A Teacher Fretting About School
I am a public school teacher and I work in one of strongest academic districts in the Bay Area. The school I teach at routinely ranks in the top five in California. It’s that good!
My school is also a ‘choice’ school, meaning that it is students come from all over the school district. You have to choose to send your kids there. Therefore school admission is based on a lottery. When a child’s number is called a parent almost always pulls their child out of their current private or public school to enter ours.
I know what great teaching is all about. I’ve seen both sides, the good school environment and the bad.
This is the best.
So why am I fretting about school?
Simple. I don’t live in the school district in which I teach.
Teachers can’t afford to buy a house there.
I have two children. My oldest will enter kindergarten a year from September and he cannot go to the my school.
Kinda stinks, doesn’t it?
Often one of the benefits that many school districts offer their teachers is automatic admission for their children. On top of it being very convenient for us, it also ensures the district that we teachers stay put for the duration of our children’s schooling careers. Teacher retention is quite a problem in Silicon Valley. It’s a win win.
But since my school is a choice school, my own children don’t even have an option of attending.
So I fret.
I’ve seen great. I teach at great. I want great for my kids.
The school district in which I live is alright. It’s neither great nor bad. My kids will probably do fine while attending school in this district. But then I think, Is alright good enough for my children?
No.
My husband and I have discussed private education, moving, public schools, private schools again.… But truth be told, two public servants living in Silicon Valley simply cannot afford a mortgage and one private school tuition, let alone two tuitions as my daughter enters school.
So we’re stuck. Private school costs too much, while public school just might not be great enough.
When it comes down to it, I’m just as confused as the next mom trying to do her best by her kids.
Any suggestions?
Originally posted at Silicon Valley Moms Blog
Amber said,
April 9, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
I know how it is to want the very best for your kids. It’s frustrating because you don’t want money to be the reason for not giving them what you perceive as the best. It’s a sucky reality though, only very few people can afford “the best” and they’re the ones who don’t appreciate it! I’m experiencing that with preschool right now. Kat is smart and would thrive in a great preschool, but I can’t afford it. BC and eClaire will absolutely thrive in a ‘good’ district. You’re still their main teacher and as you know, you’re great
Andrea said,
April 10, 2008 @ 9:04 am
How about a magnet school in your district or a charter school? We didn’t win the lottery for our local magnet school after trying for 3 years and my oldest was bored in our local school, but we finally found a great place for her in grade 2 in a charter school in another district.
Brillig said,
April 10, 2008 @ 11:47 pm
Wow, that’s a tough one! You really can’t get anyone to pull any strings? There’s no loop hole? How frustrating!!! Surely there’s another angle to this that you haven’t fully examined yet. Surely! Best of luck with that…
Brillig’s last blog post..Getting to Know You… and Me
Gunfighter said,
April 22, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
I know how you feel about a school of choice… my little one goes to one and we love it.
Oh, and it is the text for Pillipians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Gunfighter’s last blog post..New Ink!