Dear Logan,
The last school that we checked out last weekend was St. C. This school is a little farther away, but still in Sunnyvale. We first went into the Preschool/Pre-K room. Both rooms are decent-sized and brightly lit. Aidan was immediately attracted to the school bus in the little kids room. He didn't want to go over to the Pre-K room. Hank mentioned his nose was allergic to something when he was in the preschool room, and wondered if it was mold. Not a good sign! I talked to both Pre-K teachers, who are nice and young-looking. I got a feeling that the class is not academically-focused. I believe they follow the Montessori style of teaching. Not that it's a bad thing, but I think we're looking for more focus on academics.
They have music class once a week, Spanish once a week, computer class once every 2 weeks. there's a computer lab that the kids could go to. They have 3-4 field trips a year, Christmas pageants and performances. I think the curriculum is very similar to what Aidan is doing right now at CCLC. We didn't stay too long in this room, as we're running out of time already. We wanted to be able to go to the KG room.
We were escorted by the Vice Principal, who also teaches science and computer. The Vice Principal seems like a pretty young guy. He showed us the computer lab and the library, which I like. I spent a decent amount of time talking to the Kg teacher. She looks like she's my age, and appears very enthusiastic about teaching.
There are about 16-22 kids with 1 teacher and 1 part-time aide (shared with 1st grade). They have computer class once a week (30 mins), PE twice a week (30 mins), Spanish once a week (30 mins), Art once a week (50 mins) and music once a week (30 mins). They also teach religion everyday, and go to mass once a month. Religion appears to be a big part of the school curriculum. Classes are from 8-2:50 p.m. and then extended care. Before Christmas, kids all have nap/rest time. But after Christmas, they won't be able to nap anymore.
Kids are taught to read and write 1-2 sentences, and there are a bunch of sight words posted on the wall. They use a language arts program (phonics) from day 1. They also teach addition and subtraction within 1-10. The first couple hours in the morning are ability groups, when teacher can work 1:1 with students to improve their reading. Students have homework every Monday to bring home, and bring them back to school on Friday. There isn't any formal tests, but assessment of how they are doing.
There are about 1 field trip a month, except in the beginning of the school year when they're trying to learn the basic rules and schedules.
This school is OK, but I don't think it's one of the top ones, though I like the KG teacher.
What do you think, Logan?
Love,
Mommy
Showing posts with label open house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label open house. Show all posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
St. L Open House
Dear Logan,
Continuing with my series of blog posts regarding the open houses, the next one is St. L. This Catholic school is the closest to our house. This school actually goes up to high school. The campus isn't and as all Catholic schools, the campus is on the older side.
We were first escorted by a member of the student council to the Extended Care room. But for the first 15 minutes, I thought that was the Pre-K room. Then it dawned on my after questioning the teachers for a while that it's not! The extended care room is pretty big, but the toys that they had there were all very old. Granted, Aidan still had a good time playing with the cars and trucks that he saw.
When we went to the Pre-K room, we saw a few bunnies outside. It's nice to see live animals, especially when you're teaching about them in science class. There are actually two rooms for the one Pre-K class. One of the rooms is open to other students, and the little ones get to interact with the older kids. However, they only offer a half-day Pre-K class from 8-11:15 and the rest of the time, Aidan would have to be in extended care. That's already a "NO" in my book. That's just not enough class time, and too much downtime. They have Music class (Mon), Library time (Tue/Th), Mass every Wed morning, and PE (Th).
The teacher said the first half of the day is spent on Math, putting numbers in order, learning dates of the month and their birthdays. The second half of the day will be reading and learning the alphabet, and associate words with the letter. The teachers acknowledged that students come in at different level, and they will work with students with different abilities in different groups, so the advanced ones won't be bored. They also accept Open Enrollment throughout the year, provided there's a spot for the student.
We toured the garden at the back where the students have planted carrots. The teacher said the Boy Scouts helped with the project.
We then headed over to the KG room. We saw brand new computer screen where the chalk board was. The teachers said they just got this SMART screen last week. It did some really cool stuff. We also saw some "fake snow" that a couple kids were playing with. I couldn't tell from the texture what kind of snow that is. We didn't notice they have the whole Penguin theme going on in the classroom. There were 5 laptops there, and Aidan of course sat himself down and played with it. The teacher was nice enough to log on and let Aidan play, while I asked more questions. The students use the laptop for reading and math programs, and they do assessment on the kids using them.
