private or public school?????

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 12-02-2005, 09:08 PM

just curious if any of your kids go to a private or public school. i know a good majority of you ladies homeschool...so this don't pertain to you. my kids go to a private catholic school...just curious what the rest of you do????? just curious if they do go to a private school...what is your approximate tuition (if you don't mine saying)

**forestdale** · 12-02-2005, 10:04 PM

mommydearest, my sons went to private boarding school but we're in australia.

**sunshine** · 12-02-2005, 11:10 PM

All 3 of mine went/are currently attending our local public school. It's a small school (my middle son graduated last year with 24 kids in his class), with lots of teacher's from the area who are invested in these kids.

Very little crime in the schools, no gangs. . . . but quite a bit of drinking/sex/drugs.

The nearest private school is over an hour's drive away, and would cost me $500/month tuition for each kid.

**Scattymum** · 12-03-2005, 03:42 AM

well, DD is only 6 so she is only in Junior school but it is a national school ( public), when she goes to secondary school that will be public too. They are good schools and It didnt do me any harm being educated publically

**Telephus44** · 12-03-2005, 02:22 PM

I don't have kids yet, but I went to public school for K-8 and a private high school (my town had a good elementary school, but a terrible middle school/high school. After watching us in middle school, my parents gave us the option of going to a private high school).

There are several private school in my area. The average cost when I went 10 years ago) was around $5,000 per year, although the school I went to cost $9,500. I believe their tuition is currently around $13,000. I also applied for and was given a large amount of financial aid (grants, not loans) so if $$ is a factor, ask them if they have a financial aid program. My sister went to the same school and I believe that the most $$ my parents ever paid in a single year for both of us was $9,000.

Believe me, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I would gladly do the same for my kids. But I also believe that it depends more on the individual school - there's no easy dividing line that "all public schools are bad and all private schools are good." For example, my husband had the opposite experience. He went to a private Catholic school from K-8th grade and he hated it, was picked on and bullied. He went to a public high school and did much better, was one of the top kids in his graduating class.

This is a conversation we've had many times lately, since we're looking at having children in the near future. And it really does depend on the school system, IMHO. If the school offers this, ask if your child can spend a day there with a host student and go to several classes so that they can see if its right for them, although this may only be applicable to older students.

**Scattymum** · 12-03-2005, 02:32 PM

Originally posted by Scattymum
well, DD is only 6 so she is only in Junior school but it is a national school ( public), when she goes to secondary school that will be public too. They are good schools and It didnt do me any harm being educated publically

I just reread this and wanted to clarify that I think private school is fine if you were going there, in our case the public school is great

so I wouldnt ever consider private and the nearest private school is over 2 hours away

**Mom23boys** · 12-03-2005, 03:29 PM

All 3 of mine have attended public school. They are as follows:
~a senior
~a freshman
~a 5th grader

**momof42003** · 12-03-2005, 04:35 PM

Mine all attend a public school system, 6th, 4th, and 2nd.. DD2 is not quite there yet.. I have never looked into private schools, so I have no clue as to how much it might cost....

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 12-03-2005, 06:16 PM

well i got financial aide for my oldest 2 kids & my total payment every month is going to be $160.00 per month......thats like drastically cut in half. this is a catholic school (k-8).

**mom22grls** · 12-03-2005, 06:29 PM

I went to private school for elementary & middle, then public for high school.

Ashleigh goes to public school. We're in a really good district & I'm mostly happy with the school. I never considered private for her.

Kennedy, though.....well, the local public schools *all* have "all-day, everyday" kindergarten now. We haven't decided what we'll do when the time comes. I am *NOT* happy with the current arrangement. We'll look into a private kindergarten or I'll homeschool for that year & see how it goes.

**ironmaiden** · 12-03-2005, 06:38 PM

We're just starting this school stuff. Our public schools are very good. Almost too good as they seem to be getting more and more intense. And the school system is looking into extended day middle school (8 1/2 hours a day for grades 6,7,8). I don't agree with this. I think it's too long, too stressful, too overwhelming and that there is more to life than just school - and this comes from a household that has a PhD in it - DH.

For preschool we pay $123 for 2 mornings. And no fundraising!

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 12-04-2005, 01:35 AM

My DSs go to public schools. The private schools around here are about $500.00 per kid--waaayout of my budget!

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 12-04-2005, 08:48 AM

Originally posted by ironmaiden
We're just starting this school stuff. Our public schools are very good. Almost too good as they seem to be getting more and more intense. And the school system is looking into extended day middle school (8 1/2 hours a day for grades 6,7,8). I don't agree with this. I think it's too long, too stressful, too overwhelming and that there is more to life than just school - and this comes from a household that has a PhD in it - DH.

For preschool we pay $123 for 2 mornings. And no fundraising!

holy cow.....$123.00 for 2 days......wow she better be a genius after that program........lol!!!!

**Minner77** · 12-04-2005, 10:10 PM

Our kids are int their first year of public school, and they're 19 (so graduated), 16 (jr) and 11 (6th).

We absolutely loved having them in Catholic schools, especially since you get to really know everyone, teachers, staff, and other parents included, and can really keep an eye on what's going on.
We paid $8,000 last year for our sophomore, and $4000 for the fifth grader. This was in the Twin Cities area.

Our decision to move them to public schools had everything to do with their being brand new in a small school in a small town, and nothing to do with dissatisfaction. Our jr is painfully shy, and we figured if he didn't hit it off with any of the only 40-other kids in his class, he'd have a miserable time!

Turns out, both the high school and the middle school here are awesome and they would've been fine, but the public schools are OK, too, so we're leaving them alone. Tutition for both would've been about $5000 here in Rapid City.

Every penny we've spent has been well worth it.

Good luck on your decision!
Blessings,
Mary

**schellie69** · 12-05-2005, 11:26 AM

I have three a 12th grader, freshman and 5th grade they all go to public school the only private school in our area is a catholic school and since we are not catholic was not an option for us I know my kids teachers and it seems to work well. plus my 12th grader is mentally challanged an most private school do not offer programs for them public school was our only option. my oldest dd graduated last year and is doing fine.