Eastside First Grade Options?

This is a great area to homeschool and you can do so for FREE with WAVA (Washington Virtual Academy). Look at wava.org. Homeschool Support Associations in almost every town can also be good for social support. Look at hsa-wa.org for a listing near you. The WHO website(Washington Homeschool Organization) is also a good website to get information. I am also not impressed with any of the public schools around here for the very issues you talk about, basic understaffing and under individualized approaches. I am a homeschooling Mother of an 8 year old and a 3.5 year old.

H.

Both of my girls have gone to Eastmont Comm School and they love it. There tuition is resonible and they offer before and after school care. I would give them a call soon as they do have waiting lists.

J.

I am also thinking about home schooling my son. He will not be in Kindergarten until next year. I was home schooled part of my life and I enjoyed it. If you already don't like what you see at his school, I would definitely get him out of there while it is still early!

I'm not familiar with your school district, but you might check to see if they have any optional programs or charter schools that fit your philosophy.

We **love** Tucker Maxon school on 29th/Holgate. First grade classes have 10 or fewer children. Daily PE, accellerated math and reading, technology, daily use of Smart Boards, etc.

It is an amazing school for any child.

www.tmos.org

WWW. WAVA.org. It is GREAT! They go through a company called K12 for the Curriculum, you can also find them on line. The school provides all your Text books and art, science supplies, etc. The have field trips about once a month so your children still gets interaction with other children. Last month we went to the Chimp lab at Central Washington University.

To top it all off, it is free.

If WAVA is your choice, you will need to start the enrollment process soon. Good Luck!

N.

What district are you in? If you are in Bellevue, they have a home school center (Kelsey Creek) you could look into. I'm sure the other districts have options as well.

If you are not happy with the lack of one-on-one attention your child is getting, you MUST let the teacher and the principal know. It's only through open dialogue and communication (done in a respectful manner of course), that they will see the need to make changes.

What do you mean by "has time to answer questions"? What exactly are your concerns for your son? And what do you want his school to teach? A private school can usually guarantee a smaller class size, although the class sizes are equally as small in our public school district (Issaquah). Depending on your district, the content that is taught is not that different either. Kindergarteners should be learning to write the alphabet, upper and lower case, and short sentences by the end of the year. They should be learning letter sounds, beginning reading strategies, math skills, about listening and other classroom behaviors, and most importantly, HOW TO GET ALONG WITH OTHERS AND BE INDEPENDENT. Oh, and maybe learn that school is fun!!!!! This is really hard for first-time parents, and especially the many high achieving parents that populate the eastside. It is so hard to let your child go and not know what they are doing every minute while they are gone. You have to trust yuor child and that you gave them the skills to function without you. Teachers are incredibly busy doing all the things required of them these days. They work long before your child gets to school and long after. They often bring work home and work a good part of the summers as well, getting their classrooms ready, taking continuing ed. classes, and district training sessions. They get paid very little by the hour once it is all said and done. Now I am not saying that you should not get good communication from your child's teacher. Of course you should! I am just saying that you might want to reassess how much you expect. Are ou asking your child how school is? Do you email or call during class hours? How can she provide the best education when parents are taking away the class time! Teachers can't email back or call until class is over because they are TEACHING! If you are so concerned, ask her to set up a sit down time with you. Then you can really get your questions answered. Also, ask to help out in the classroom. Maybe once you see all how your teacher and child work in the classroom you will feel better about it. I hope some of this helps! I wish you and your child a great school experience, and really commend you for asking for ideas. Take care, LE

Hi JS,

Just a little of my background: I am a mother of a 6yr old and a 15month old boys. I taught 7th, 8th, 9th grade science and math for 6 yrs in public school previously.

I have two pieces of information for you.

First. A friend and I are starting a Sudbury school in Olympia. The school "Rising Tide School" is in its infancy stage of being created. We are not sure if we will be open and operating this fall or not. We will begin holding information meetings about Rising Tide School and the Sudbury philosophy starting in April. You can find out more about Sudbury philosophy at the original Sudbury Valley school website: http://www.sudval.org/index.html (you'll have to copy paste to your web browser) And to find out info meeting dates you could visit our schools yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/risingtideschool/

The other piece of info is that there is a resource in Oly for homeschooling families through the school district called ORLA, Olympia Regional Learning Academy. My son just enrolled this Spring and is having fun. You/your child chooses what classes they want to take. The atmosphere is light and friendly and you can make contacts with other homeschooling families easily. Here is their website. If you are interested in ORLA you need to get on the waiting list now! They already have a waiting list for the Fall. http://orla.osd.wednet.edu/parent_partnership_program

Good luck in your search.
W.

