How is "school at home" going? Kids? Teachers?

[amycurl]

Congratulations and good luck going forward! It will be a tough transition for all involved, but love will make the difference.

 

[PigsDad]

@TravelTime, no advice on the schools, but just wanted to offer congratulations on the upcoming adoption! That is such wonderful news!

Kurt

 

[mpizza]

@TravelTime Congratulations!

 

[Karen G]

Congratulations on your adoption @TravelTime. Two of our three children were adopted at birth and it has been a wonderful experience.

 

[bogey21]

Catholic School (15 min drive)
Pros: We are Catholic. Small class sizes. All in person learning. Goes through 8th grade. One spot left for 3rd grade. She is currently in a Greek Orthodox school and likes the structures and does well in school. (Greek Orthodox is similar to Catholicism.)
Cons: The Catholic high school she would go to is about 45 minutes away (but that is a future problem).

I grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia where about half the kids in town attended the Catholic Elementary School and half of us (I'm not Catholic) attended the Public School. When the kids attending Catholic School finished 8th Grade they chose one of the Catholic High Schools in Philadelphia and commuted to it via train. Those of us in the Public School moved on the the Public High School. My recollection is that none of the Catholic kids opted for the Public High School. All of us kids knew each other from either the playground or the local drug store where we often hung out. As my 8th Grade Girl Friend attended the Catholic School I would often go to Mass with her. Let me finish by saying that the kids attending the Catholic School were happy with their school and received an excellent education...

George

 

[Brett]

We were approved to adopt an 8 year old girl. So now this discussion of school is real to me. I am evaluating all the local private schools and the public school. Some of the local private schools are already full for third grade. The local public charter school says we can apply for next year because we need to enter the lottery. Based on what is available for a mid year transfer, my finalists are the public elementary, the Catholic school and the Waldorf school. I am including the public charter school because we will enter the lottery just in case we do not like the school we pick this year. There are pros and cons to each.

Catholic School (15 min drive)
Pros: We are Catholic. Small class sizes. All in person learning. Goes through 8th grade. One spot left for 3rd grade. She is currently in a Greek Orthodox school and likes the structures and does well in school. (Greek Orthodox is similar to Catholicism.)
Cons: The Catholic high school she would go to is about 45 minutes away (but that is a future problem).

Waldorf School (10 min drive)
Pros: Really small class size - just 8 students in 3rd grade. Focus on nature and creativity. Holistic approach. Beautiful 40 acre campus in the foothills.
Cons: No electronics or computers even at home. Mixed stories on how rigorous Waldorf schools are. The Waldorf high school is 45 min away (future issue).
Pro or Con: Same teacher through 8th grade (depends on if we like the teacher). Unique curriculum and approach to learning that could be great if it meshed with her learning style or it could be a disaster if it is not a fit.

Public Elementary (5 min drive)
Pros: Free. Would not contribute to the economic divide by supporting the public school. Closest school to us. Public middle school and high school are about a 15 minute drive.
Cons: Hybrid school (Starting Oct 5th, 3 hours on Mon/Tues, remote on other days). Only goes through 3rd grade. Larger class sizes.

Public Charter School (10 min drive)
Pros: Free. Would not contribute to economic divide. Highest rated K-8 school in our area. Public high school nearby (same high school she would go to if she went the public elementary route).
Cons: No opening this school year. Would need to enter the lottery for a spot in 4th grade. Larger class sizes. Hybrid learning this year.

All in all, I am leaning toward the Catholic school. They only have one spot left for 3rd grade. We are touring the schools this week. If we decide on the Catholic school, I will register her and put down a deposit asap to save her spot.

This is so exciting! We have been trying to adopt for fours years. In 2018, we even went to Taiwan to pick up two siblings we were approved to adopt but at the last minute, the crooked dinosaur judge decided we were “too successful and accomplished to understand the special needs of children in an orphanage.” This was after meeting monthly with the kids through Skype and spending three full days with them in Taiwan. I think this was child abuse.

Below is a story about biased dinosaur judges. It is a tragedy. At the time we were there, the kids were 7 and 10. It took us a year and a half to get through the process (and $40K) just to get rejected. I doubt the kids were adopted by another family as it is hard to find families willing to adopt older kids, esp siblings. Plus even if someone else were interested, it takes a long time to get approved so these kids would be close to 9 and 12 if they were adopted. They have lived in an orphanage for their entire lives and I suspect they are still there. I get all worked up over this. So unfair and unjust to the children.

