Transitioning to public school

Interestingly enough... numbers 1-3 seem standard at our school.

Number 4 we used to do at our private school (in lesser amounts) but it makes sense to increase it for public school.

And yes... it does amount to a month of private school tuition and the reasons to do so totally make sense... as PatStar puts it, to do our part in lieu of volunteering time (which we are also doing when we can... although not sure if the school wants me volunteering at a book fair or bake sale... my appearance might end up selling *less* books or cupcakes).
 
Yes, the numbers make perfect sense, and it's not an amount that will break the bank. Nowhere near what private school would cost (where you pay tuition PLUS all of the above!).
It's all worth it in exchange for a kind, loving teacher who smiles when the child walks in in the morning. I don't expect a lot academically at the first grade level (I could easily teach my child all that he gets taught in school, like most other parents could, especially since I don't work) so what I do expect from a teacher is love for my child. Later on, middle school and high school, I guess the situation reverses, less hand-holding, more work, work, work.
I haven't been able to volunteer much physically, since I still have a little one at home, but that will soon change.
Thanks for shedding light on this. It will definitely help next year!! I can't wait to be an IUSD parent!
 
So... we are trying to work it out.

We met again with the teacher and it seems there may have been a misunderstanding with what my kid heard and what was said. We'll see how it goes the new few months. We are still not entirely happy with the style of teaching... some parts we like, others we don't... and we are afraid that it's not academically challenging enough... but we want to give it a bit more time.

The kids started buying lunch once in a while (depending on what the menu has). The older one had no problems but the younger one was confused the first time (they use a PIN number system), gave up and luckily I had packed food just in case. Once the older one explained the process to him, he figured it out.

Now I get this question: "Is there enough money in my account?"

Today when I was adding money to their accounts at the front desk, this little girls comes up... and puts 1.10 in change in the envelope for her account... so funny.

One thing I did notice... no costumes in public schools. Is that the same for all? Only the Ks got to wear costumes but everyone else could not... must be some safety/dress code thing. I don't mind it as much... but I remember how fun it was to dress up for school.
 
Pat Star said:
No costumes for Halloween?  No parade?  No classroom parties?  (assuming if #1 is true, #2 and 3 must also be). Your school sucks, IHO.  I hate to tell you. 
Click to expand...
Hmm... did anyone in IUSD allow costumes for 1st grade and up? TUSD?
 
Just as an update, we ended up moving one back to private.

I do think the bigger class sizes is a major issue, especially with less help for the teacher. I think the big deciding factor was the bad habits he was picking up (curse words, lewd behavior) and the fact that his "friends" were too physical with him (always tackling him). My older one is fine in public school but I think that's because of the age and maturity level.

So yes, even Irvine public schools aren't the best choice for all people.
 
Maybe we should start an elite private school "Turtle Coast Academy" in Irvine. Charge $30,000 a year tuition, offer piano/violin lessons, Calculus I and II for middle school, Mandarin immersion programs and most importantly, advertise how the Irvine public school is holding your child back to the elite crowd. The school will be positioned such that sending your child to the Uni schools is for paupers who do not value education enough to be considered a member of the select.

People did it in Cupertino, why not here?
 
My twin daughters are in 2nd grade in an IUSD elementary school.  We knew that there were three second grade classes and one of the teachers was highly recommended by everyone we talked to.  Since we always put our two girls in different classes, I figured one of them would be in her class.  But, alas, neither of them are in her class.  There definitely does seem to be some differences in the two other teachers and how they interact with the kids and parents.  It's not that that teacher is terrible but I think some kids learn better under certain type of teachers.

We would like to yank out one of our daughters and put her in the class of the highly recommended one but we don't know if it can be done and if we fail, it would be an uncomfortable situation.  There's only a few more months so we can live with it.

Definitely volunteer in your kids' school and get to know the teachers and other parents especially those who have older siblings.  They will spill the beans about their older kids' teachers.

Unfortunately, all three of my kids will go to a new IUSD elementary next year since we moved and we know nothing about the teachers there.  So, back to square one for us.
 
We will likely be making the transition from private to public school in the fall and I am very nervous.  Talking with people, you hear mixed reviews and I truly feel everyone's experience is unique.  There are some things that really bother me about our current school that other parents love, so you really have to judge for yourself.  Like any situation I think there are pluses and minuses.

There is definiltey something to be said for attending the neighborhood school and making local friends.  You don't always get that in private school.  I also feel public school is a more accurate representation of "real life".  So we shall see.  I hear that drug and alcohol issues do not really start until middle school and I hope that is truly the case.
 
From our experience... I actually think private school is good up until maybe 3rd or 4th grade. Before that, kids are too immature and are easily swayed by "bad elements" (not to say they can't be swayed when they are older too). I just think that the imprint at that young of an age will stick longer.

The bad thing, of course, is usually in private, it's not neighborhood kids so you don't get that community feeling but at least we felt there was more control over the environment and we got better feedback from the teachers and staff. The big thing is the smaller class size and more adult supervision. Each of our private schools classes were around 24 students and there was 1 main teacher and 2 co-teachers. Compare that to public (at least in IUSD) where you get at most maybe the teacher and an aide (who might not be there the whole time) and 30+ students. And, sure, there are parent volunteers, but they are usually not trained staff members who are with your kids 5 days a week.

But like OCMommy says, it's hit and miss. Our oldest is fine, my friends who have kids in both TUSD and IUSD are fine... and then I have a few friends who have moved their kids to private from public also.

I just don't necessarily think that Irvine is a magical place where the public schools are just as good as private schools (or vice versa).
 
I totally agree about private school being a good place when they are younger.  I have one in the upper elementary grades and I feel that private has become too much of a "baby environment" where academics are really hard but beyond that everything else is easy.  I am just not sure that it makes sense to go from that environment right into middle school.  It seems like too much of a bubble even beyond the Irvine bubble!  It is not real world.

Class size in private school cannot be beat!  Mine have always been in a class of 12 or 15.  Actually, in younger elementary grades in public school we never had more than 18, but I know those days are way over!
 
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