STEM Schools

In addition to what everyone else suggested below: It is not only the school, that makes the child.
And you need to think of the cost, and how that will impact your family long term.
Many people, if they choose to and per costs and if their child passes the interviews to enter into their private school of choice.... send their kids to private school, from about 4th grade.

Then, the school you are talking ab out, is in the PROCESS of becoming... a STEM school. They have not, gotten there yet. And this is only for 1st and 2nd grade. So then, what about 3rd and 4th and 5th grade etc.? What will you do, then?

How is the public school in your district?
It is also, about how parents also, help their child's learning, at home too and through your own enrichment that you provide for your child. Learning is not only done, at school.

Does that STEM school have financial aide? Scholarships? Grants for lower income kids/families?

That is a big chunk of change, to expend, if you can afford it.
If you cannot afford $12K per year, then the answer is: don't send you child there.

I know many people, who have sent their child to private school, taking on more than one job, to do so. For example. And their whole point of doing so, is so that they can send their child to a private school. BUT then, once their child graduates from the private school, the family is financially drained. And then, their high school graduate, has no money to go to college, out of State. To a "good" college. So then, the family/child has to get scholarships/grants or just go to their local university. Because, the family cannot afford, a "good" college anymore and all their money was used up, for "private" schools from elementary onward.

I also know many families/kids, who went to public school. And their children did well, and went on to universities like Harvard and Stanford and M.I.T. Because, they as a family, made sure that education and studying and their child's learning, was also.... supplemented by things they taught their children, outside of, school. And this was their focus. Their children were very educated, and sophisticated, even if from a public school..... and they were very "smart."

Can you afford 12K a year for 12 years? all the way through high school graduation?

If the public school are OK... I would go with the public school. Do not base your school choice on test scores alone. Test scores show how kids did on some test they took for 2 or 3 days of the school year. Some schools may get so so test scores.. but the school is a happy safe place with caring teachers... and involved parents.

If you are involved in the school.. your daughter will do fine in any school.

Our schools offer a STEM class. The kids love it!! I have never heard of an entire STEM school. Sounds neat.

There is so much involved in a child's education besides the "school". I have quite a few friends pulling their children out of the local Charter school because it is so far away from their neighborhood. The public schools here are wonderful. They now see that it is great to send your child to the school in the neighborhood, within their own community where the neighborhood kids go to school. Convenience..and sending kids to school with neighborhood peers has great benefits.

Just a couple things to consider when thinking of sending your child away from the neighborhood to a school that will cost money. School life becomes part of your everyday living...there are parties,field trips, playdates planned, evening events, weekend events, fundraisers, parent teacher conferences etc. It is sometimes very difficult to be a part of all this when it is outside of your community.

You sound like a very involved parent who will find ways to nurture your child's learning...every step of the way. If your neighborhood school is ok then try starting there and get involved.

Good luck and best wishes! It is so exciting to watch your children grow and mature through their school experiences. My kids love school and are bummed at the close of each school year...and we are just at our local neighborhood elementary and Middle Schools.

There are soooo many opportunities to excel as they get older....music classes, clubs, Leadership, sports teams etc. Our 8th grader is even heading off to Japan as an exchange student in a few months through the middle school. Public schools overall have a bad reputation. But there are a lot of great schools and great teachers. Parental involvement and the PTA make a huge difference too! Get involved no matter where your child goes.

IMO, you need to check out what the public school offers, too. My DD's public school offers a STEM program as part of the regular curriculum, even though they are not a private STEM school. You need to know the whole package. Is there anything that you think that school might lack with their focus on STEM? I also want my DD to try art and chorus because her family is artistic as well. Does the public school offer things like dual language classes?

I went to a private school for elementary school and many of my neighborhood friends did not attend it. If I wanted to see a school friend outside of school, I had to arrange to take a bus home with them (or they with me). It was workable, but there was a big difference in the fluidity of the friendships when the friends were nearby. My SD chose a HS outside of our neighborhood and there was a LOT of schlepping when she had theatre or other activities. It is a time as well as financial commitment.

I honestly cannot afford to send my DD to a private school at the moment. If her school turns out to be a bad fit, I will have to consider a job change to get her out of a bad environment. But until then, our schools are fairly well regarded and there are also magnet and other programs I can have her apply to down the line. For us, we finances are the biggest consideration. We are already saving for her college and would struggle to do both (she has an older sister in college now). My stepkids started out in private school but had to be put in public for financial reasons. It worked out. Even if you choose the private school, you can always change later.

I would send her to a public school. It's not worth $12k/year, especially at such a young age. Look into enrichment or extracurricular STEM activities instead. They will be more fun, more relaxed, and a lot cheaper. We have STEM classes involving Legos and others involving robots in my city. My son (1st grade) did a trial class with the Legos and loved it.

Unless you can comfortably afford the tuition I'd send her to public school and save any money for more advanced education. She can learn the simple basics just as well in public school. What is most important is having caring staff with opportunity to gain social skills and basic knowledge. She will build on that and perhaps benefit later in a more enriched enviornment.