St Cecilia or other private school in Irvine?

Again, a forum with big scary guys posting... Thought we're all like the guys on Big Bang Theory.  How old is your son?  I think I would be more defensive with my daughter then If I had a son (natural instincts), I would go crazy defensive over my daughter but want my son to "fight his own battles.". Is that wrong?
 
He is now 3, I always call him my Ferdinand (he loves to read books and would rather do that than run around). In terms of attitude/general nerddom I am more Big Bang Theory than 300.

I definitely want my son to learn how to stick up for himself (in a proper way), but if some boy was doing the same to my daughter I may have picked my daughter up and removed her completely from the situation.
 
What is the proper way to stick up to a bully?

Luckily my girth has preempts fisticuffs but can you really properly face a bully without some repercussion?
 
i have a son going into kinder in the fall- struggling with keeping him in Montessori for his 3rd yr or public school or fairmont.  looking for suggestions of other private schools. we both work so daycare is important. any insight for those of you with experience at Fairmont would be nice!
public kinder seems like 10 giant steps backwards for academics...... so lost!
 
kpchoe said:
i have a son going into kinder in the fall- struggling with keeping him in Montessori for his 3rd yr or public school or fairmont.  looking for suggestions of other private schools. we both work so daycare is important. any insight for those of you with experience at Fairmont would be nice!
public kinder seems like 10 giant steps backwards for academics...... so lost!
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I went to the Edgewood campus open house last month. Thought the facilities were just okay--classrooms looked old compared to some of the public school I've seen. I did like the single entrance to the school and multiple cameras. More importantly, the Fairmont material was at least one year ahead of public schools at both preschool and and kindergarten levels. Also the class size was smaller and they even had homework for the K-level, if you are into that sort of thing. I am sure academically you will get advanced work at both Montessori or Fairmont

Downsides to private education: Cost (but maybe not that bad when you factor in after school day care with public school for parents who both work) and some social loss of not seeing kids from your neighborhood (this may factor in if you eventually plan to integrate them to public school later and everyone has made friends at the higher grade levels already).
 
kpchoe said:
i have a son going into kinder in the fall- struggling with keeping him in Montessori for his 3rd yr or public school or fairmont.  looking for suggestions of other private schools. we both work so daycare is important. any insight for those of you with experience at Fairmont would be nice!
public kinder seems like 10 giant steps backwards for academics...... so lost!
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may i ask why you are thinking of switching him out of Montessori?
 
kalbi said:
kpchoe said:
i have a son going into kinder in the fall- struggling with keeping him in Montessori for his 3rd yr or public school or fairmont.  looking for suggestions of other private schools. we both work so daycare is important. any insight for those of you with experience at Fairmont would be nice!
public kinder seems like 10 giant steps backwards for academics...... so lost!
Click to expand...

may i ask why you are thinking of switching him out of Montessori?
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I want to eventually transition him back to public after 3rd grade and I think for the cost of Montessori and the overall mainstream classroom environment compared to the Montessori environment  is a huge adjustment.
I kept my daughter in Montessori for her 3rd yr and transitioned her to public first grade and I saw huge benefits the first and second year but by third grade, she was molded back into the box of the public school 3rd grade curriculum. By the time she reached fourth grade, no benefits of private school was left.
This time, I want to try keeping my son in an academic focused private school till third grade to see if the early foundation lasts longer to help with upper grades later.
My main concern is that Irvine is suppose to have to greatest schools and is famous for it but my public school experience so far with my daughter hasn't been all that great. Lots of homework and no real education of what she is learning. She has no idea why and what the concept is- just doing it. Fortunately, she gets it so I am glad but I do spend alot of time teaching her how it relates to the real world.
Am I just being a pushy over-acheiver mom and should just accept what public school offers or lay out the best foundation for my kid so he has a better chance to succeed?
That is what I struggle with..... any insight will def be helpful!!!
 
thanks kpchoe. my daughter is currently in montessori and i too am wondering whether i should keep her there for K, go public, or some other private school.
 
kpchoe said:
Am I just being a pushy over-acheiver mom and should just accept what public school offers or lay out the best foundation for my kid so he has a better chance to succeed?
That is what I struggle with..... any insight will def be helpful!!!
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i dont think the public or private school education will impact your kid's success as much you think - there are many of us on this board who just went to regular public schools and have become successful and im pretty sure it would not have made a difference if we would have attended private school.  it is my belief that your kid is either inherently smart or not that is going to be the main difference on whether your kid succeeds. 
 
I guess sometimes, taking a step back helps to keep things simple. The other issue at hand is that kinder is only 3 hrs and that would mean he is in daycare most of the day. at least private offers longer academic days........
 
kpchoe said:
I guess sometimes, taking a step back helps to keep things simple. The other issue at hand is that kinder is only 3 hrs and that would mean he is in daycare most of the day. at least private offers longer academic days........
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I think that?s why a lot of parents opt for the private school.
The Smaller class sizes and extra personal attention are both attractive features as well.
 
kpchoe said:
more and more leaning towards fairmont. any thoughts? heard any good or bad?
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heard from friends that fairmont is "too academic."  you should take a tour and maybe you can get a better feel. a couple friends pretty much decided on fairmont but after they toured the place, they changed their mind. said fairmont kids were not well rounded and too academic for their liking. but for some, that's what they are looking for.
 
kalbi said:
kpchoe said:
more and more leaning towards fairmont. any thoughts? heard any good or bad?
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heard from friends that fairmont is "too academic."  you should take a tour and maybe you can get a better feel. a couple friends pretty much decided on fairmont but after they toured the place, they changed their mind. said fairmont kids were not well rounded and too academic for their liking. but for some, that's what they are looking for.
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That?s a valid point.
Our friends rave about the fact that it?s overly academic.
Taking the tour will give you a better idea in terms of a fit for what you?re looking for and comfortable with.
 
I took the tour on Open House night. It was nice to see all the kids.... the campus itself, not overly impressed with. Met the two kinder teachers. One was impressive and the other not so much- What did impress me was the children and their demeanor. Very well composed and mature. I have to admit- i was impressed with the academics as well.
My daughter just got accepted to OCHSA so it would be on the way to and from dropping her off!
Just can't decide if we want to continue to pay tuition for another 4 yrs or take advantage of being in IRVINE! - friends who live outside of Irvine think I am crazy for even considering private school.......
 
qwerty said:
kpchoe said:
Am I just being a pushy over-acheiver mom and should just accept what public school offers or lay out the best foundation for my kid so he has a better chance to succeed?
That is what I struggle with..... any insight will def be helpful!!!
Click to expand...

i dont think the public or private school education will impact your kid's success as much you think - there are many of us on this board who just went to regular public schools and have become successful and im pretty sure it would not have made a difference if we would have attended private school.  it is my belief that your kid is either inherently smart or not that is going to be the main difference on whether your kid succeeds.
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please ignore qwerty's post...he's not asian.  ;)
 
Irvine schools are teaching your kids the discipline of learning by repetition and memorization. The problem is when kids encounter a new problem they can't solve it. Students excel in taking test but stumble in problem solving competition.
 
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