Choosing a School

Next week Bear starts school! Seems like we've been talking about where to send him to school probably since the time he started walking. Back then, he was so little and school felt like a lifetime away. We knew we had to start thinking about it though, realizing it might take a while to find the right place. We realized fairly early on that our local public schools would probably not be able to provide him with the level of attention he needs, nor do they offer the diversity we desire. Our semi rural Midwest community is tolerant of diversity but it is still a long way from embracing it, and it is not diverse. As a mom of biracial girls recently put it to me, "We knew we had to do better."

Choosing a school feels like one of the most important decisions we are making for him. Launching him well now in the early years will impact how he feels about himself and school going forward. We see so much potential in this son of ours! We also see potential challenges. He's an incredibly bright, curious, and naturally athletic kid with an exuberant personality who has a passion for fun and more energy than a nuclear power plant. He also has a dominant, competitive side and likes to be in charge. In the right environment, these things are viewed as strengths and developed as such. In the wrong environment, he can be labeled as a troublemaker and the strengths become weaknesses. We've already seen both scenarios play out in different classrooms at daycare.

We aren't sure how he will do in a traditional school environment because of how busy and independent he is. His brain is as busy as his body, and while he moves a mile a minute he also takes in a lot of information. I often say a perfect school would be on wheels and it would drive beside him while he runs. He is going to need structure, discipline, and teachers who can keep him engaged. 

Dodd and I place a lot of emphasis on education. Our friends in college used to tease Dodd that he majored in knowledge. (He spent 7 years in undergrad, just taking as many classes as he could and loving every last unit. Friends have also pointed out that this is a little bit nerdy.) He's talked about homeschooling our kids from time to time so he can give them a proper classical education. We want Bear to have an academically excellent school. We also want a school that teaches values that align with our family's values. This is so important. He's going to experience different values in his walk through this world, but at this very young formative age, we want teachers and a school that will reinforce what we are working diligently to instill at home. 

So we've been looking and we think we've found a school that offers: 

• Diversity
• Academic excellence
• Christian values
• Emphasis on character
• A place where they "get" him

It's a private school and not one I would have considered on my own. I have my boss to to thank for pointing us to it. For the past six years he has shared stories as his daughter went through middle and high school at AB.  I was impressed with how much the teachers invested in her and how hard they worked to help each kid realize their unique gifts. When she graduated from high school and was accepted at Princeton last fall, he was the proudest dad I have ever seen. Shortly after that, he sat me down and said, "I really think you and Dodd should consider sending Bear to AB." I didn't think seriously about the school for Bear, making assumptions that it was too expensive, too rigid for a busy boy, and probably not diverse. He encouraged us to take a tour and reminded me of this, "What better thing can you spend your money on?"

So last winter we toured. When we walked into the kindergarten classroom I got goosebumps. There were more brown skinned kids in the class than peachy. Bear blended beautifully into the assortment of colors we saw, dark to light to in between. All the kids stood as we entered the room and happily greeted us. Then they went back to independently working on their own activities. The learning was interactive and was happening away from desks and tables. There were just 10 children in the class as that's the maximum class size. The teacher came to talk with Bear and was at once engaging. She got his mind going with just a couple sentences. Before the tour, we did not think of the school as religious, and it's not, but we learned that it operates from a strong core of Judeo Christian values. Being independent, it can celebrate things like Christmas pageants and teachers are free to share their faith.

Here's what clinched our decision. Over time, I talked with other teachers, parents, and students and was surprised at the theme that emerged. Love. I was not expecting to find love in a school. I thought we might find caring, but this is more than caring. The teachers and staff are passionate. They feel called to their profession and the school. They watch out for each kid long after the kids leave their classrooms. In return, the kids and the parents love their school. Older kids actually gush about how great it is. Teenagers who love their school? Really? It feels like a really healthy place for our Bear.

So our little one who is now four will begin school in just a few days! How did it come so fast? 4k makes school come sooner than I thought it would. He is excited. The whole family is excited. I will be a wreck on the first day of school, but that is a post still to come.