You might check into the Continuous Curriculum school in the Valley. My son went there for third and fourth grade and loved it.

I am also on the East side and there are some great public schools, but my son attends a wonderful school in SE Portland. It is small, and has a wonderful atmosphere, involved parents and teachers, is welcoming, and has the smallest classroom sizes in Portland (intentionally!) I know the Kindergarten class has already been filled but they take waiting lists. The first grade may still have slots as the classes get smaller wih each higher grade. Anyway, the name is Tucker-Maxon School on Holgate at 28th. I highly recommend it, just check it out and make sure you meet Jerry in the gym!

Mercer Island schools have open enrollment. They're great.

I am glad you brought this up. I was thinking about posting something along these same thoughts. I am pretty sure I will homeschool my daughter next year. I have a son who will be 5 and go to a Montessori and also a son who will be one and at home with us during our "learning". I am very unhappy with the public school system and do not want to subject my children to that environment and have their growth stinted by a lack of involvement. I have also volunteered in a first grade class and am surprised by the militant way the teacher instructs. Basically, I'm just not interested in my child going to public school.
I think my greatest concern with homeschooling will be defending it to family. It seems they should be supportive, but I am anticipating a lot of negative feedback on it. I think the greatest obstacle that is brought up is socialization. I feel like my daughter makes friends easily, can interact with children her own age and others of different ages, and we go to enough outside activities where she can make friends with children whose parents have the same interests as us. I would be interested in having additional children learn alongside my daughter and thought about including my nephew, who is the same age as her. I am educated with a bachelors degree in Psychology, with a focus on child development, as well as a bachelors degree in Child and Family Studies with a focus on administration of programs and services. Let me know what you decide and if you want to meet for coffee or something to discuss this in person, let me know. My weekdays are free from 9-2. Good luck with your decision, and remember that it is your child and you know them best. - T.

As an ex K/First Grade teacher in both the Issaquah and Northshore School Districts I can tell you that the Eastside has some fantastic public schools! Good for you for being your son's advocate and looking for a program that will work well with him. I would highly advise going to other schools in your district and sitting and talking with the schools' principals to see if any of those schools would be a good fit. You should be able to sit in different First Grade classrooms to get an idea of what the teacher is like. I have worked with primary teachers all over the Seattle area and can truthfully say there are so many highly qualified and dedicated public school teachers in the area. Don't let one bad one ruin it for the rest of them!

I reccomend homeschooling. Check out www.oceanetwork.org for Oregon's state support group info. the letters stand for Oregon Christian Education Association Network. They have links to national homeschooling resources, laws, and support groups, as well as state and local. You will also find a local person you can talk to who knows of co-ops in your area.

Are you in the Portland or Seattle area? I see responses for both here, so not sure...I am from the Seattle/Bellevue area, hence the response below:

My stepson went to a private school, Cedar Park Christian School in the Kirkland area for his kindergarten. We were pleasantly surprised. Of course if you are not Christian or seeking the religion aspect of things, that may be a problem for you. I did not think they spent an inordinate amount of time on spiritual things, however. I also don't know how the overall school works after kindergarten as he was pulled out of there by his mom.

My own son is currently going to a different private school for his kindergarten which is also Christian-based (not in the same area). It is more strict, very religious, and although his teacher is competent - not as warm and fuzzy. I keep comparing it to Cedar Park becuase I loved the entire atmosphere at Cedar Park!

As for homeschool co-op, go forth and conquer! Not something I could do, but I admire any mom who undertakes this. You are amazing!

My son is in one of the Choice Schools in the Lake Washington District and we really like it. They can be hard to get into but if you get your name on the waiting lists sometime spots open up. I have also heard the Family Learning Center in Lake Washington is awesome for homeschooling parents but I don't have any personal experience with it.

We live in South East Portland. David Douglas school district. Our little kids go to Gilbert Heights. We have a first grader that kind of lives in her own little world. She did 2 years of preschool and still couldn't write her name or say her colors or count past 5. She went to kindergarten at Gilbert Heights and learned everything she needed to learn plus more. She is reading now. Counting to 100 by single digits and more. She is really doing terrific. We have a 3rd grader there who has been nominated for the talented and gifted program. I have a seventh grader who attended 5th grade at Gilbert Heights and did really well. The principal is very involved in the education and safety of these kids. They really go out of their way to make it an all around good experience for the kids. I am impressed with all schools in the David Douglas district. My son goes to Alice Ott and is on the honor roll. My daughter who has learning disabilities is at David Douglas High and is pulling As and Bs. I have lived in several states and experienced several school districts and this is by far the best I have found.

