Interview Series-No. 5

Parent: This parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, transitioned her children from a private school to a DPS.

Q: Describe your transitional experience or scenario.

A:Our oldest son is in second grade.  He attended a private school for Kindergarten and first grade.   He found it difficult to transition to a traditional classroom.  He was significantly behind in math and reading.  We transitioned him to a public school and they are doing an excellent job providing extra assistance to ensure his academic success.

Our middle child entered Kindergarten at the start of the year.  The staff at his new school met with us to review his academic assessments.  It was determined that he was testing at a first grade level.  The school did a great job transitioning him to first grade after eight weeks in Kindergarten.

Q: What circumstances led to this decision?

A:The private school we initially attended was not able to meet our oldest child’s academic needs.

Q: What type of school did your child previously attend and what type of school do they attend now?

A:Our children previously attended a private school in Denver.  The lower grades are mixed classes (Kindergarten-second grade).   The classrooms are very open and designed to allow the students to move about freely.  There is a significant difference between each of the lower grade classrooms; some are more academic than others.

We toured one particular DPS two years ago when we were looking for Kindergarten options for our oldest son.  We were very impressed with the school and filed a choice application.  Our son was accepted at the private school a month before we received information concerning our DPS application. They required a non-refundable $1500 deposit the week you receive your acceptance.  We decided to enroll at this private school because we were unsure of our status at the DPS we choiced into (this has been an ongoing problem with DPS– private schools accept students earlier and require deposits almost immediately).  Families may find it difficult to wait to see if they are accepted to their school of choice.

When we revisited our DPS options, we felt the DPS we choiced into a couple years ago would provide extra academic assistance as well as a more diverse community. This school was not our neighborhood school. In the end, we decided to enroll our children in a DPS because it could provide better assistance to our oldest child who could benefit tremendously with a more qualified reading specialist.

Q: How do the educational experiences differ?

A: The schools are completely different.  DPS is able to provide better academic assistance to children who are struggling.  There appears to be better accountability and follow through when concerns are raised.  The private school we attended is an extraordinary place.  It is a fun and creative environment.  However, the school is notoriously slow when addressing academic concerns or identifying learning disabilities. In my opinion, the lower grade reading specialist was unqualified.  Several students in Kindergarten, first and second grade receive private tutoring outside the classroom.

Q: What advice can you give that will help others when going through a similar experience?

A: Unfortunately, this particular private school could not provide the academic assistance that our son needed. With that being said, the Head Master is amazing and is working hard to address this issue. As a parent, you must advocate for your child whatever their educational needs may be. If the school fails your child, you may have to explore other options. This was the case with our family. Now my son is getting the attention and services he needs to thrive as a learner.

Interview Series- No. 4

Parent: This Denver parent, who lives in Stapleton, switched her child from a Montessori Preschool to a Catholic School (PreK-8th grade) because of the instability of the school situation in Stapleton and it was less of a financial burden than other private schools in the area.

Q: Describe your transitional experience or scenario.

A: We switched from a non-profit Montessori school (6 weeks through Kindergarten) to a faith-based (Catholic) school.  Our child was at the Montessori school from the time he was 18 months old until age 4 ½.  He just started Pre-K at the Catholic school this week.

Q: What circumstances led to this decision?

A: We wanted to secure a spot in a private, yet affordable school because we live in Stapleton and also because DPS has not solved the capacity shortage projected for 2010 – when our son would need a spot in Kindergarten.  We toured many private schools last fall and we came to understand, that if we wanted our son to attend this Catholic school for his elementary education, we needed to try and get him in for Pre-K.  We did not realize this when we embarked on our 10-15 school tour, but are glad we started 2 years before he was set to go to Kindergarten.  Otherwise, we might have been stuck without a school that was a good fit for our son.  An added bonus is that his current school is half the cost of his previous school.

Q: How do the educational experiences at the schools differ?

A: Catholic Pre-K will be play-based with some reading, math and other curriculum (including religion). Montessori is pretty much the opposite. Our son did very well in a Montessori environment.  He gravitated toward the math “work” and didn’t engage much in the reading and letter work, though. At Catholic school, I think he will be forced to get a more rounded curriculum through group exercises, circle time, etc. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts.

