I have a difficult situation for which it’s impossible to know the “right” answer, but I’d love to hear other people’s experience (parents, educators, etc…) who may have dealt with being or working at a brand NEW school.
My non-LD child who is in Jr. High (7th grade) has been given the opportunity to move to a new school. This school is opening next year (construction is almost complete). It is close to home, and will be quite small (a projected opening of 650+ kids — 7th/8th grade).
My daughter currently takes a bus to school. (This bus service will discontinue at the end of this school year). My biggest delimma is just about all of her friends will be staying at the old school (we moved last year so our area has now been redistricted to the new school while our old neighborhood hasn’t). In some ways I’d love to keep her with her old friends, but she’s actually quite social, has no problem making new friends and has told me she will probably miss the new friends she made this year more than her old friends from elementary. So socially it may not be a problem if I did move her.
Overall, my daughter doesn’t seem to have an opinion either way (just like my mom — and myself too! :-( she has difficulty choosing).
Since the school would be A LOT more convenient, there’s a chance she might make neighborhood friends, the move could possiblity be a good thing.
But my biggest concern is this….isn’t the first year of a new school academically questionable? I’m worried it might be disorganized and she won’t get as good an education. I’d love to hear other experiences or opinions about this!
Re: Brand NEW school! What's the pros & cons?
Thanks for your input! I’ve actually gone to the trouble of calling the principal and finding out who they’ve hired for math (this is my biggest concern because my daughter has had horrible math teachers for the last three years and it has been very frustrating). And then I’ve questioned numerous parents with older children who have had these teachers or know of them.
I’ve learned that two are excellent while one is not so good and another they are thinking of hiring is terrible. One is suppose to be particularly great. In fact she’s going to be in charge of the math “dept.” I may try to contact her and find out who will be teaching which grade.
The other interesting thing is they plan to have a unique schedule. Instead of 6 classes per day, they will be rotating 3 one day and the other 3 the next day. This will allow for more time in each class. I don’t know if this is a good thing or not(?).
Re: Brand NEW school! What's the pros & cons?
It’s a LOUSY idea.
Up to now I was with those who were saying a new school can be a good, revitalizing experience.
But if they go to the three class a day idea, avoid it like the plague.
Tell me, how long can you keep your kid’s attention on her math homework? If much more than 45 minutes, you’re a miracle worker. Now the teacher is going to keep everyone’s attention for nearly two hours straight, with all the atttention-getting and other distractions available? HA!
My daughter’s high school, much to my dismay, had some of their courses “semestered”, ie taught for two class periods per day for half the year. These included Grades 9 and 10 English and math and biology. One teacher told me how absolutely wonderful a plan this was because they saved so much money on textbooks – what a motivation. Luckily she was fine in English, but the math and biology were an absolute *disaster*, and this caused he much trouble later in college math where her background was just too weak. Basically, although she was in Grade 10, what she got was basically a junior high course. The rest of the high school was excellent in general, so I know that the scheduling of these classes had a lot to do with their being so terrible.
Talk to the principal about this plan and if they go to this schedule, don’t do it.
Re: Brand NEW school! What's the pros & cons?
Thanks for pointing that out Victoria!!!!
I remember years ago reading something about how the best learning occurs when information it given in smaller chunks and then changing the topic in order to hold attention (and this for the general non-ld population). That’s not exactly how it was described! But that’s the gist of it. The idea is that even the general population has a relatively short attention span for learning that’s presented without breaks and changes.
Also, when you think of it, High School isn’t taught this way.
One more thing. I think DAILY math instruction is extremely important.
Thanks again!
Your post makes a lot of sense.
On the contrary, a new school may have many advantages. In our system, the new principal gets to interview for the entire staff. There won’t be any deadbeat teachers waiting for the retirement check in a new school if it is done this way! Also, morale is usually higher as everyone is excited about the new school. Atmosphere counts a lot, and a bright new school building is just pleasant to be in. If the school building is completed at the last minute, then there could be some disorganization at the beginning, but overall, I’d say a new school has the advantage.
Janis