Hi there. I desperatly need some help Mom's! :) I have a 4 year old daughter and I am driving myself nuts trying to figure out where to send her to school. I will do private if necessary,but would really like to find a nice public. I'm pregnant with #2 and we plan for me to stop working after this child is born (which scares me silly,but I know its whats best for them, plus with daycare costs and gas prices, hardly seems worth it-AND sending a tiny infant to daycare scares me, with my 4 yr old my husband and I worked opposite shifts and she didn't go til almost 3 yrs old).. Anyway, at that point we will have to pull my daughter out of the daycare/preschool she is in now (we pay $340 every 2 weeks).. We LOVE the school/daycare and will miss it very much (Meadowbank in Riverview),but with me staying home-financially that school will not work for us anymore. My sister in law takes her almost 7 year old to Divine Child school in Dearborn. After her telling me more about it, it just seems like it sucks up a whole lot of money and time. I don't mind putting some time in, but from what she says it seems like they expect a lot. My mom works days and so does my husband, so I won't really have anyone to leave the new baby with to do all the stuff she tells me about (her mom doesn't work,plus her husband is home sometimes during the day-he has weird shifts),so she does have someone to watch her other child. Plus by the time my nephew is in 4th grade it will be $4000 per year,then continues to go UP.. And with 2 kids, that will be a bit much. Anyway, can anyone suggest a great school for me? Also, does anyone know how I can get the actual stats of the schools in the area? An actual up to date report or something? I'm thinking actual advice from other mom's would be best, but both would be even better! It would be nice if this school also had a preschool program. She won't start Kindergarden until Fall 2009, and I plan to pull her out of where she is this fall. Thanks so much for your time !!
When my husband and I were looking into moving... Schools were a huge consideration and we found a website called http://www.greatschools.net It gives you the state testing scores.
Hi,
You have to check out Summit Academy! I live in LP, and we are finishing up our 7th year there. Its a great charter school, and all free! They also offer free bus transportation, pick up and drop off at the Meijers on Dix. Its a wonderful school. Phone number for the elementary is ###-###-####. I am pretty sure they still have openings.
Good Luck!
P.
Lindeman Elementary has some type of preschool. One of my neighbors teaches in the preschool department, and says she really enjoys working with the children. She lives on Quandt, which is just a block away from the school. The building has been completely remodeled. I would also check that website that someone mentioned about test scores. Good luck.
--L.
Hi A. ~
If you're only sending her to school next year for socialization and stuff, have you looked into a co-op preschool? My son and my nephew went to co-op (different ones), and my sister and I loved it! At her age she would probably go 3 days a week, but it depends on the program. The cost is less than most other programs, but you also have to volunteer a little bit. Once again, it depends on the program, but usually once or twice a month you volunteer to help at the school. The class size is usually smaller than regular schools, and it's nice that there are more adults to help with the kids, instead of just a teacher. I remember one child in my son's class - his baby-sitter was actually the one who came to volunteer since she was with him during the day. Sometimes even grandparents would come.
There's also the public Montessori school on Northline by I 75 (in the Downriver Community Consortium building). I know that they have elementary school, but I'm not sure about pre-school. It's a state-run, free montessori school. My friend sent her kids there and loved it!
Good luck!
D.
Hi A.,
National Heritage Academies runs free public charter schools in the area, and they have a great curriculum. They have a website at www.nationalheritageacademies.com where you can get more information. Charter schools are first-come, first-serve, and if more students want in than there are places, they hold a lottery. If you are interested even a little bit then you will want to submit an application for your daughter the year before she enters kindergarten. Once accepted, you can always decide not to send her, but if you wait sometimes the wait lists are too long.
Good luck!
C.
Lindeman Elementary in Allen Park. I know several of the teachers there and it is a brand new school (built in 2006). I have helped set up with one of my teacher friends for her first grade and she is always telling people how much she loves her job and school. It must be a good school to hear positive comments from a staff member. The principal is also very well liked by the community.
