School decision help?

[Peeps]

Oh, my, I hadn’t even thought about twice as many students applying for college! And the small cohort will all be in like Flynn!

I wouldn’t worry about it.

The trend these days is for high school grads to take a “gap year”, a year off school to work, perhaps take a trip, do volunteer activities, go on a spiritual retreat, read, do all the research and colleg/trade school/military base tours that they never had time to do during their high school years, and do a whole LOT of thinking about what they really want to do with their lives.

I personally think it’s a good idea for many students and their families, unless the student spends the entire gap year sleeping 12 hours out of the 24, playing video games during their awake hours, and expecting Mom and/or Dad to jump through fiery hoops to provide “young adult care” for them.

 

[Anicette]

Thanks you @Rosalie. And Annie.

So I understand that in your State parents have the possibility to begin the first kindergarten year one year after the usual. Apparently this last kindergarten year is a mandate, and you cannot simply choose to avoid it and go to the class of 6 year old directly (which would be more simple!). And you are afraid that many parents would choose to do it.

But why, they, and more you want to loose one year?
If you don’t want to out your child to school the year of her 5 year old, why not homeschool her?

Unless your child as a late spring birthday, It seems she just have the same age of my daughter who alos have a spring birthday. Too bad that we don’t live in a close area…

 

[Rosalie]

I’m not holding her back. I’m worried many other parents will hold their kids back who otherwise wouldn’t.

 

[TC3033]

I have friends who teach in the district, and they are essentially ‘ordered’ to say things they themselves and I’d argue many parents don’t agree with.

My wife is a teacher. I have never…ever heard of this. Can you extrapolate, especially how the school makes a teacher say things?

Shutting down schools is a disaster for the kids.

Agreed. With planning we were able to streamline our kids’ days with school and make it bearable, but they really…really needed to be back in school.

But some children and parents found themselves in their element with school at home. And certainely would like to continue.

Sure, there could be some…I haven’t found one yet, especially a parent who was also trying to work FT from home.

Say 50% of the K parents kept their children out. Then this year’s classes would be half their normal size. Then next year, first grade would be half the normal size, and so on.

However, following that small year’s cohort would be a group that was half again as large! And it too would follow through the years.

^^This.

And obviously not an immediate worry, but what about when it’s time for college?

I would think it a pretty immediate worry, especially in schools who may struggle with supplies.

so you couldn’t just switch the teachers around because there would be no place for them.

Actually…that you can (especially at the elementary level). Teachers license in “Elementary Ed”, so they could teach anything between K-5th grade.

Where you’d probably run into issues first would be HS and that large class getting in their required courses (for Freshman, then Sophomores and so on).

 

[Annie]

Actually…that you can (especially at the elementary level). Teachers license in “Elementary Ed”, so they could teach anything between K-5th grade.

Where you’d probably run into issues first would be HS and that large class getting in their required courses (for Freshman, then Sophomores and so on).

But, oh my goodness, textbooks!

 

[Anicette]

Anicette:

But some children and parents found themselves in their element with school at home. And certainely would like to continue.

Sure, there could be some…I haven’t found one yet, especially a parent who was also trying to work FT from home.

My child is in her element with homeschooling.

Recently we have had some people who start threats here because they think of beginning homeschooling after doing the mandate school at home.

 

[Anicette]

This is what I did with my son. Homeschool preschool takes about one hour daily. I realize the OP is Eastern Orthodox, but I used this and highly recommend it. https://shop.catholicicing.com/product/catholic-abcs-a-hands-on-preschool-curriculum/

blackforest, what is this product exactly?
The pages that we can see are religious material. Is it a catechism book or a general notebook that cover all the topics of kindergarten curriculum?

The nuances of Eastern Orthodoxy as it relates to Catholicism is not understood by many Catholics. I would suggest you sit down (skype, etc.) with someone from the Office of Catholic Schools at your Diocese. Explain the situation, ask if the Diocese policy disallows EO’s from receiving tuition assistance, scholarships, etc.

I think that the person who answer on the phone at school perfectly know the nuance that she needs to understand: that Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholic Church are separated Churches. That’s all they need to know if the attribution of discounts is given only to catholic( parishioners?) families. It is an economic question first. Money go to people who contribute.

But i agree with you to dig more the topic with the people who are in charge of the decisions. If we don’t try we have nothing.

If nothing is still possible, why not try to established a partnership between the Eastern parish and the catholic school/diocese/parish to enrolled the Orthodox students who want it?

Another possibility. How easy or possible it is @Rosalie to create an independant school? It may take time but are your parish interested in creating a school? Or some Orthodox family? Maybe with the help of the existing Catholic school?

 

[TC3033]

But, oh my goodness, textbooks!

Yep, supplies in some areas who can’t afford more (or to just update them all) would have a hard time with such a flux in class size.

My child is in her element with homeschooling.

OK, I’m sure some kids are.

Recently we have had some people who start threats here because they think of beginning homeschooling after doing the mandate school at home.

Yes, I have seen one or two. I personally have yet to meet one parent who’s “all for” distance learning this fall.

Homeschooling and this version of distance learning were two different things. We were able to make some adjustments to make the process work while both of us worked FT.

The last think I want to do come September 8th is starting up distance learning again (which is the vast majority I’m hearing from other parents as well).

It worked in a pinch, but otherwise I think it was kind of a dud.

 

[blackforest]

@Anicette, it covers mostly reading and crafts with a good dash of Catholicism. It can be done individually or in a homeschool co-op.

