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Hello I'm from Orlando Florida my son is going to 6th grade this year.  He is in a christian academy which is a private school where he is in a small class and he has been there since 2nd grade. I believe Christian education is very important  but I don't know if i keep him in small classes with same teachers he will be so sheltered when he goes to high school, also if he love to play sports eventhough  he is active in some basketball camps that we help him later to play in a team in high school. Other concern regards public school is that they are cutting so many funds,classes and teachers kids can end up in large classes where teachers can give them the attention they need.

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Parent Replies to "Public school vs Private school"

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eventh
eventh August 19, 2009
Re: Public school vs Private school
We had our children in public school and switched them to a private school for middle school. We chose to do this b/c bullying & gang are serious problems in the public school in our suburban school district (yes they're rich but doesn't solve problems). Personally, my sons are thriving in the private school. They LOVE it. They enjoy the attention and it's been great for their self-esteem and self-confidence. Traits that I know they would not have gained in a public school. My sons are on the sports team at their private school - and personally they are not good athletes and I know they would never have made the team in public school either.

My older two went to private school first and then switched to public middle school (my younger two was the opposite). I did so because I didn't want them filling left out or too sheltered. It's a decision I regret. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my girls - but I think their poise and self-confidence suffered while in public school and they spent a good portion of their teen years "lost" in the shuffle of kids, teen angst, etc. I think if they had stayed in private school they would have been more focussed and rec'd the attention they deserved from their school environments.

Leave you child in private school (but find one that is a bit more rounded).
ad7706
ad7706 August 19, 2009
Re: Public school vs Private school
I feel like public school is the only way, but this is only true if you choose the RIGHT public school. I mean, to be honest, all private schools are not created equally either, so you have to choose the RIGHT school be it public or private. The public school my child attends is rated a "ten" on great schools. And this school is far better than many private schools around. We live in an area that is comprised of mostly University Professors, Graduate and Professional students, and professionals, many of whom have advanced degrees. Having said that, the school reflects our surroundings. The academic pace is fairly fast, teachers are very concerned and attentive to the students, and our school out performs the large majority of schools in the state [private schools included].

There are a wide range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities at his school including MathCounts, FirstLegoLeague, Project Lead The Way, Future Problem Solvers, Equestrian Club, Ski Club, Fencing Club and many other specialities in addition to sports.

In addition to high academic standards, the school is larger, and [slightly] more diverse than a public school, and kids are allowed more individuality [which I feel is important for a child]. In addition the few hundred [to few thousand depending on the school] per month we don't spend in tuition, we can spend on enrichment activities that aren't offered in even most private schools. This includes martial arts, sailing, flying, polo and other activities my child enjoys. He gets everything he needs from the core curriculum and extracurricular activities at school, and gets a lot of supplemental activities with the money we save.
TeacherParent
TeacherParent July 23, 2009
Re: Public school vs Private school
You can usually always find sports teams outside of school on which he can play. If you can afford to continue him in his current school, why not? A child with a strong foundation can make the transition to a public high school. It's not that you're 'sheltering' your son, is it? Isn't it that you're giving him a strong foundation precisely because you want him to have one when he meets up with the demands of a large public high school?
Good luck with your decision.
michellea
michellea June 29, 2009
Re: Public school vs Private school
Does the current school end at Middle School? If so, I would talk to them about how they prepare students to transition to a new environment. Many schools step up the expectations in 8th grade in anticipation of HS. They also might offer transition services to help you find the right setting for your child next year - either a new private HS or public HS.

As far as sports, each community is different. In mine, the Middle school does not have sports team. Sports are taken care of at the town level. Some athletes supplement town sports with club level teams such as AAU or sports camps.

If your MS has sports, he may want to try to find a club team to play for so that he gets more experience and develops his skills. This is especially important if the HS is large and the teams are selective.

Also - many HS's have transition meetings for new students. Be sure to get on the mailing list so that you are notified of these meetings.

Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of GreatSchools. GreatSchools does not check for accuracy in community posts or verify the contributor’s identity. If you are searching for health-related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Community Guidelines for more details.

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