I remember a moment of panic when the nurse first placed O in my arms... How was I going to do this? How was I going to take care of this little person? There were a million things to worry, agonize and stress myself out over... When I try to recall what that list of "things" was that I was concerned about...I don't recall choosing a kindergarten being on that list. College? Yes... but kindergarten? Not so much...
My perspective has changed over the last six months as I have run the gauntlet (otherwise known as trying to figure out the best place to send your five-year old when you live in the Racine Unified school district), weighing the options and trying to make a wise decision... I have a stack of paperwork about a mile high on my desk, evidence of the amount of legwork that has gone into this process.
Public School Recap: Unfortunately, the neighborhood school that we are assigned to is, well...let's just say, less than ideal. So, I looked into the options to move O to another public school... those options include, applying to the "magnet" schools in town; applying out of district and taking a chance on a spot being open; applying during "school choice" time to another city (but if you then move to that City they void your application...what?!). Decided to pursue the magnet school option... Sat through three orientation meetings (you have to attend one at every school you apply to) where they basically told us you have a small chance of getting your kid in because a zillion parents apply, and we have only a few slots open thanks to sibling preference and requirements to fill the slots based on the demographics of the City. In other words...if O was a Chinese girl, we would be in...but, she isn't (no one cares that she is a second generation US-born Russian...go figure?).
Private School Recap: Next option...private school. I have now visited every Catholic grade school in this City... There are lots of good options and quite honestly, the tuition seems small in comparison to stressing out over her safety at some of the other schools (and compared to what we have already paid the last five years). The other plus is that most of them go through eighth grade...which means that I won't have to go through all of this again when we get to the middle school decision. Yeah...that is a big plus.
To make the process even more special... O's dad and I don't agree on any of the options (this is a surprise, right?!). His top three list includes two schools that have tuition that rivals that of some local colleges... When I provided my list I got the "all you care about is money, you don't care about her education" speech...which is ironic considering I have visited a lot of schools and he has not visited any of his top three... apparently, if you spend a fortune, your child gets a good education!? Hmmmm....
So, here we are... the middle of April and the magnet school application letters are starting to come in... Fine Arts? Not chosen in the lottery... Red Apple? CHOSEN in the lottery... this is a small miracle, complicated by the fact that while the program is strong (science and technology focus), the school itself is in a crappy place and the schedule is not great, requiring busing for after school, etc. Jefferson Lighthouse...still pending. In the meantime, my Catholic school friends are actively pursuing me...personalized emails, phone calls, etc...
Does it not seem like this should be easier? Did my parents go through all of this? It is all worth it to get O into the right environment where she can get smart, make friends, and stay safe...and also be in an environment that I can handle leaving her in so that I can go to work all day, and not have a nervous breakdown while I am there. In my mind, the choice is made...I see her at one of the Catholic grade schools...in her uniform, playing with the other girls, going to religion class, just like I did. But I wonder... am I missing something? Will she get a well-rounded education? Is there a better option (and don't suggest moving...thanks to the real estate market, I think that option is out)? I am agonizing about this choice, and keep wondering...am I making a bigger deal about this than I should? Of all the things I worry about, isn't this the one that matters most?
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