Q: What advice can you give that will help others when going through a similar experience?

A: When thinking about making a change or approaching a time of transition, START THE PROCESS EARLY!  If we hadn’t started earlier than we anticipated, we would have likely missed our chance to secure a spot in this Catholic school.  While we are still considering enrolling our son in Bill Roberts, or possibly applying for a spot in Stanley British Primary for next year (2010/2011), it’s nice to know we are secured in his current school, which is top-notch, and more affordable than other private options.

Interview Series – No. 3

Parent: The parent we spoke to for this interview moved, with her family, from the suburbs to the city of Denver. Once settled in the city, she transferred her son from a faith-based school to a Denver Public School (DPS) that possessed much of the criteria they were looking for when thinking about the ideal educational setting for their son.

Q: Describe your transitional experience or scenario.

A: This family moved from a Colorado suburb to Denver last year. Their son had attended private preschool there. They moved to Denver with little time to research schools though both parents work in the Education sector and are pro public schools. They enrolled their son in their neighborhood DPS but learned an after-school program wasn’t available for him.  Before and after-school care was of extreme importance because both parents worked full-time. They researched a few other schools (both public and faith-based) nearby and none of them had after-school care available. Finally, they decided on a faith-based school that was warm and welcoming of working parents yet traditional in its educational philosophy. It was not their ideal school but their son was content for the time being. A few weeks later at a work function, the mother met several elementary school principals from DPS. She spoke to one in particular that stood out from the rest and began telling her about their family’s school dilemma.  This principal invited her on a tour of the school to see if it might be a good fit for her son. While visiting the school, she was immediately impressed with everything about the school, including the programs it offered and the principal who helped transform the school several years ago. It had the diversity they were looking for and offered programs that focused on the individual learner and his/her needs. Their son was granted a spot in both the before and after-school care program. This was just the type of school they had been looking for, so one week later, their son started Kindergarten there.  They couldn’t be more thrilled with the decision they made.

Q: What circumstances led to this decision?

A: First, a job transfer for both parents brought them to Denver. Second, a work function that offered her the opportunity to converse with several DPS principals initiated the move from a faith-based school to a DPS that offered an environment more in sync with what they envisioned for their son.

Q: What school or type of school do they attend now?

A: A DPS that they love! The Kindergartener had a wonderful year.  His teacher really “tapped” into the needs and interests of all the children and made learning fun!  The family believes this school to be a beautiful place that is representative of the “real world” and embraces people of varying racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. As a former principal, the mother knew as soon as she met the principal of this school that she was creating something special there. The principal had a vision and a plan to achieve this vision.  The parents got that vibe while touring the school and seeing first hand exactly what the principal had initially told her.  They were reassured once again that this was the ideal school for their son for many reasons including attention to the individual learner and that teachers truly engage the children in learning.

Q: How do the educational experiences differ?

A: The faith-based school was a good school but it was more traditional and lacked a diverse student population. The DPS school that they chose focuses on the “whole” child and his or her interests and needs. Students are actively engaged and diversity is celebrated.

Q: What advice can you give that will help others when going through a similar experience?

A: As a former principal, the mother has visited many, many schools. She feels, like many of us, that you know right away when visiting a school whether or not you like what it has to offer.  According to her, it’s just instinct. It’s so important to visit the schools to see what they are truly about rather than learning about them only on paper. She suggests being clear about what you are looking for in a school. There is much more to the success of a school that goes beyond test scores (it’s not all about the test scores).

Interview Series-No. 2

Parent: Tracy Stevens has two young sons whom will be homeschooled this upcoming year. This decision was based on some previous school experiences for her eldest son along with some other contributing factors.

Q: Describe your transitional experience or scenario.

A: Our son went to Westerly Creek for Kindergarten.  He was one of the younger students in the class and had a hard time with Kindergarten.  Midyear we put him back into Montessori Academy of Colorado where he had been thriving earlier and he started to improve in his old setting.  With this renewed success and with teacher and Director input,  we put him in Lincoln Elementary School in the Montessori Program the following year for first grade.  The class looked like a Montessori class but did not act like one.  There was tremendous pressure put on him to read and to keep the pace with the prescribed first grade level of achievement.  Although by year end he had caught up to his grade level, it was a horrific year with daily tears.  If he was behind in his work he would be kept in from recess, which only caused more frustration for a six year old boy.  He seemed to need more time to play and run (not less!) and more art (they didn’t have an art teacher at the time).