There are about 31-36 students in the class with 3 teachers. Actually, I think the room is a little small for that many students. Class is from 8-3, and then extended care until 6. There's a kitchen in the school, where students could order lunch the day of. The teacher also said there's a volunteer who comes in on Fridays to teach a cooking class. There are other classes taught by outside teachers, such as Spanish, Music, Art and PE. There are 3 field trips a year (see a play, pizza parlor, park). On the teacher/class website, it will show what they are doing for the week, and the teacher welcomes emails or talk in person. There's homework to be given out every Monday, and they're expected to complete them and bring back to school on Friday. Informal assessments are done every month, and a report card 3x/year.
Students are expected to be able to read and write 3 sentences, and be able to do addition and subtraction by the end of the school year.
I get a good vibe from all the teachers, but I just don't like the Pre-K is only half day. The campus also seems a little small with all the students around. However, I do like that they invested on technology with the new SMART screen in all the KG and Grade level classrooms. I think the middle school kids all get a laptop as well.
Love you,
Mommy
Continuing with my series of blog posts regarding the open houses, the next one is St. L. This Catholic school is the closest to our house. This school actually goes up to high school. The campus isn't and as all Catholic schools, the campus is on the older side.
We were first escorted by a member of the student council to the Extended Care room. But for the first 15 minutes, I thought that was the Pre-K room. Then it dawned on my after questioning the teachers for a while that it's not! The extended care room is pretty big, but the toys that they had there were all very old. Granted, Aidan still had a good time playing with the cars and trucks that he saw.
When we went to the Pre-K room, we saw a few bunnies outside. It's nice to see live animals, especially when you're teaching about them in science class. There are actually two rooms for the one Pre-K class. One of the rooms is open to other students, and the little ones get to interact with the older kids. However, they only offer a half-day Pre-K class from 8-11:15 and the rest of the time, Aidan would have to be in extended care. That's already a "NO" in my book. That's just not enough class time, and too much downtime. They have Music class (Mon), Library time (Tue/Th), Mass every Wed morning, and PE (Th).
The teacher said the first half of the day is spent on Math, putting numbers in order, learning dates of the month and their birthdays. The second half of the day will be reading and learning the alphabet, and associate words with the letter. The teachers acknowledged that students come in at different level, and they will work with students with different abilities in different groups, so the advanced ones won't be bored. They also accept Open Enrollment throughout the year, provided there's a spot for the student.
We toured the garden at the back where the students have planted carrots. The teacher said the Boy Scouts helped with the project.
We then headed over to the KG room. We saw brand new computer screen where the chalk board was. The teachers said they just got this SMART screen last week. It did some really cool stuff. We also saw some "fake snow" that a couple kids were playing with. I couldn't tell from the texture what kind of snow that is. We didn't notice they have the whole Penguin theme going on in the classroom. There were 5 laptops there, and Aidan of course sat himself down and played with it. The teacher was nice enough to log on and let Aidan play, while I asked more questions. The students use the laptop for reading and math programs, and they do assessment on the kids using them.
There are about 31-36 students in the class with 3 teachers. Actually, I think the room is a little small for that many students. Class is from 8-3, and then extended care until 6. There's a kitchen in the school, where students could order lunch the day of. The teacher also said there's a volunteer who comes in on Fridays to teach a cooking class. There are other classes taught by outside teachers, such as Spanish, Music, Art and PE. There are 3 field trips a year (see a play, pizza parlor, park). On the teacher/class website, it will show what they are doing for the week, and the teacher welcomes emails or talk in person. There's homework to be given out every Monday, and they're expected to complete them and bring back to school on Friday. Informal assessments are done every month, and a report card 3x/year.
Students are expected to be able to read and write 3 sentences, and be able to do addition and subtraction by the end of the school year.
I get a good vibe from all the teachers, but I just don't like the Pre-K is only half day. The campus also seems a little small with all the students around. However, I do like that they invested on technology with the new SMART screen in all the KG and Grade level classrooms. I think the middle school kids all get a laptop as well.
Love you,
Mommy
Sunday, January 31, 2010
St. M Open House
Dear Logan,
On Saturday, after dropping daddy off at Auntie Rachel and Uncle Paul's house to help them move, Mommy and big brother continued on our mission to check out more open houses.
We headed to St. M, which is pretty close to where we live. This school didn't seem too big, and the hallways are painted in yellow and blue (I guess those are the school colors).
The Pre-K students shared the room with the 3-4 yr olds as well. At first I thought the room was pretty big. After talking to the teacher, I found out the Pre-K shared the room with the little ones, and half of the room is actually for extended care. The room didn't seem that big after all. The teacher I talked to is new to the school. She's soft spoken and obviously doesn't know the school very well. The other teacher was talking to another parent, so I didn't get to talk to the more experienced one.