Biased judges with bad attitudes are dinosaurs, head of reform group says - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

www.taipeitimes.com

congratz!
some of my relatives were adopted.
I've always been a proponent of public schools but it's a choice dependent on many factors

 

[mentalbreak]

@bogey21 makes a good point about high school choices.

I attended Catholic school grades 1-8 (K wasn’t offered). 75% of us went on to public for 9-12. Mostly because of the commutes to the nearest Catholic high schools.

When it came time to evaluate public vs. Catholic school in kindergarten for our children, it was a surprise to me to learn that we were likely choosing a high school at the same time. In our current area, 97% of the 8th grade class goes on to a Catholic high school. And attrition from grade school is pretty low. I’d say 85% of the kids that start in K remain through 8th grade. Most leave because of a physical move.

 

[Cornell]

My add'l thoughts about education:

I sent my daughter to Catholic schools K-8. I physically moved my home to get into a public HS district that is, in theory, excellent. She has gone to public HS. After watching the schools' reactions to Covid in my area, I would re-think everything & would have kept her in private school. Where I live (the teachers unions running the show), it's obvious that the public school boards are taking their directives from the teachers unions. Private high schools are taking their directives from the families they serve ($).

 

[TravelTime]

We visited the schools this week. We loved the Waldorf campus. It is on 40 acres in the hills. It seemed like a wonderful school and we were tempted by it. Today we went to the Catholic school. Within a few minutes of sitting down with the Principal, I knew this was it. I was so impressed by the focus on teaching values and the sense of community. It felt more like an extended family than a school. They only have 180 students total. She showed us the parent portal and it was amazing. She sends a weekly newsletter to parents. They have so many fun events for the entire community like a golf tournament, a crab feed, jog-a-thon and more. Each of the classes (one class per grade) surrounds a grassy quad where the entire school gathers each morning to say the pledge of allegiance, prayers and recognize birthdays by name. The athletic field was large and there were at least three playgrounds. The classes do not exceed 15 students. There was only one spot left in 3rd grade. The Principal said they had three inquiries for 3rd grade sitting on her desk and, as we were sitting there, another inquiry came in for 3rd grade. We decided to pay the year’s tuition and hold the spot for our daughter. Once the class is full, that’s it. You can’t get in this year and possibly in future years unless someone leaves. This is a feeder school to the top ranked all girls Catholic high school in the region. Now I am a Catholic school mom waiting for a child.

 

[Cornell]

We visited the schools this week. We loved the Waldorf campus. It is on 40 acres in the hills. It seemed like a wonderful school and we were tempted by it. Today we went to the Catholic school. Within a few minutes of sitting down with the Principal, I knew this was it. I was so impressed by the focus on teaching values and the sense of community. It felt more like an extended family than a school. They only have 180 students total. She showed us the parent portal and it was amazing. She sends a weekly newsletter to parents. They have so many fun events for the entire community like a golf tournament, a crab feed, jog-a-thon and more. Each of the classes (one class per grade) surrounds a grassy quad where the entire school gathers each morning to say the pledge of allegiance, prayers and recognize birthdays by name. The athletic field was large and there were at least three playgrounds. The classes do not exceed 15 students. There was only one spot left in 3rd grade. The Principal said they had three inquiries for 3rd grade sitting on her desk and, as we were sitting there, another inquiry came in for 3rd grade. We decided to pay the year’s tuition and hold the spot for our daughter. Once the class is full, that’s it. You can’t get in this year and possibly in future years unless someone leaves. This is a feeder school to the top ranked all girls Catholic high school in the region. Now I am a Catholic school mom waiting for a child.

Love this! When my daughter was at her Catholic elem school, the school community was like an extended family with events like you describe. ENJOY!!! So excited and happy for you and your daughter.

 

[bogey21]

We decided to pay the year’s tuition and hold the spot for our daughter. Once the class is full, that’s it. You can’t get in this year and possibly in future years unless someone leaves. This is a feeder school to the top ranked all girls Catholic high school in the region. Now I am a Catholic school mom waiting for a child.

Good move. I love decisiveness...

