Choosing a Wake County Kindergarten
January 25, 2013 § 9 Comments
Today is the cutoff day for parents in Wake County, North Carolina, to decide which school they will send their children to next year. There has been a convoluted plan for choosing, which has created a flutter-buzz of confusion and chattiness amongst parents of said children. What to do? What to do? What to do?
After years of parental unhappiness with board member decisions (over student placement), and Jerry Springer like drama amongst members of the board (seriously), parents this year were given three segmented time fames to make decisions determining their children’s educational establishment for the following school year.
The first step was for parents to register their kids at “base schools,” or neighborhood schools determined by address.
Then, over a two-week period, parents could sign their children up for a lottery of “Magnet Schools;” schools granted extra funds to set up specialized programs (leadership based, museum and art focused, technology rich, etc.).
If your child gets chosen for a Magnet school, though, their base “seat” is forfeited. Should you decide later that you really didn’t want a Magnet after all, you’d have to start the appeals process or wait for the next choice to be up for grabs when year round schools open up for the choosing.
I, a former Magnet teacher, thought for sure I’d be adding my kids to the lottery, fingers crossed they’d be assigned to the place where I’d once worked and loved.
The first day I walked into my former place of employment I felt a rush of energy that made me certain that I was exactly where I was meant to be. It was bright and new, the walls were covered in children-created murals and painted benches. The energy was electric and forceful in it’s rightness.
So when I went back to visit this week for a walk-through, this time with the eyes of a parent, imagine my surprise that it felt so different from that day I’d first arrived; exuberance running over, hopeful for a job, a resume on pretty paper, a portfolio full of enhusiastic lesson plans.
Maybe it was because the place was so familiar. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t anymore.
New faces walked the halls. Different children filled the rooms. A reserved feeling between me and recognizable staff was thick, the result of a six-year absence.
As soon as I got home I logged into the Wake County website and took my kids off the Magnet list, both comforted and confused by my decision. My girls’ Kindergarten year will be spent at our base school, of which I only know from word of mouth and a brief visit, but my gut says is the right decision.
I’m reminded of the universe’s truth; time steals energy, and going back is never the same.
A new energy will move with us into the new school year. My children’s energy will fill the new space. New friends will be made. New teachers will be loved.
And I will be the mother of Kindergartners (for which new energy will be needed).
And time, as it does, will continue to march along.
M.
Have you ever gone back to a place only to find that the spark has gone and the energy moved on? Does it make you a little sad or confused?
Twin sister do everything together, including pediatrician visits. Kindergarten is going to be a whole new world.
Oh, kindergarten. I remember the difficulty of first sending my son, my firstborn, then two years later, sending my daughter, my little shopping friend. Our base school is no longer even our base school. The kids in our neighborhood are now assigned to a different school, but my daughter is able to grandfather in and finish out at the school we love.
I have had that sensation of going back to a place I once loved, only to find it and myself changed. It is a strange feeling.
These decisions are so difficult, but the Wake County schools are good ones, and you should feel at peace for making the best decision for your girls with the information you have right now.
annewoodman recently posted…With a Name Like Viva
I really do feel at peace about the decision. What a surprise, though. The entire experience threw me for a loop!
We have already decided on private schools, not impressed with other schools wake county has to offer and less impressed with their ongoing changed. We were just zoned out of Sycamore Creek (we are .7 miles away) and assigned to Pleasant Union which is nearly a 20 minute drive. Looking forward to spending K-8 years at St. Francis of Assisi, which is very highly ranked and just up the street.
I don’t know much about St. Francis, I should probably check it out. If it’s anything like Ravenscroft or Montessori, though, I’d have to hand over Sophie for tuition!
I had heard so many great things about Sycamore Creek… being zoned out is lame!
Our year round option is Wakefield Elementary. Could you imagine driving to Wakefield twice a day? Ugh!
I’m happy with our choice, but really, it came down to luck of the draw.
Love this post! Your girls are adorable! I know the drama of school choices in Wake County. I lived across from from a year round school I wanted my daughter to attend. Well as you can imagine we did not get in. As a worker parent it would have been great. So we made the drastic decision to move before school started. Luckily, our base school was a Leadership Magnet and we were automatically in. It was a great decision for us. You are right to go with your gut!
jennifer Martin recently posted…Umstead trail run Misadventure..
Thanks so much Jennifer. I’m really hoping for a great 2013-14 school year. I was looking into Green, which is getting leadership status and close to home, which would have been fantastic, but the building was so old and depressing. Couldn’t (wouldn’t) send my girls there, either!
Off to read about your Umstead trail run Misadventure. I never run Umstead, but a girlfriend was just telling me I should!
Your girls are so so cute!!! I do not miss the days of making school choices! Good luck!
Teresa @ http://www.fitinwoodbine.com recently posted…Weighing In and Winning!!
I’ve realized that so much of parenting is just going with your gut. You can read and research a thing to death, but once you walk into a place, you just know. I know what you mean about returning to a place and feeling like the energy or magic has shifted. It’s an odd feeling especially when you have so many special memories tied to a place a time. Definitely disorienting and sad.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted…Friday Round-Up: TGIF
I also thought I would go back to Elementary school for work, but realized that those days are over, too. Pre-school on the other hand might be where I want to go. Being with littles all day and not have to worry about test scores and stuff. Interesting how things change…