Starting to Think About Schools

My two children go to the preschool at Hamilton Elementary School. We're very impressed with the preschool and with Hamilton in general. Hamilton is a small school with good test scores. Hamilton isn't as well known as some other magnet schools, so it might be easier go get into. You can call the school at ###-###-#### to go on a tour if you want. Hamilton also has an active parent group called Hamilton Action Team. The next Hamilton Action Team meeting is Monday, June 2 at 6pm in the school's library. If you can make it to the Hamilton Action Team, you can find out more about the school. Also, Hamilton Action Team is having its first silent auction on Saturday, May 31, from 7:30pm until 11pm at Mrs. Murphy & Son's Irish Bistro at 3905 N. Lincoln Avenue. Tickets cost $30 each. If you go to the silent auction, you will have the chance to meet some Hamilton parents who can talk to you about the school. If you want to buy tickets, you can call Angela Timmons at ###-###-####. Proceeds from the silent auction will be used to start an after school Spanish program and an after school sports program.

I'm going thru something similar. My thoughts are: even if you live by a great magnet school and want your child to stay in the neighborhood, the chances of you getting in that one are incredibly slim. Even if apply to like 20 magnet and gifted schools, the chances or getting into any are still slim. So you are looking at driving your child out of the neighborhood then for the magnet/gifted school they get into. So why move?

If you don't care about gifted programs, then choose the neighborhood boundary of a neighborhood school that is decent, and live there. The school has to accept that child if they live in the boundary. That solves a huge game of "wait and see."

When I look at the schools then I consider language program opportunities, after school acitvities (I like, chess, art, music, lanuage)and some have a concentration like a Math & Science focus. Or see if the school won competitions in something, like Math competitions. That will give you an idea of whether the school has some momentum behind a typical curriculum.

Good luck! It sucks doesn't it? I'd like to hear some success stories!

Have you checked out the Northside Parents Network? I hear they do a fabulous job with school fairs and provide lots of helpful info.

Hi Tija, I know you are speaking of elementary schools, but my daughter and some of her classmates just tested in January for the Magnet High schools. It dosen't matter the level, because just about everyone wants that magnet experience. The Ratio of children testing for those few positions were outrageous. On the reply letters CPS stated that though your children may be very gifted, they may still not earn a place in one of the magnet schools. Probably staying put will give you the same odds. Unless you're looking to go suburban, homeeood flossmmor, Oak Park, Naperville.