When my son and I were in Texas, granted their curriculum was more advanced, he was having trouble in 1st grade as well..... I pulled him out and home schooled him for a bit until I started a full time job.... I then re-enrolled him and got him into a different class room where the teacher had more time to explain to him and answer questions.... it may be that you might place him into a different class room for the rest of the year. good luck

A.

There are A LOT of homeschool resources out there! Getting good support has been a crucial point for us in our homeschool experience. Most area school districts offer support in the form of enrichment classes, consulting teachers, yearly stipend to spend on materials, etc. Check out what's offered in your district and also what neighboring districts are offering (available resources will vary greatly from one district to another). If an out of district program looks better you can obtain an out of district waiver to participate. Also there are a number of private resources available depending on how much you are willing to spend, your educational interests and your religious beliefs. Plugging in to some good support that aligns with the desires you have for your kids makes it all less daunting. Good luck!

I would be willing to help homeschool any children on the eastside of town. I don't have any children in school yet. I do have a paraprofessional certificate.

We're in the Vancouver area and our daughter is enrolled for 1st grade with the Washington Virtual Academy (WAVA). WE LOVE IT! I think, in Oregon, it is called Connections Academy. If you're thinking of going the home school route I would DEFINITELY recommend looking into this. You get all the perks of homeschool without having to pay a ton of money for a curriculum. You are your child's learning coach but you are assigned to a certified teacher, who you talk with bi-monthly or however often you need. And, if you stay with it, your child gets a diploma after High School instead of a GED. Really an awesome program. I don't know if Oregon's is exactly the same but definitely worth looking into. Go to connectionsacademy.com Hope this helps.

I'm not quite sure where you are located, but my daughter attends the Visions Program in Clear Lake, Washington. It is perfect for parents who like the idea of homeschool/co-ops, but can't necessarily do it. (My husband & I work FT) They are smaller classes, with one-on-one. They aren't graded, but evaluated. Parent involvement is required, there are a lot of activities, field trips, art, and only 3 teachers for 6 grades. 1/2 grade is combined, 3/4 grade is combined, and 5/6 is combined. It's the best thing we ever did. My daughter was the question asker, curious and artistic. She needed something different for sure! Here's the website: http://www.swsd.k12.wa.us/CL-C/VISIONSWeb/index.htm

Hi JS!

Education is very important no matter what grade level and I am glad to see that you are taking your son's education very serious.

On the home schooling note -- I home schooled both of my boys ( currently 15 and 12 ) for ten years and never regretted a moment of it. Not only did they get a great education, but both of them are 1 year ahead academically and are very well adjusted.

I treasured the extra time that we had as a family to spend together and it really gave us a chance to do things at our own pace.

One great curriculum is ABEKA and you can research it and order it online. The best part of that particular curriculum is the repetition of all lessons learned. Lesson #1 is still being reviewed on the last day of school. This give the kids a great foundation!

I know that some are worried about the social part of school. However, we found that through taking the kids to church, doing karate, and music lessons, they had plenty of opportunities for social outlets and did fine transitioning into the public school system in Jr. High.

I hope this helps!

What state do you live in??

I have found that even the best schools can have bad teachers and bad schools can have good ones. So although moving schools and/or homeschooling are both decent options, you may want to consider getting involved in the PTSA a kids sport or any other activity that might put you in touch with other parents from your school. Get the low down on next year's teachers and which ones might meet you and your child's needs. Many schools allow you to choose the teacher for your child. Some principles are pretty keen on making a good fit and if you communicate your concerns in an open way they will often gladly help steer next years teacher selection.

Good luck

PS -my 8 year old goes to Lacey elementary in the N Thurston School District. We tried the local Montessori school (not Portland) and found that it was a mixed bag and not a good fit for my girl before stumbling into the TAG program where she seems to be doing ok. Private school did not guarantee us a better relationship with our teacher, that was one of the lessons I learned.