There are 2 Pre-K teachers, and they have about 22-36 kids. Children bring their own lunch. I need to look up their website to see if they have catering for lunches. I didn't see that in my notes. They have music class every Tuesday and a science class where they learn how to grow celery. I asked about what's expected from the kids, and this young teacher told me that the Diocese expects all kids to at least learn to count to 10. She said they want them to count to 20. Ok, that's not good enough. I guess if I have asked a more experienced teacher, I would get a better answer. The extended care reinforced homework and also fun activities. The teacher said the preschoolers are buddied up with the 4th graders. They have a buddy-system going on.
I then headed to the KG room and spoke with a more experienced, and enthusiastic teacher. The ratio is 1 teacher to 20-25 kids plus a full-time aide. Aside from books, there are toys and coloring pencils for kids. The teacher seemed to know what she is doing. She said they use a reading program called Super kids. It's a phonetic-based program. There are also songs that help reinforce what the children are learning. They also teacher kids how to decode and sound out each letter.
This school has a library (not too big but with lots of books) and a computer lab with a bunch of Macs. The teacher said the KG kids get to use the computer lab once a week, and maybe a little more during open time. There's PE every week and Music class once a week. The KG students are buddied up with the 5th graders.
On our way out, we passed by the gym. The gym isn't too big and it looked kinda old.
As much as I like the KG teacher's enthusiasm, I am not sure if I like this school and it's curriculum and facilities enough.
I think I am going to take a break. Kinda difficult to write 4 different entries in a night when I am getting tired. I think I might continue the Sunday open house recaps at another time.
Love you,
Mommy
On Saturday, after dropping daddy off at Auntie Rachel and Uncle Paul's house to help them move, Mommy and big brother continued on our mission to check out more open houses.
We headed to St. M, which is pretty close to where we live. This school didn't seem too big, and the hallways are painted in yellow and blue (I guess those are the school colors).
The Pre-K students shared the room with the 3-4 yr olds as well. At first I thought the room was pretty big. After talking to the teacher, I found out the Pre-K shared the room with the little ones, and half of the room is actually for extended care. The room didn't seem that big after all. The teacher I talked to is new to the school. She's soft spoken and obviously doesn't know the school very well. The other teacher was talking to another parent, so I didn't get to talk to the more experienced one.
There are 2 Pre-K teachers, and they have about 22-36 kids. Children bring their own lunch. I need to look up their website to see if they have catering for lunches. I didn't see that in my notes. They have music class every Tuesday and a science class where they learn how to grow celery. I asked about what's expected from the kids, and this young teacher told me that the Diocese expects all kids to at least learn to count to 10. She said they want them to count to 20. Ok, that's not good enough. I guess if I have asked a more experienced teacher, I would get a better answer. The extended care reinforced homework and also fun activities. The teacher said the preschoolers are buddied up with the 4th graders. They have a buddy-system going on.
I then headed to the KG room and spoke with a more experienced, and enthusiastic teacher. The ratio is 1 teacher to 20-25 kids plus a full-time aide. Aside from books, there are toys and coloring pencils for kids. The teacher seemed to know what she is doing. She said they use a reading program called Super kids. It's a phonetic-based program. There are also songs that help reinforce what the children are learning. They also teacher kids how to decode and sound out each letter.
This school has a library (not too big but with lots of books) and a computer lab with a bunch of Macs. The teacher said the KG kids get to use the computer lab once a week, and maybe a little more during open time. There's PE every week and Music class once a week. The KG students are buddied up with the 5th graders.
On our way out, we passed by the gym. The gym isn't too big and it looked kinda old.
As much as I like the KG teacher's enthusiasm, I am not sure if I like this school and it's curriculum and facilities enough.
I think I am going to take a break. Kinda difficult to write 4 different entries in a night when I am getting tired. I think I might continue the Sunday open house recaps at another time.
Love you,
Mommy
S. School Open House
Dear Logan,
We visited another 4 open houses this weekend. I think I am getting confused and slowly forgot what I have seen. I've been meaning to write about the two schools I saw yesterday, so that I won't mix it up with the 2 today. But of course, I didn't get to do that last night. Let's see if my memory serves me well.
We visited one of the two locations of S. School. I'll be visiting the other location this coming Saturday. This school is very academic-focused as well. As a general impression of the curriculum, we're pleased with it.
Pre-K schedule is from 8:15-3:45. We met with the teacher and checked out the classroom. Teacher was very nice and enthusiastic. She went through the curriculum a little bit and showed the different projects that the kids did. We saw pictures of the artist/composer of the month. Children copy the picture of an artist/composer and wrote a little something about him/her. The kids were taught reading/phonics, math, science, music, and PE. Aside from artisit/composer of the month, they also have a science topic of the month. They learn about the life cycle of butterflies and frogs, and see the actual butterflies, tadpoles and worms.