 

[Rosalie]

We’re definitely not in a place to start a school right now. We’re trying to raise money to do much needed renovation and even that is going to be hard. There’s an orthodox co-op that meets 3 days a week but it’s 50 minutes away without traffic (and there will be traffic!) and that’s just way too far.

 

[Anicette]

I think as far as homeschooling, few families, even if more wishe it, would be able to do it indefinitely because the majority of parents have to work.

But I am sure some will try. Thoses were the woman is at home, or some with the parents are working from home.

 

[Anicette]

@Anicette, it covers mostly reading and crafts with a good dash of Catholicism. It can be done individually or in a homeschool co-op.

Thanks you. I find it a little expensive, but if we were english-speaking people I would have been interesting to maybe buy it!

I wish something similar existed in french!

 

[Anicette]

There’s an orthodox co-op that meets 3 days a week but it’s 50 minutes away without traffic (and there will be traffic!) and that’s just way too far.

Sad for you, but i agree that 50 minutes away is very far.

You are lucky that such a system is legal. In France, it is forbidden for several families to gather to homeschool. It would been seen as a clandestine school.

I hope that the discussion is fruitfull for you even if no miracle solution is emerging…

 

[Rosalie]

Thank you! At this point we’re pretty much resigned to doing public school and I’m hoping that next year there won’t be a huge disruption due to the pandemic or people holding kids back this year.

 

[Anicette]

If that it is your choice, what can you do is that you, or your husband to try to being engaged in school decisions, and motivated others families who share your value to do so. To control what still can, against negative influence.

And of course make your child miss the lesson you don’t like, the one you have a right to opt out, as you mentionned.

 

[beginagainwithjoy]

We homeschool our 8-year-old son. He’s an only child.

TMI: I struggled with infertility for years, and finally ended up needing a hysterectomy after other treatments didn’t work to get rid of pre-cancerous cells and stop the bleeding that would happen at random intervals through the year for 5-8 weeks at a time. Turns out it was stage 1 endometrial cancer.

We don’t have any Catholic schools here, so for us, that was never an option at all.

My son attended a Christian school for preschool through 1st grade, but we decided to homeschool for 2nd grade since the Christian school (only local one) wasn’t living up to our expectations, and we didn’t want our son in public school. We have nothing against public schools, per se, since both my husband and I attended and graduated from public schools, but it’s not what we want for our son.

We’ve really enjoyed homeschooling. My son has missed his friends, but (pre-pandemic) we were involved in all the same extra-curriculars we’ve always done. He sees his friends several times per week normally for soccer, basketball, baseball, and LEGO club at the library. We also do play-dates with friends and cousins when possible.

All that background to say that as a mama of one with no hopes of having another biological child, the time we get with our kids is so precious. I’m only going to have this time ONCE. I’d rather have that time together as a family than to send him off to school for 7 hours per day and then to other activities right after. But that’s what was right for us and for our family, not necessarily for everyone with an only child.

You know your child and your family’s values best. If a Catholic or classical, etc. education is important to you and the Catholic school tuition is out of reach, homeschool! It’s a wonderful experience, even if it is with an only child. You can find so many social opportunities through community sports/activities, the library, homeschool groups, etc.

Edited for spelling.

 

[blackforest]

Homeschool curricula gets expensive, at least in the U.S. But even if I pay full price, I reason that at least it’s cheaper than sending my children to parochial school!

 

[ZemD]

My friend teaches first grade at a nearby public school district. A few years ago in her class she had three transgender students. She was given a lesson guide to follow which included a book called “Introducing Teddy”, which was about a boy and his transgender teddy bear. It was not presented to her as an option to teach this lesson. It also was not something kids got a note sent home about in case the parents wanted to opt their kid out of it. She is not Cathoilc, and didn’t even see it as a potential moral issue, but personally does not agree in young children being ‘transitioned’. She thinks the topic should be left up to how parents want to present it to their kids, especially at 6, and she would rather just make sure everyone is respectful to one another.

She did not try to fight it, to be fair, maybe she could have objected and gotten out of it. She was concerned more about putting a target on her back for not going along, rather than refusing to teach the lesson that she knew was inappropriate. Which doesn’t speak too well of my friend’s character, I will concede. After she told me about that lesson it made me really weary of public schools. We do not live in a major city either, small to medium rural and suburban towns make up that district.

 

[TC3033]

It was not presented to her as an option to teach this lesson.

She did not try to fight it, to be fair, maybe she could have objected and gotten out of it.

So which is it? Was she forced to say something she didn’t want to, or not? I have a hard time buying an educator was surprised with a curricula they didn’t know existed.

It also was not something kids got a note sent home about in case the parents wanted to opt their kid out of it.

So it was opt-outable… , it’s also something required by law in many states.

She thinks the topic should be left up to how parents want to present it to their kids,

I don’t disagree, but that’s why there was an opt out option.

After she told me about that lesson it made me really weary of public schools.

Personally, not me. It’s one story, that also sounds like might be missing some info…no biggie though.

We do not live in a major city either, small to medium rural and suburban towns make up that district.

Interesting. Where we live, suburban and outstate “larger” towns make up some of the largest and most progressive schools in the state. Eitherway…If your friend’s story is even close to spot on, that’s a very…very…very progressive play and I live in one of the most progressive states in the country.

 

[Rosalie]

One of my classmates from an all girls Catholic school who was in Catholic school for her entire education now identifies as a man and has had top surgery. And others are in same sex relationships. Catholic school isn’t going to prevent any of that. It sounds like the school wanted the students to understand what was going on with their friends and prevent bullying. I’d have to know what the book said to have a more informed opinion. Having the option to opt out would be preferable so you can control the initial conversation, though.