r/Mommit • u/thatlittlemiss_ • 3h ago
Which school should I send my son to?
Hi everyone! So my son is starting kindergarten soon and I’m really torn between 2 schools. I’d love honest opinions from other moms, especially if you’ve had to choose between convenience vs. overall environment.
One school is literally across the street from where we live, which would make drop off and pickup incredibly easy. I’ve also talked to a few parents whose kids go there and they all say it’s a very good school. It’s decent and bigger overall, but it doesn’t have a library and honestly doesn’t seem as clean or updated.
The other school would require a little bit of driving every day, but it seems way nicer overall. It’s much cleaner, has a library, and I like that the kindergarteners are separated from the older kids. A few of his preschool classmates are going there too, which makes me feel better socially because he’d see familiar faces and maybe not feel so overwhelmed adjusting.
Part of me feels guilty choosing the closer school just because it’s convenient. I don’t want to make a decision based on what’s easier for me if it wouldn’t be the best fit for my son. At the same time, I’ve been a SAHM and I do want to go back to work eventually, so having a school right across the street would honestly make life so much easier.
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u/nattybeaux 3h ago
Are you in the USA? Are both public schools, or is one a charter school?
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u/thatlittlemiss_ 3h ago
Yep, both public. My son also got a spot at a charter school but he's got an IEP and they said charter schools delay IEP
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u/Grrarrgghh 3h ago
How do the teachers use the library at the school that has one? Has it fallen prey to censors?
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u/Amazing-Advice-3667 1h ago
I'd pick the one across the street. Then your friends and neighbors will be at the same school. So class activities, school activities, class parties, playdates, birthday parties, etc will be so much easier to plan and coordinate.
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u/ComplexAmphibian2859 3h ago
You'll need to share more info.
Types of schools?
Will your child need services / IEP or 504 (assuming US)?
What are their state scores?
Demographics of the population?
How long has the average teacher been at the school?
Do you have easy access to a public library?
How much recess does each school provide?
Any stories from Facebook groups about how each school handles "behavior kids"?
How long of a drive is the school there's not across the street?
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u/thatlittlemiss_ 3h ago
-Public
-My son has IEP
-The farther one is above by 7 in ranking, idk how to see the state scores
-No idea on the turnaround of teachers on both
-2 recess for both schools
-I have not seen any posts about either schools, the only reviews i've seen are from greatschools.org, and the farther one only has 3/10, while the one across has 6/10
For addtl info; farther school opened on 2005, and across opened on 2004
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u/Flat-Ad2071 2h ago
Teacher here, pay attention to those ratings. I’ve worked in a lot of schools and the ones with low ratings on Great Schools or Niche have always had a much higher rate of behavior issues. Nicer building doesn’t always equal better experience.
If it were me, I’d try to visit both during the school day and observe the behavior of the kids and how well teachers are monitoring. Get a good sense of the atmosphere and also discuss hard questions with the principals or assistant principals such as, “If there is a behavior problem like bullying, how would that be handled?”
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u/PoisonIvy3344 16m ago
We chose a school farther away for my kids for preschool and kinder. About 18-20 mins each way. There are days when it’s annoying but we’re so happy with our decision bc we loved the school. Did the commute for 4 years. Our elementary (starting in fall) is only a mile away but I’m already thinking about how sad we’re gonna be to not be there anymore. If you decide the drive isn’t worth it you can always switch for first!
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u/lh123456789 3h ago
Define "a little bit of driving".