I like that in Pre-K, the kids are already learning simple addition (concrete addition) already, and don't have to wait till KG. Music classes are based on the science and art topic.
The ratio is 1:12 and there are 2 lead teachers. The little ones have a separate playground away from the big kids. Twice a year, there's a progress report cards for parents.
The classroom was a good-sized room. As always, student projects and artwork are posted on the wall and window. They have a pretty structured schedule throughout the day. Lunch is not provided, but could order from the catering service.
One bad thing that we noticed when walking in the hallways - leaky roof. Not a good sign. The campus is pretty big, but old. We definitely do not like seeing water on the floor, and a little leak. I am hoping to check out the other campus next week, and the building would be a not newer and nicer.
We then went to the KG room and met with two teachers. Ratio is 1:15 with 2 teachers and 30 kids. The schedule of the day is as structured as the Pre-K room. There are 3 KG classes and it's definitely academic based. We saw the sample math sheet posted on the wall and they are already counting coins (how many dimes and pennies in $0.85). There are word problems as well. I was a little taken back that KG kids are learning that already. But then, we definitely like how advanced it could be.
They offered PE class (2x/week), Music classes (3x/week), art classes (3x/week). Homework is due every Friday (Math and spelling). There is a test every Friday, and a poem recital! Of course, all teachers tell parents not to worry too much about homework, as kids spend all week learning the new spelling words and doing Math. There are other extra-curricula activities and classes taught by outside contracted teachers, e.g. chess, yoga, and soccer.
Despite such a rigorous academic curriculum, they do not have a library in this school. They have the booksmobile coming 1x/month and children check out books. But still, you would think a library is pretty critical. I guess they just want you to focus on their curriculum, but not really leisure reading? They also do not have a computer lab. That's a bummer! The teachers said there's a rotating computer teacher who travels to the campus with laptops. I think he might travel to the other campus as well. Not good either.
Melanie actually goes to this school, but the San Jose location. I think I am going to ask Auntie Leonor and Uncle Kyle what they think of the school.
Love you,
Mommy
We visited another 4 open houses this weekend. I think I am getting confused and slowly forgot what I have seen. I've been meaning to write about the two schools I saw yesterday, so that I won't mix it up with the 2 today. But of course, I didn't get to do that last night. Let's see if my memory serves me well.
We visited one of the two locations of S. School. I'll be visiting the other location this coming Saturday. This school is very academic-focused as well. As a general impression of the curriculum, we're pleased with it.
Pre-K schedule is from 8:15-3:45. We met with the teacher and checked out the classroom. Teacher was very nice and enthusiastic. She went through the curriculum a little bit and showed the different projects that the kids did. We saw pictures of the artist/composer of the month. Children copy the picture of an artist/composer and wrote a little something about him/her. The kids were taught reading/phonics, math, science, music, and PE. Aside from artisit/composer of the month, they also have a science topic of the month. They learn about the life cycle of butterflies and frogs, and see the actual butterflies, tadpoles and worms.
I like that in Pre-K, the kids are already learning simple addition (concrete addition) already, and don't have to wait till KG. Music classes are based on the science and art topic.
The ratio is 1:12 and there are 2 lead teachers. The little ones have a separate playground away from the big kids. Twice a year, there's a progress report cards for parents.
The classroom was a good-sized room. As always, student projects and artwork are posted on the wall and window. They have a pretty structured schedule throughout the day. Lunch is not provided, but could order from the catering service.
One bad thing that we noticed when walking in the hallways - leaky roof. Not a good sign. The campus is pretty big, but old. We definitely do not like seeing water on the floor, and a little leak. I am hoping to check out the other campus next week, and the building would be a not newer and nicer.
We then went to the KG room and met with two teachers. Ratio is 1:15 with 2 teachers and 30 kids. The schedule of the day is as structured as the Pre-K room. There are 3 KG classes and it's definitely academic based. We saw the sample math sheet posted on the wall and they are already counting coins (how many dimes and pennies in $0.85). There are word problems as well. I was a little taken back that KG kids are learning that already. But then, we definitely like how advanced it could be.
They offered PE class (2x/week), Music classes (3x/week), art classes (3x/week). Homework is due every Friday (Math and spelling). There is a test every Friday, and a poem recital! Of course, all teachers tell parents not to worry too much about homework, as kids spend all week learning the new spelling words and doing Math. There are other extra-curricula activities and classes taught by outside contracted teachers, e.g. chess, yoga, and soccer.