George

 

[mentalbreak]

Today we went to the Catholic school. Within a few minutes of sitting down with the Principal, I knew this was it. I was so impressed by the focus on teaching values and the sense of community. It felt more like an extended family than a school.
...
Now I am a Catholic school mom waiting for a child.

congrats on finding that fit!
I’m so excited for your family. I hope your daughter gets to stay with you full-time very soon. Congratulations and prayers for the road ahead!

 

[SteelerGal]

@TravelTime As an adoptive parent, don’t worry about schooling the first year. Focus on relationships. As long as you and your Dh provide a supportive environment, it will all come together.
If you never need to talk, I’m always available.

 

[pedro47]

TravelTime, relax you will provide everything for your daughter to excell in her home school experience. IMHO.

 

[TravelTime]

TravelTime, relax you will provide everything for your daughter to excell in her home school experience. IMHO.

Relax is not part of my MO, LOL. I already have all of our vacations planned through 2021 and 2022. LOL

 

[Cornell]

Well, speaking of schools. We are about 1/4 of the way through the school year in the state of IL. Moving my daughter to Indiana University HS (all online) was one of the better parental decisions I've made. She's not LOVING it, but it's way better than these nightmare Zoom classes going on here given that our schools are still not open AT ALL. It's a really bleak situation here.

 

[bogey21]

Well, speaking of schools. We are about 1/4 of the way through the school year in the state of IL. Moving my daughter to Indiana University HS (all online) was one of the better parental decisions I've made.

I applaud your and Travel Time's decisiveness. So many people just complain and procrastinate. You both moved with a sense of urgency to the benefit of your kids. My Daughter in conjunction with the other parents at the K through 12 Christian School her 3 kids attend also acted decisively. At her school the parents, teachers and administration got together and worked out a plan to open the school for traditional classroom instruction. I think school started in mid August and last I heard they have had no problems...

George

 

[Cornell]

@bogey21 Awe - thank you for your kind words. This is certainly not the senior year that my daughter was envisioning but what she is going with her curriculum and the delivery of it is so much better than what her peers are experiencing at their public school.

I mentioned earlier that I have started a "reopen" group for our public school district parents . We have 1200 people in it. I get stories every day sent to me personally from parents telling me their child's experiences and they are really heart-wrenching. The stories cover it all : mental concerns; constant tech frustrations; grades not where they should be; material not being effectively taught.

What also shocks me is the apathy that I see from many community parents in my group. Lots of keyboard warriors venting and complaining online but VERY few that will take concrete actions to advance our cause. It's dispiriting.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We were approved to adopt an 8 year old girl. So now this discussion of school is real to me. I am evaluating all the local private schools and the public school. Some of the local private schools are already full for third grade. The local public charter school says we can apply for next year because we need to enter the lottery. Based on what is available for a mid year transfer, my finalists are the public elementary, the Catholic school and the Waldorf school. I am including the public charter school because we will enter the lottery just in case we do not like the school we pick this year. There are pros and cons to each.

Catholic School (15 min drive)
Pros: We are Catholic. Small class sizes. All in person learning. Goes through 8th grade. One spot left for 3rd grade. She is currently in a Greek Orthodox school and likes the structures and does well in school. (Greek Orthodox is similar to Catholicism.)
Cons: The Catholic high school she would go to is about 45 minutes away (but that is a future problem).

Waldorf School (10 min drive)
Pros: Really small class size - just 8 students in 3rd grade. Focus on nature and creativity. Holistic approach. Beautiful 40 acre campus in the foothills.
Cons: No electronics or computers even at home. Mixed stories on how rigorous Waldorf schools are. The Waldorf high school is 45 min away (future issue).
Pro or Con: Same teacher through 8th grade (depends on if we like the teacher). Unique curriculum and approach to learning that could be great if it meshed with her learning style or it could be a disaster if it is not a fit.

Public Elementary (5 min drive)
Pros: Free. Would not contribute to the economic divide by supporting the public school. Closest school to us. Public middle school and high school are about a 15 minute drive.
Cons: Hybrid school (Starting Oct 5th, 3 hours on Mon/Tues, remote on other days). Only goes through 3rd grade. Larger class sizes.

