consider only applications which list them as your first choice, I'll tell you that you have a WAY better chance of getting into C-T.

Montessori is not highly structured in the way that the traditional schools are highly structured. There is no uniform and the kids have a lot of choices. They get a work plan on Monday and have the week to do the things on the plan at their own pace; if they finish early, they get free choice (my son was SO excited to finish his work plan on Thursday last week). It is still a little more discipline-focused than I would prefer but in such a diverse school district, I understand why it is that way (and so does my son).

[thatgirliknew]

Originally Posted by MJB

Okay, I am from Louisville and they are lying. If he is in a public school, you can put in a transfer application without pulling him from his school.

As far as next year goes, I have a 2nd grader at C-T Montessori. He started there a few weeks ago after homeschooling after starting at a school that we did not like and having our transfer denied. Anyway, we like C-T so far and everyone I know whose kids go there are happy with it. I have also heard good things about the Waldorf-inspired program, but I am anti-Waldorf so we didn't consider it. Brown was our first choice on our original application last January but we did not get in and neither did anyone we know. Since C-T and Brown both consider only applications which list them as your first choice, I'll tell you that you have a WAY better chance of getting into C-T.

Montessori is not highly structured in the way that the traditional schools are highly structured. There is no uniform and the kids have a lot of choices. They get a work plan on Monday and have the week to do the things on the plan at their own pace; if they finish early, they get free choice (my son was SO excited to finish his work plan on Thursday last week). It is still a little more discipline-focused than I would prefer but in such a diverse school district, I understand why it is that way (and so does my son).

They said that's not the way it worked in Early Childhood because I moved after I put in my initial application but before school started. I asked if I could put him in a school closer to me and they said that whole bit about having to pull him out first.

Brown WAS my first pick. lol. But then I realized that he wasn't suited for it, plus like you said, NOBODY gets in and I knew montessori had to be first choice too. I didn't think I'd have much of a chance with Montessori, but if you got in mid-year, maybe I'm wrong. I don't think C-T serves Cluster 2? Might be Kennedy. Have you heard anything about them?

[MJB]

Originally Posted by thatgirliknew

They said that's not the way it worked in Early Childhood because I moved after I put in my initial application but before school started. I asked if I could put him in a school closer to me and they said that whole bit about having to pull him out first.

Brown WAS my first pick. lol. But then I realized that he wasn't suited for it, plus like you said, NOBODY gets in and I knew montessori had to be first choice too. I didn't think I'd have much of a chance with Montessori, but if you got in mid-year, maybe I'm wrong. I don't think C-T serves Cluster 2? Might be Kennedy. Have you heard anything about them?

Clusters 1, 2, 3 and 4 go to Kennedy. I have heard great things about the school and the principal.
C-T actually isn't full this year (at least the 1-3 grade classes). Maybe because everyone applied to Brown.
Everyone I know who has put a montessori as their 1st choice has got it.

[thatgirliknew]

Originally Posted by MJB

Clusters 1, 2, 3 and 4 go to Kennedy. I have heard great things about the school and the principal.
C-T actually isn't full this year (at least the 1-3 grade classes). Maybe because everyone applied to Brown.
Everyone I know who has put a montessori as their 1st choice has got it.

I am amazed by that. I figured it would be full and have a wait list like Brown. Now. the only hard part is convincing my ex of the school. I have no doubt he will think it's a good program. But he doesn't seem to understand that just because a school isn't in the best neighborhood doesn't mean it's going to be a bad school. plus, he is going to have to come to terms with the fact that because of where we live in Louisville and our socio-economic status and all that junk, our son is likely to end up in a west end school, might as well make sure it's a good one. After looking a little more I think I want to put Mill Creek as 2nd choice (if that one can be a second choice school) it looks pretty good too.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by thatgirliknew

I am amazed by that. I figured it would be full and have a wait list like Brown. Now. the only hard part is convincing my ex of the school. I have no doubt he will think it's a good program. But he doesn't seem to understand that just because a school isn't in the best neighborhood doesn't mean it's going to be a bad school. plus, he is going to have to come to terms with the fact that because of where we live in Louisville and our socio-economic status and all that junk, our son is likely to end up in a west end school, might as well make sure it's a good one. After looking a little more I think I want to put Mill Creek as 2nd choice (if that one can be a second choice school) it looks pretty good too.

I would arrange a tour. When I took dh to look at charter schools, the first one was a converted store, virtually under an overpass, and surrounded by a parking lot; but what was going on inside impressed him, and he already knew that our brand new school in the pricier part of our neighborhood was failing ds.