Despite such a rigorous academic curriculum, they do not have a library in this school. They have the booksmobile coming 1x/month and children check out books. But still, you would think a library is pretty critical. I guess they just want you to focus on their curriculum, but not really leisure reading? They also do not have a computer lab. That's a bummer! The teachers said there's a rotating computer teacher who travels to the campus with laptops. I think he might travel to the other campus as well. Not good either.
Melanie actually goes to this school, but the San Jose location. I think I am going to ask Auntie Leonor and Uncle Kyle what they think of the school.
Love you,
Mommy
Sunday, January 24, 2010
R. School Open House
Dear Logan,
After Uncle John's birthday lunch on Saturday, we went to check out another school. This is the first Catholic private school. We got there pretty early, and it wasn't very busy. We arrived at the gym/hall, where they had tables displaying information about all the grades, clubs, and special events. Of course, there's a display of cookies and pastries provided by parent volunteers. In order to keep your brother happy, he happily got two cookies during our stay.
Since the Pre-K room was right by the gym, a parent volunteer directed us to is. This school appeared older, and the room wasn't too big. No teacher was in there, so we didn't get a chance to ask the Pre-K teacher any questions. Just like all classrooms, student artwork and exercises were displayed. There were books and toys for the kids. This room was small, compared to all the other rooms we have checked out. We stayed for a little while and then went back outside.
We approached a Student volunteer to show us where the KG room was. This student volunteer was in the student council, and she gave us a tour of the school. I think she's in 7th grade. She was quiet and probably didn't want to waste her Saturday afternoon at school. On our way to the KG class, we passed by the computer lab. That's a sight! A room full of iMacs and they are all pretty new. Some students were in there, and of course your brother didn't want to leave. The student volunteer said that all kids get to come in here 1-2x per week to use the computer. We also passed by the library. The librarian was in there at the time. It's a decent-sized library with shelves and shelves of books. It reminded me of the small library room in my elementary school.
We then went into the KG room. The room seems pretty spacious, bigger than the one at M. Academy. Your brother went straight to the calendar and chess. The student volunteer was nice enough to play with Aidan and kept him happy, while Daddy and Mommy talked to the teacher. There's a teacher and a teacher's aide in the room for 28-30 students. This particular teacher's teaching method didn't seem to be very structured. Students learn through different projects. For example, in the spring, they had tadpoles, and then kids would learn EVERYTHING about tadpoles and frogs. Children get a math assessment every trimester, and a KG report/assessment every trimester. Pre-K teacher will assess the child before transitioning to KG, and transitioning can only be done in the beginning of the school year. It seems like all Catholic schools follow the curriculum assigned by the Diocese. Children will bring home books to read, depending on their reading level. I got a feeling that this particular teacher has a very flexible teaching style, which is not a bad thing. I remember commenting to Daddy that I felt this school has a very "American" way of teaching kids. But both C. School and M. Academy's style is more what Daddy and Mommy had in Asia. The teacher mentioned by the end of the school year, kids should learn all their letters and count to 30. That's not good enough. Your brother knew all his alphabet when he's 2, and he can already count till 100 now. Even the student volunteer noticed this as she was playing a letter game with him, and Aidan knew all his alphabet - both upper and lower case.
We also saw the playground outside. It was a pretty big area for all the kids to play. There's a smaller area for the Preschoolers, and the bigger area for all other grades. On our way back to the gym, we passed by the computer lab again. The students welcomed your brother to use the computer. Your brother definitely made himself at home. Sitting down and wanting to take videos and pictures. The student was nice enough to show him. He also told us he's trying to program his little robot to go through a maze! Now, that's something I like to hear. I saw a few other robotic cars on the table. I think this kid is in 6th grade. He is probably in some kinda club to do that project. While we're at the computer lab, I overheard the student volunteer who showed us around, telling her friend that Aidan's smart!
Overall, this school is just OK. The tuition cost is about the same as M. Academy for non-parishioners. And it doesn't include meals, which they do have a caterer for you to order from. This school does offer summer classes and summer camps. However, it is a little older, and I think it's not as academically-focused as we would like.
We have many more schools to check out the next couple weekends.
Love,
Mommy
After Uncle John's birthday lunch on Saturday, we went to check out another school. This is the first Catholic private school. We got there pretty early, and it wasn't very busy. We arrived at the gym/hall, where they had tables displaying information about all the grades, clubs, and special events. Of course, there's a display of cookies and pastries provided by parent volunteers. In order to keep your brother happy, he happily got two cookies during our stay.
Since the Pre-K room was right by the gym, a parent volunteer directed us to is. This school appeared older, and the room wasn't too big. No teacher was in there, so we didn't get a chance to ask the Pre-K teacher any questions. Just like all classrooms, student artwork and exercises were displayed. There were books and toys for the kids. This room was small, compared to all the other rooms we have checked out. We stayed for a little while and then went back outside.
