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wembleyworried March 6, 2009

Any experience or opinions on which is more beneficial - Catholic elementary vs. public?

wembleyworried
I'm considering moving my child from a public school with a Great School rating of 10 to a Catholic elementary. Each school offers something unique. The Catholic school I'm considering has a "home-ier feel to it.It also provides workbooks which my child loves.The school's educational reputation is very good.However,my child is an introvert.It has taken her 2 years to open up to her peers and feel comfortable doing so. She will be in 2nd grade next year.I'm somewhat afraid to move her to a new school because if she doesn't find her match at the Catholic school, I will have done her a great disservice. Two parent reviews also said this school had prior bullying and clique issues.I like the fact that the public school has diversity.I also like that she has to "write" daily.I dislike that she will have no formal spelling program.This public school does not emphasize correct punctuation and grammar which drives me nuts!Public middle schools in DE. are dreadful so it isn't an option.
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Parent Answers to "Any experience or opinions on which is more beneficial - Catholic elementary vs. public?"

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healthy11
healthy11 March 7, 2009
Every school, public, private, parochial, charter, Montessori, etc, is different. It sounds to me as if the specific Catholic school that you're look at does offer a "homeschool" and academic feel that would suit your daughter well, while it might be a poor match for someone else's child.
My son attended a Catholic high school after having been in a public and non-denominational private elementary schools. It ended up being a very good choice for him.
We were "on the fence" at the time, but we decided to try the Catholic school, because it, too, offered more personalized attention than the public school (1,000 students versus 3,000 at the public high school.) Our logic was that if we started at the Catholic school, and it didn't work out, the public school would HAVE to take him, but if he started at public, and it didn't work out, the Catholic school might not have any openings later. If you move your daughter to the Catholic school and it doesn't work out, you can always go back to public....
wembleyworried
wembleyworried March 7, 2009
Thank you for your response.
MaMaas
MaMaas March 6, 2009
Sorry, rushing without correcting. Forgive my typos and errors. I hope you can understand.
MaMaas
MaMaas March 6, 2009
Well I always thought that private, Catholic even Charter schools hold a higher standard, guidelines and boundaries, that the public schools either have but don't up hold. Theres a since of closeness at these school public schools are raw its very hard to find closeness there especially being a new student. My Aunts have thought in Christian based schools and I have had my children in Charter Schools and now there going to public school and its a challenge to be excepted and I have to be on top making sure my children are challenged and treated fairly. As long as your able to be involved your child will evolve in any place. Me personally if I could afford private I would rather pay for structure than submit my child to public schools were children are not stable and parents are not there!

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