[MJB]

Originally Posted by thatgirliknew

I am amazed by that. I figured it would be full and have a wait list like Brown. Now. the only hard part is convincing my ex of the school. I have no doubt he will think it's a good program. But he doesn't seem to understand that just because a school isn't in the best neighborhood doesn't mean it's going to be a bad school. plus, he is going to have to come to terms with the fact that because of where we live in Louisville and our socio-economic status and all that junk, our son is likely to end up in a west end school, might as well make sure it's a good one. After looking a little more I think I want to put Mill Creek as 2nd choice (if that one can be a second choice school) it looks pretty good too.

The school assignment plan doesn't work by sending all the kids from the West End to the East End and vice versa. It works by having kids from both areas go to every school. It doesn't take your personal socio-economic status into account, only whether you live in "area A" or "area B". You have a good chance of getting into a suburban ("area B") school if you list it as your first choice. However, it sounds like Montessori is what you want and what would work for your son; I wouldn't be put off by the fact that it's in the west end. My husband grew up in the west end and we are there regularly; it's not scary! I don't know exactly where Kennedy is but I'm sure it is fine. C-T is basically in the projects and I feel very safe there.
School tours just started; take your ex and go tour Kennedy!

I'm pretty sure that the only schools you HAVE to put as your first choice are the Montessoris and Brown.

[thatgirliknew]

Originally Posted by MJB

The school assignment plan doesn't work by sending all the kids from the West End to the East End and vice versa. It works by having kids from both areas go to every school. It doesn't take your personal socio-economic status into account, only whether you live in "area A" or "area B". You have a good chance of getting into a suburban ("area B") school if you list it as your first choice. However, it sounds like Montessori is what you want and what would work for your son; I wouldn't be put off by the fact that it's in the west end. My husband grew up in the west end and we are there regularly; it's not scary! I don't know exactly where Kennedy is but I'm sure it is fine. C-T is basically in the projects and I feel very safe there.
School tours just started; take your ex and go tour Kennedy!

I'm pretty sure that the only schools you HAVE to put as your first choice are the Montessoris and Brown.

I am not scared of the west end, or really anywhere in town. I lived in some apartments in Newburg that were way worse than anything I saw in the West End. Its his dad, he automatically assumes the only good schools are in the East End. Actually, that may not be true, he just always says the opposite of what I do.....

[rabrog]

Traditional schools aren't all bad, they just get a bad rap. Are some bad? Yep, some are atrocious, but others are fabulous. It doesn't sound (from what you've said which is obviously limited) that your son would do best in a traditional school with the structure. I think the key would be talking to the principal and the teacher immediately and possibly getting a 504 (is that what it's called? Not an IEP, but the one that gives more leiniency for emotional development stuff in the classroom?) in place ASAP.

As far as your ex goes, I'd get a mediator or even a guardian ad litem in place to be able to speak to the best interests of your child or to help you and your ex come to an agreement. It sounds like he's doing the guy thing of "he'll get over it" and doesn't understand the possible long term implications of forcing this so young. It's not something he "has to learn" in life, it's something that is distressing to him and it isn't working for some reason. It also sounds like the teacher will work with you and your son but you have to get your ex on board (hence the mediator suggestion).

Jenn

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by rabrog

As far as your ex goes, I'd get a mediator or even a guardian ad litem in place to be able to speak to the best interests of your child or to help you and your ex come to an agreement. It sounds like he's doing the guy thing of "he'll get over it" and doesn't understand the possible long term implications of forcing this so young. It's not something he "has to learn" in life, it's something that is distressing to him and it isn't working for some reason. It also sounds like the teacher will work with you and your son but you have to get your ex on board (hence the mediator suggestion).

[thatgirliknew]

Originally Posted by rabrog

Traditional schools aren't all bad, they just get a bad rap. Are some bad? Yep, some are atrocious, but others are fabulous. It doesn't sound (from what you've said which is obviously limited) that your son would do best in a traditional school with the structure. I think the key would be talking to the principal and the teacher immediately and possibly getting a 504 (is that what it's called? Not an IEP, but the one that gives more leiniency for emotional development stuff in the classroom?) in place ASAP.

As far as your ex goes, I'd get a mediator or even a guardian ad litem in place to be able to speak to the best interests of your child or to help you and your ex come to an agreement. It sounds like he's doing the guy thing of "he'll get over it" and doesn't understand the possible long term implications of forcing this so young. It's not something he "has to learn" in life, it's something that is distressing to him and it isn't working for some reason. It also sounds like the teacher will work with you and your son but you have to get your ex on board (hence the mediator suggestion).

Jenn

I've never heard of 1 504, but I will look into it.

How does someone get a mediator or guardian ad litem? It's not just the school issue, there's other issues. And it would definitely help to have a non-biased professional there to look out for my son's best interest and "lead the way"