We approached a Student volunteer to show us where the KG room was. This student volunteer was in the student council, and she gave us a tour of the school. I think she's in 7th grade. She was quiet and probably didn't want to waste her Saturday afternoon at school. On our way to the KG class, we passed by the computer lab. That's a sight! A room full of iMacs and they are all pretty new. Some students were in there, and of course your brother didn't want to leave. The student volunteer said that all kids get to come in here 1-2x per week to use the computer. We also passed by the library. The librarian was in there at the time. It's a decent-sized library with shelves and shelves of books. It reminded me of the small library room in my elementary school.
We then went into the KG room. The room seems pretty spacious, bigger than the one at M. Academy. Your brother went straight to the calendar and chess. The student volunteer was nice enough to play with Aidan and kept him happy, while Daddy and Mommy talked to the teacher. There's a teacher and a teacher's aide in the room for 28-30 students. This particular teacher's teaching method didn't seem to be very structured. Students learn through different projects. For example, in the spring, they had tadpoles, and then kids would learn EVERYTHING about tadpoles and frogs. Children get a math assessment every trimester, and a KG report/assessment every trimester. Pre-K teacher will assess the child before transitioning to KG, and transitioning can only be done in the beginning of the school year. It seems like all Catholic schools follow the curriculum assigned by the Diocese. Children will bring home books to read, depending on their reading level. I got a feeling that this particular teacher has a very flexible teaching style, which is not a bad thing. I remember commenting to Daddy that I felt this school has a very "American" way of teaching kids. But both C. School and M. Academy's style is more what Daddy and Mommy had in Asia. The teacher mentioned by the end of the school year, kids should learn all their letters and count to 30. That's not good enough. Your brother knew all his alphabet when he's 2, and he can already count till 100 now. Even the student volunteer noticed this as she was playing a letter game with him, and Aidan knew all his alphabet - both upper and lower case.
We also saw the playground outside. It was a pretty big area for all the kids to play. There's a smaller area for the Preschoolers, and the bigger area for all other grades. On our way back to the gym, we passed by the computer lab again. The students welcomed your brother to use the computer. Your brother definitely made himself at home. Sitting down and wanting to take videos and pictures. The student was nice enough to show him. He also told us he's trying to program his little robot to go through a maze! Now, that's something I like to hear. I saw a few other robotic cars on the table. I think this kid is in 6th grade. He is probably in some kinda club to do that project. While we're at the computer lab, I overheard the student volunteer who showed us around, telling her friend that Aidan's smart!
Overall, this school is just OK. The tuition cost is about the same as M. Academy for non-parishioners. And it doesn't include meals, which they do have a caterer for you to order from. This school does offer summer classes and summer camps. However, it is a little older, and I think it's not as academically-focused as we would like.
We have many more schools to check out the next couple weekends.
Love,
Mommy
M. Academy Open House
Dear Logan,
So we went to check out two more schools yesterday. We first went to M. Academy, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not sure if it's because it's a Saturday, or it's a private, non-Christian school, but that place was packed! Balloons were given to little kids, the classrooms were all decorated, and snacks of fruits, cookies, and candies were readily available. I had to say, they presented themselves very well.
We were escorted in by a parent volunteer who has a little girl in the pre-K room. He took us to the Pre-K room, showed us where the KG room was, and then left. We had a chance to look around this huge classroom and chatted with one of the teachers. She was nice and friendly, and looked pretty young. Your brother was busy sucking on his candy and playing with the play kitchen at the Dramatic Play area. There were books, pictures, drawings done by students, posted on the wall. It was a very warm and welcoming room. We saw that each kid has an assigned seat with a sign stating their dietary restrictions.
After talking to the Pre-K teacher, we found out that the room is for 30 kids with 3 teachers. Though it is a big room, I am not sure how I feel about having 30 kids altogether. Sounds chaotic! There's another Pre-K room with two teachers and 24 kids. Each year, students get 2 assessments through observations. In the summer, they do 2 field trips a year, some close by and some far away. When they do go far away, there's a school bus to take the kids. The kids get to go out to the playground area 3x a day. At this point, I don't quite remember what that playground looks like. I think it's a decent-sized one, and average. If it's good or bad, it would have made an impression on me. Overall, I really like this room and the school, so far.
We then went over to the KG room and spoke with the teacher. There was another parent volunteer showing a couple other parents around. This room felt welcoming as well, nicely decorated with children's artwork and pictures. Daddy was keeping your brother happy while I spent time with the teacher, and asked some questions.