Public Charter School (10 min drive)
Pros: Free. Would not contribute to economic divide. Highest rated K-8 school in our area. Public high school nearby (same high school she would go to if she went the public elementary route).
Cons: No opening this school year. Would need to enter the lottery for a spot in 4th grade. Larger class sizes. Hybrid learning this year.

All in all, I am leaning toward the Catholic school. They only have one spot left for 3rd grade. We are touring the schools this week. If we decide on the Catholic school, I will register her and put down a deposit asap to save her spot.

This is so exciting! We have been trying to adopt for fours years. In 2018, we even went to Taiwan to pick up two siblings we were approved to adopt but at the last minute, the crooked dinosaur judge decided we were “too successful and accomplished to understand the special needs of children in an orphanage.” This was after meeting monthly with the kids through Skype and spending three full days with them in Taiwan. I think this was child abuse.

Below is a story about biased dinosaur judges. It is a tragedy. At the time we were there, the kids were 7 and 10. It took us a year and a half to get through the process (and $40K) just to get rejected. I doubt the kids were adopted by another family as it is hard to find families willing to adopt older kids, esp siblings. Plus even if someone else were interested, it takes a long time to get approved so these kids would be close to 9 and 12 if they were adopted. They have lived in an orphanage for their entire lives and I suspect they are still there. I get all worked up over this. So unfair and unjust to the children.

Biased judges with bad attitudes are dinosaurs, head of reform group says - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

www.taipeitimes.com

@TravelTime, I had to search back once I saw that you were adopting a daughter. I'm so happy for you... I have 3 kids and they all went to Catholic School. It was a sacrifice as my hubby and I were just starting our careers but it was worth every penny we spent...My parents sent me to Catholic School and since I was an only child, they helped us out the years that it was really tight. Its the one thing in my life I have never regretted doing....

 

[pedro47]

How is it really going for students, parents, teachers and school administration with this new method of online instruction ?

 

[mentalbreak]

School districts in our area came out with an official policy today that there will be no more snow days - any closure for inclement weather will instead be a virtual learning day.
I am actually quite sad for the kids (and teachers).
Growing up in MN, we did not have them very often, but there was something about snow days: listening to the list of closures on the radio, the excitement when your district made the list, spending the day with all the neighbor kids sledding and building snow forts, and thawing out with hot cocoa and a fire in the fireplace.
If I ever have grandkids, I WILL teach them about (and show them) a REAL snow day.

 

[b2bailey]

How is it really going for students, parents, teachers and school administration with this new method of online instruction ?

I've had some recent experience helping my grand sons, age 8 and 9. The younger boy had been working on a writing assignment. He had a composition book where he had followed instructions and completed the assignment. The next step was to enter it on the computer and turn it in. He was overwhelmed with that prospect, so I decided to help by typing it for him. Next day, I was told by "mom" that I was not to help. Ridiculous. What exactly is this boy supposed to be learning -- composition or 'hunt and peck' typing? He told me he hates school now.

 

[b2bailey]

How is it really going for students, parents, teachers and school administration with this new method of online instruction ?

Two more stories -

- daughter of my best friend started her first teaching assignment -- first grade, online from home. She set up a classroom and is doing well. However, her daughter is 5, starting online kindergarten from home. How can a 5 year old be expected to pay attention to a small computer screen for 3 hours without adult supervision?
- my niece, a later in life first year Jr high art teacher, has been able to do her online class from home. Her 12 year old son has ADHD. This week, her son's school principal told her she needs to "sit with" her son during his online classes. What can she do?

Just two situations where I have "second hand" stress for each of these moms.

 

[Glynda]

A week and a half after going hybrid, and having to be in the classroom for five classes a day three days a week, my college professor tested positive for COVID and passed it on to her family. She's cleared to return to the classroom Monday. The frustrating thing for her is that of the ten students assigned one day a week to be in the classroom only one or two show up. The rest attend on Zoom rather than the classroom even though they are on campus and have not been approved to do so. The quality of the in-classroom and Zoom combination is not equal to the full Zoom experience. So why even have in-class?

 

[bogey21]

How is it really going for students, parents, teachers and school administration with this new method of online instruction ?

Shouldn't be as issue here. OP has signed her Daughter up in a Catholic School. Most Parochial and Private Schools are operating the old fashioned way with kids in classrooms. My Daughter's 3 kids (Christian School) have been going to school since August 11th with no problems....

George