Dear J.S., It is a crime how the schools are staffed in the 'eastside'! My girls went to school in a part of our town that had a 73% poverty rate, I got involved in all the school committees and did my share of dust raising! The sad truth is if your child isn't having enough one on one time, neither is any other kid! I went to school board meetings, and I volunteered for anything they needed. Most parents, you will find, don't have the time, and say things like "that's what I pay my taxes for" not a very good attitude, but more common then I thought! The problem with home schooling is it is very difficult to keep them focused, and the school district has different rules depending on where you live. My sister is a 2nd grade teacher in a school like that, and she is amazing at how she can work with those children so well! I visited her class recently, and she does have an aide, but she does a great job of keeping them on task, and having fun. My point here is that it can be done, teachers are tired, and some just go for the paycheck, so ultimately the decision is a case by case thing. I don't know if this helps at all, but I do understand what you are going through, I chose to let my kids stay in the school system, and one graduated and one didn't, oddly enough the one that didn't was a straight A student, and because they chose not to hve summer school that year, she would'nt graduate with her class, she just quit! God Speed! R.

Hello J S, My son is enrolled in St. Franciscan Montessori Earth school on 148th and Division, it's a small school with small class size, you may want to check it out. Good Luck

There are literally dozens of great reasons to homeschool!! A child that is bright and needing to move on ahead of the group is just one!! I am a homeschooling mom and it is great! A lot of work, but well worth the investment. My daughter is 3-4 grade levels above her age and loves the challenge of being able to work at her own pace. She is bright and very social and great with all ages of children and adults. There are several good homeschooling groups in Clark County and an excellent Friday school co-op at the Northside Baptist church in Vancouver. Just do a search on the web for Clark County homeschoolers and you will find organizations to help you. There is an outstanding curriculum fair in Portland every spring for homeschoolers. I strongly encourage you to go and check out all the options open to you - it is huge and you will be amazed. You can also find the Portland OCEAN network curriculum fair on the web. An excellent book I would recommend is "So you're thinking about homeschooling" by Lisa Welchel. It is worth your time to read! Best of luck to you - keep challenging that girl and keep the fun in learning!!

My son is a 1st grader at Bellevue Christian School and we love it! They have an elementary campus in Bellevue and one in Woodinville. We weren't excited about the public schools in our area, either, and what they had to offer. So we looked elsewhere and just love Bellevue Christian. Check them out at bellevuechristian.org.

Have you looked into gifted programs and Charter/Magnet schools in your area? My daughter attended a gifted program on the East side (public school) and we were very happy with both the system and the teachers.

Homeschooling co-op is a gret option. I also just read an article about how Mercer Island School district is accepting kids from other areas to be able to keep all their programs. You are nearby, and I hear the district is exceptional.

HI, I am a shm of two boys 11 and 7. I have been homeschooling for the last 2 years now. I have the same problems with public school and my two are doing much better at home. There are a lot of options for homeschooling and you get to be the ones to choose what is important as long as you have the time and patients to do so. Start looking at these programs Raven, Idea, Cyberlynx. These are a few of the homeschool offices in Anchorage. I have friends saying I should put my boys back in public school but they are both doing well at school and both getting A's. They both have learning problems and was being left behind at school. The homeschool programs have been meeting AYP testing scores because the kids have more time to learn then to deal with every day hassles the classroom brings. My kids go through Cyberlynx it is based out of the Nenana School. But the others are good to. The advantages are the child and you get to choose there electives and the books you like to teach from. There is a lot of computer programing and videos to help you teach. All I can say is do what you feel is right for you and your child. go and check out the home school offices. Raven is located in the Dimond mall, Cyberlynx is located at 600 W. 41st Anchorage. Suite 201 Arctic business park. ###-###-####.

Good luck and let me know what you decided.
A.

There is no more effective education than 1:1. First grade was way too easy for my daughter, and it just wasn't meeting her educational needs, so I've been homeschooling her for a year. She's doing 3rd and 4th grade curriculum in reading and math it suits her much better. However, socially, she's still 8, so she has dance, art, track, gymnastics and swimming with kids more her own age. Some people assume that if you homeschool, your child doesn't get "social" or "independant" time. So wrong! The Family Learning Center's are great, the coops at churches are great, WAVA is great. If anything, you have to be so selective because you can easily pack your schedule with all the wonderful things to do. I also have set it up so that I get a nanny to come one day a week, so I can have my alone day to have appointments or do things on my own. If you advertise around, you might find a kind, older woman who is willing to come and do this for you during the day.

All the best,
Cathrin

After years of research and experience with the public schools, my husband and I have decided not to go that route. But homeschooling did not feel right either. We recently came across a great solution, it is called the Home Choice Academy. You as a parent work one on one with a teacher to tailor a curriculum for your child. It is a program that is specifically designed to meet the needs of homeschool families. You have the option to send your child to this school on a part time or a full time basis. I am really excited about it, and will be enrolling my son for kindergarten there. If you want a contact number for more information it is: ###-###-####.