From speaking with the teacher and the notes I have taken, the KG class is definitely more structured than the Pre-K room. The ratio is 1:20, and no more naps. Instead of nap, the teacher said she did some meditation during the day (not quite exactly know what that entails). In the morning, they do language arts and math, and in the afternoon, they do reading, social science and science. There are extra-curricula classes that parents could pay extra for the kids. This particular teacher said she likes songs and likes to teach through music. By the end of the school year, kids are expected to write complete sentences, and read simple chapter books. The curriculum is about a year ahead of the public school system. The parent volunteer mentioned something called Project Cornerstone, where they teach kids about conflict resolution with parents involvement. Once a month, there's a newsletter for the parents. This particular teacher does some e-mail communication, but prefers written note. She said there will be a math assessment every 5 lessons. When I asked about the spelling tests that I found listed on the website, both the teacher and parent volunteer said not to worry. The kids see those words everyday from Mon-Th, and by Friday spelling test comes around, they all know the words even without intentionally studying for them.
Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time to really tour around the school, as we had to meet with Grandma, Yeh Yeh, Uncle John and Auntie Katie for lunch as Saturday was Uncle John's birthday. On our way out, we did check out the gym/cafeteria/theater stage area. I like that they have drama/theater classes for kids. We also went into the music room, where they have displayed different musical instruments (keyboards, guitar, drums). The teacher said that all students have music class once a week, and when they're older, they could be in a school band. I believe that's part of the extra-curricula activities.
The other extra-curricula activities listed in their packets are music, gymnastics, sports and Spanish. I saw that on their website Mandarin and Taekwondo are offered, but they're not listed. I need to ask them if Mandarin is offered. If it is, then this is definitely a big PLUS! Also, lunch and 2 snacks are included in the full-time tuition. You can pay extra for extended care until 6 p.m. for grades KG and up. The tuition is cheaper than C. School, and seems to be about average private school price.
Overall, I really like this school. It's academic enough, and the environment is welcoming. Teachers seemed nice, and the curriculum seemed to be more well-rounded than C. School.
Definitely on the top of my list now!
Love,
Mommy
So we went to check out two more schools yesterday. We first went to M. Academy, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not sure if it's because it's a Saturday, or it's a private, non-Christian school, but that place was packed! Balloons were given to little kids, the classrooms were all decorated, and snacks of fruits, cookies, and candies were readily available. I had to say, they presented themselves very well.
We were escorted in by a parent volunteer who has a little girl in the pre-K room. He took us to the Pre-K room, showed us where the KG room was, and then left. We had a chance to look around this huge classroom and chatted with one of the teachers. She was nice and friendly, and looked pretty young. Your brother was busy sucking on his candy and playing with the play kitchen at the Dramatic Play area. There were books, pictures, drawings done by students, posted on the wall. It was a very warm and welcoming room. We saw that each kid has an assigned seat with a sign stating their dietary restrictions.
After talking to the Pre-K teacher, we found out that the room is for 30 kids with 3 teachers. Though it is a big room, I am not sure how I feel about having 30 kids altogether. Sounds chaotic! There's another Pre-K room with two teachers and 24 kids. Each year, students get 2 assessments through observations. In the summer, they do 2 field trips a year, some close by and some far away. When they do go far away, there's a school bus to take the kids. The kids get to go out to the playground area 3x a day. At this point, I don't quite remember what that playground looks like. I think it's a decent-sized one, and average. If it's good or bad, it would have made an impression on me. Overall, I really like this room and the school, so far.
We then went over to the KG room and spoke with the teacher. There was another parent volunteer showing a couple other parents around. This room felt welcoming as well, nicely decorated with children's artwork and pictures. Daddy was keeping your brother happy while I spent time with the teacher, and asked some questions.
From speaking with the teacher and the notes I have taken, the KG class is definitely more structured than the Pre-K room. The ratio is 1:20, and no more naps. Instead of nap, the teacher said she did some meditation during the day (not quite exactly know what that entails). In the morning, they do language arts and math, and in the afternoon, they do reading, social science and science. There are extra-curricula classes that parents could pay extra for the kids. This particular teacher said she likes songs and likes to teach through music. By the end of the school year, kids are expected to write complete sentences, and read simple chapter books. The curriculum is about a year ahead of the public school system. The parent volunteer mentioned something called Project Cornerstone, where they teach kids about conflict resolution with parents involvement. Once a month, there's a newsletter for the parents. This particular teacher does some e-mail communication, but prefers written note. She said there will be a math assessment every 5 lessons. When I asked about the spelling tests that I found listed on the website, both the teacher and parent volunteer said not to worry. The kids see those words everyday from Mon-Th, and by Friday spelling test comes around, they all know the words even without intentionally studying for them.
Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time to really tour around the school, as we had to meet with Grandma, Yeh Yeh, Uncle John and Auntie Katie for lunch as Saturday was Uncle John's birthday. On our way out, we did check out the gym/cafeteria/theater stage area. I like that they have drama/theater classes for kids. We also went into the music room, where they have displayed different musical instruments (keyboards, guitar, drums). The teacher said that all students have music class once a week, and when they're older, they could be in a school band. I believe that's part of the extra-curricula activities.
The other extra-curricula activities listed in their packets are music, gymnastics, sports and Spanish. I saw that on their website Mandarin and Taekwondo are offered, but they're not listed. I need to ask them if Mandarin is offered. If it is, then this is definitely a big PLUS! Also, lunch and 2 snacks are included in the full-time tuition. You can pay extra for extended care until 6 p.m. for grades KG and up. The tuition is cheaper than C. School, and seems to be about average private school price.
Overall, I really like this school. It's academic enough, and the environment is welcoming. Teachers seemed nice, and the curriculum seemed to be more well-rounded than C. School.
Definitely on the top of my list now!
Love,
Mommy
C. School Open House
*taken from school website
Dear Logan,
Mommy has started touring new schools for your brother. We've already been to 3 open houses now and I wanted to write down my impression of the schools before I forget them. Even though Aidan won't be going to kindergarten until the school year 2011-2012, I want to know which school I like, so that I can transfer him to the Pre-K class first. Most of the time if you attend the Pre-K, the transition to the KG class in the same school is easier, gets priority, and don't have to go through extra testing.
We visited C. School on Jan 14 in the evening after work. Since it was already dark, I didn't really get a chance to take a look at the whole school. We visited the Pre-K room and the KG room briefly. The Pre-K room was pretty big. It had pictures and drawings done by students all over the place. Everything was nicely put away. Cubbies for students, log book for signing in and out, bathrooms inside the classrooms, and toys out for the kids (which your brother and a few other kids were playing). The only thing that I couldn't visibly see were books, which I was surprised, esp. since C. School is a very academically-focused school. These are the notes I wrote down for the 4 yr-old class:
1:12 ratio (which I think is kinda high for4 yr olds)
PT teachers in the beginning of the year
nap or quiet time required by licensing
3x/day outside play
summer school prep aka KG-prep -- give up nap / bathroom in the hallway (not in the classroom)
Open 7-6 p.m., year-round
visor cards - name of child and room - present when pick-up
sticker on child (which I think is weird and somewhat unnecessary)
progress reports - 4x/yr
snacks a.m. - crackers/juice
snacks p.m. - crackers/juice/fruits
paper newsletter - no e-mail communication
teacher interns assist students who have difficulties catching up
3 KG classes - 90 spots
96 spots for both Full-time and part-time 4 yr old pre-K
no testing from Pre-K class to KG class
bring own lunch for pre-K (no microwave)
I'm not sure where I put the notes for the KG class. I remember the Headmaster (who is very much like a salesman) emphasized that this school is very academically based. This is not a bad thing, but just not too well-rounded. They don't have any separate art or music class. They are all integrated with the academic portion of the curriculum. We saw the KG students wrote something about Martin Luther King Jr. and drew a picture of him. The picture drawn, was the art portion and how it's integrated. I didn't think that's enough, though Aidan didn't seem to be a very artistic person, but still! I did see a piano and a very nice Mac stereo system in both the Pre-K and KG rooms. When asked about teacher turnover, the headmaster said the turnover is very low, esp. compared to the new campuses. When asked about teacher credential, he said not all have, but they have their own training. He added that he didn't think teaching credential is that important. Now, I have to disagree here. Teaching credentials might not be the most important thing, but it's good to know that your teacher actually knows how to teach, and understands different methods/techniques of teaching. There are a lot of smart people out there, but not all knows how to teach and share the knowledge.
Students have to wear school uniform, which I like. I've worn school uniform from KG to high school, and it's just so much easier not needing to think about what to wear. Plus, kids don't have to compare clothes or name brands.
I believe this is the most expensive private school that we're checking out. I think Daddy really likes this school because it's very academically based. This is not my ideal school because I didn't think it's well-rounded enough.
And since we went to the evening open house, only the Director and Headmaster were giving out tours. I'd like to speak with the teachers or parents more than these higher-ups. By the time we finished with the two rooms, it was already 7 p.m. (closing time), so we didn't get a chance to really check out the facilities. They did encourage us to come back during the day when classes are in session, to really get a feel of it.
I think that's all I can think of to write down about this school. Many more open houses to go to! Wish me luck.
Love you,
Mommy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
