In March we officially decided to put Audrey and Ben into first grade. Their birthday is in October, so we could have chosen to put them through a second year of Kindergarten and they would still be on track with their classmates. But the local school offered only half day Kindergarten. Their Kindergarten teacher and several knowledgable friends advised us against repeating Kindergarten. We were told that they would be bored and possibly disruptive by holding them back.
When we approached our local public school and told them our intensions, the principal gave us every reason *not* to place them into 1st grade and to have the repeat Kindergarten. This, I must add, without properly testing them or checking their Kindergarten progress reports or to see if they were eligible - which they were. She informed us that there were no spots available for them and we might have to go to another school in the district, which meant we would have to drive them to another school rather than walk the 100 yards to their home school. We wouldn't know for sure until August, she told us. This of course sounded like a bunch of bull from or perspective. It was a scare tactic so that she didn't have to do the hard work of re-organizing her teachers to accommodate our kids. Welcome to public school in the 21st century! Sigh.
In May a charter school we had our eyes on were preparing to open up a K-6th grade school to pair with their already established 7-12. They opened up a lottery for new students. Having a bitter taste in my mouth from the local school, I filled out the forms and sent it in not thinking we would get in. It was my understanding that they had 1100 applicants for 650 spots. Odds were not in our favor.
The first week in June we not only got word that we we won the lottery and we could join the Charter school, but surprise, surprise, our local school called us and said we got in their 1st grade program. Coincidence? Not sure to this day. Now came the hard part. Decisions. I hate making them.
Plus, this is where it gets even more complicated. We were majorly turned off by our local school and loved the philosophy of this charter school which offered the STEAM method and the Flipped Classroom techniques. These teaching methods are something that both Dave and I are very interested. In addition, the charter school offered language, art and music to even Kindergarten ages and an emphasis on group learning in Science and Math. But the charter still didn't have a physical building approved or prepared, it hadn't hired any of the teachers and had no track record to compare.
Easy decision - right? Just go to the local school and wait until next year when the charter will have resolved any 1st year growing pains. But what if our luck runs out? What if we don't win the next lottery and we miss the opportunity to be a part of a really great teaching revolution by passing on the charter, never to get back in? What if we miss out on some great teachers who share our philosophy? Alternatively, what if the kids hate the school or the teachers - or don't respond to this new method?
Decisions. I hate making them.
In the end we chose the path of most resistance. We went against many recommendations to stick with the local school, we followed our churning gut and went with the charter. Time will tell if it was the best choice. Maybe time won't even tell. But for now we have two first graders in our house!
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