Middle School Is Right Around The Corner And I Have Some Questions
My son is going to middle school in the fall and I am a bit stressed. I guess that is normal because we are entering unchartered territory. I felt the same feeling of stress and angst when it was time to send him to Kindergarten – unlike the sheer joy I have building about my youngest starting Kindergarten in the fall.
Until last year, our neighborhood was zoned for the middle school closest to the elementary school my kids attend. It is convenient and I have heard only good things about the school – as much as you can with a school.
They rezoned our county and now our kids are supposed to be bussed all the way out to a new middle school about 20 minutes away (as opposed to the one that is 7 minutes away).
The closer school – school A is made up of a pretty good balance of demographics and has a good reputation. School B is new, but is replacing a school made up of a lower income demographic and has a mixed reputation. And the private schools near us are not any better than the public schools, so that is not really an option.
While my son is supposed to go to school B, I am seriously considering pupil placing him at school A. The drawback – I would have to drive him to and from school, but since it is so close to the elementary school, it is not really a big deal.
I want to make the best informed decision I can. What I need from my readers are some questions I need to ask when I go visit both of these schools. Any insights for me? I know there are good kids and bad kids; good teachers and not so good teachers at every school, but I’d like the scale tipped in the right direction if possible.
I think visiting the middle school’s during school hours – meeting with the administration and observing during class changes will give you a gut feeling. Our intuition, as mom’s, is pretty strong. Number of suspensions, SOL scores, etc. might be important to you…
Yes, but as you know, I tend to over analyze and jump the gun a bit with child #1 for some reason! The problem with SOLs in this case is that school B is new and the data isn’t quite there yet (or am I missing something).
Anyhow, a big thank you for leaving your first comment. Yeah!!!
Whatever you do – don’t judge a book by it’s cover and try to to stereotype people, places, OR things. Reputation is not always a deciding factor either. If it were me I would send my child to the school that he OR she is supposed to be going to. Keep in mind that once your child is in high school they will not want to switch schools.
Well, I just found out that school B (the one that he is supposed to go to) is getting a “turn-around” principal next year. That only happens if the school is not meeting standards.
My husband was talking with my son the other day and he says he wants to go to school A. He has been hearing things from his friends who have siblings at school B.
And the drama continues.
Hello, I just found your site and wow what an incredible list of entries and ideas. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with all of us.
As a parent of two children and educator/coach to a few thousand more over the years, I can honestly say that sharing experiences during these years comes as great relief to many of us. I think we may have something to share with each other.
I am currently writing a book, The Start Smart Guide to Middle School for Parents and Kids (working title). Essentially the book is organized into three parts: 3 weeks leading up to the start of the school year, the first 6 weeks of school from day 1 to progress reports, and finally, the 3 weeks from progress report to the first quarter report card.
Although I am the primary author driving the book, many of the contributions come from both parents and kids currently in middle school as well as questions from both groups who are making the leap this coming year.
If you would like to talk more about sharing your ideas we would love to hear them. You can contact me either via email, joe@thinking-forward.com or by phone 805-889-2142.
Regards,
Joe
Joe,
Thank you so much for stopping by today! Your book sounds like a must read and I just stopped by your blog and I will now be a regular read. Wow!
Please let us know when your book is done. I, for one, would love to read it. And, feel free to chime in on any of the discussions we have going here – the more the merrier!
We have two high schools very similar to your middle schools. I taught at both of them so I have a different perspective.
School A: very wealthy side of town but very privileged children. Took things for granted and got into a lot of trouble with drugs and alcohol. Overall were very intelligent but did not work as hard as kids at school B.
School B: Middle-lower Class. Worked hard. Scuffles but disciplined. Ultimately did do well and learned from their experiences. These are the kids who are doing well today.
Interesting?
Pickel – again, thanks for your insight. After visiting both schools, we realized that the issue is more about the faculty and less about the students. The student population is not as different as I originally thought. The issue is the stability and strength of the leadership and teachers and ultimately which school culture is the best match for my son.