School system structure

[Sheherezade]

It seems there are a few teachers out there active on this board, so I was hoping I could get an opinion on neighborhood schools vs. "grade-centered" schools. We are moving to the Cleveland area in July and I am currently examining all the suburban towns' school systems. Some areas have one school for K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and high school. These schools have a larger number of classrooms for 1st graders, 2nd graders, etc. because the kids come from all over the town. Some towns even have a separate "early learning center" for PK and K, then 1-2, then 3-5, then 6-8, then high school. Alternately, other systems have many K-5 neighborhood schools with a centralized middle school and high school. What is the difference with these two structures? I am leery about the kids moving to new school buildings so often, but some of the better school systems seem to follow the non-neighborhood school approach. Any opinions?

Angie

[mommax3]

Angie,

I saw your post a couple days ago and I hoped someone more informed than I would answer....but I will give it a whirl. I have also noticed this trend, although I haven't dealt directly with it yet. One of the communities we are considering has this approach, so I have been thinking about it.

Just off the top of my head, the pluses with the "grade-centered" schools would seem to be that the whole school is designed for a certain age child....from the playground equipment to the books in the library, etc. School programs would always be geared to your child's age. From a social standpoint, your child(ren) will be with kids right around their own age.....not any much older or much younger. The teachers will be able to work efficiently and have opportunities to network with many other teachers that are teaching the same grade instead of with just 2, 3, or 4 others.

The cons I guess would be never having that rush of being "the big kids" in a school that is K-5.....and not having the opportunity as an older student to go down and read to the students in early grades. For you, it means kids at different schools, even if they aren't that far apart in age, and of course the transportation issue.

If I were you, I would ask the schools that are structured this way why they have chosen this approach.....and the schools that are not, why they haven't. I am sure they would have much better answers for you than I do!

Just my .02 here.....I think that class size is the single most important thing, especially in the early grades, so keep that in mind as you look. Hope this helps!

Sally

[SueC]

I know absolutely nothing about this either--however the private school we are looking at goes Pre-K to 8th grade, all in one building. I can see the advantages of divying them up by age, that Sally mentioned (like everything being centered for that particular age-range), but if you had two or three children spread out over several years, that would be a huge pain to be shuttling them all to different schools. I suppose the education itself is more important than the convenience aspect, though.

[PrincessFiona]

Goofy,

We have had a weird grade structure here:

preschool-1

2-4

5-8

9-12


This is changing now with the addition of a new elementary school. K-4 will be in the same building. I think that it is a mistake to put fifth and sixth graders into the junior high but I think they do it out of necessity.

kris

In our school district we have:

K-4

5-6

7-9

10-12

We are not a large school district at all so I have no idea why they do this.

[Sheherezade]

Thanks for all the replies!! I stopped checking the board for a few days, so I missed them. I talked with my current teachers about this system and they seem to think their are pros and cons to each--but the general "tenor" of the school is what matters. I think I just have anxiety about moving my son around so much and the grade centered schools mean a new building/system again in a year AFTER we move. Next year he will be in his fourth school (from preschool to 3rd grade) and I just hate the idea of him always being new. I don't know why--it is obviously more of a mommy-projection than his actual experience. He doesn't complain. He's just a sensitive little guy usually and -----I'm just SOOO horomonal about this moving stuff. I think I've really hit my limit. TGI-PGY7....

Angie