Q: What circumstances led to this decision?

A: We toured several schools and liked Denver Waldorf School by far the best.  It had integrated art and a pace of reading that was more developmentally appropriate for our son.  It also had plenty of play time and has a great academic reputation.  After the last year and following an incredible First Grade Readiness Assessment that is done for every child about to enter that grade, we decided to repeat first grade, this time at Denver Waldorf School.

Q: What type of school did your child previously attend and what type of school do they attend now?

A: Because I got laid off this summer we are not able to afford private school for both of our sons this year.  I don’t want to repeat our experience in the public schools, so we have decided to homeschool.  I want education to be about sharing the wonders of the world together based on their interests and abilities.  I have several different curriculum styles I am drawing from, online support, and local groups with whom I can attend field trips and get together for social exchanges and ideas.  I am really looking forward to all that we have planned for the upcoming year.

Q: How do the educational experiences differ?

A: The year at Denver Waldorf School went so much better than at Lincoln Elementary or even Westerly Creek.  His pace of learning was respected and he did well with their philosophy of educating the heads, heart and hands – not just the head as Lincoln did.  Learning was story and art based, he had music and nature walks every day and a far more nurturing environment. Within a month at Denver Waldorf, it was found that he had a visual problem and we got glasses and a few months of vision therapy for a problem that turned out to be the culprit of his reading troubles.  It took awhile, but his confidence and curiosity were restored that year. I will be able to provide one on one attention this year as a homeschooler and can identify their strengths and nurture them more easily.  It will be easier to provide more balance and simplicity for my kids this way too I think.

Q: What advice can you give that will help others when going through a similar experience?

A: If large class sizes, lack of access to the arts, learning difficulties, behavior problems, excess homework, or incongruent philosophies are problematic for you, there are other alternatives.  Either advocate for your child as you can or seek other school alternatives that work better for your child and family.  There are also educational consultants who will help families in finding the right school for their children. I never, ever thought I would homeschool my children, but now that I have  explored it and prepared for it, I am confident this year will be the best yet!

Interview With a Parent Series

In an effort to provide you with stories to which you can relate, we have decided to interview parents who have gone through various transitional educational experiences with their children. We feel that, by reading these personal stories, you may be able to garner some peace of mind for your own situation.  If you are willing to share your own experience, please send us an email at scooptoo (at) gmail (dot) com.  Thank you to all who contributed to our interviews so far.

Parent: This parent, who wishes to remain anonymous,  has a daughter in the DPS system and a son attending a Denver private school.

Q: Describe your transitional experience or scenario. (e.g. Did you move from the suburbs to the city? Did you switch from a traditional school to a faith-based school?)

A: I chose to send my second child to public school and keep my first child (five years older) in private school.

Q: What circumstances led to this decision? (e.g. job transfer, affordability, educational philosophy)

A: I chose to try public school due to affordability, desire for more diversity, and frustrations with the mixed age classroom in the private school my son attends.

Q: What type of school did your child previously attend and what type of school do they attend now? (e.g. faith-based school to a public school)

A: My son attends a secular private school with mixed age classrooms and a strong emphasis in paying attention to developmentally appropriate teaching and appealing to the interests of the children to promote their learning.  The school has a strong emphasis on the joy of learning and respecting creativity.  My daughter attends a public school with a focus on enrichment and a commitment to small class sizes in the early years.

Q: How do the educational experiences differ?

A: My son’s private school experience seems much more fun.   He loves going to school every day and the attachment to his teacher seemed less important than his excitement about what he was doing.  He learns easily and has not had any academic problems.  My daughter learned to love her public school because she enjoyed her teacher so much.  She seemed to have more time when things were not very interesting for her, but she learned a lot.  By the end of the year she was equally happy.  I still regret that her experience of learning is not as joyful as her brother’s and still think of changing back to private school if the class sizes in public schools increase with advanced age.