Sarah Slater and Mike Hayes' children all go to public schools. Henry is a fifth-grader at Stevens Elementary. Lily is third-grader at Stevens, and Dylan, seventh-grader at Meany Middle School.
Q&A: Parents Share Lessons Learned about Public, Private Schools
Denise Gonzalez-Walker asked four families about their experiences in public or private schools, hoping to share with Seattle’s Child readers some lessons they learned as they made their educational choices. Here are excerpts from the interviews.
PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILY Relishes Diversity, Staying Close to Home
Juan Montiel and Elena Sarmiento, owners of El Quetzal Restaurant Parents of Jairo, first-grader at Kimball Elementary School (also Laisha, 3; Gael, 2.)
Did you consider private? We didn’t look at private schools. Our neighbors on Beacon Hill said that Kimball was a good school, and their children went there.
What’s the best thing about your school? We really like the feeling of community at Kimball. Last year in April the school hosted a big celebration for El Día de los Niños (Children’s Day, a popular holiday in Mexico). The festival was open to all cultures, with families sharing their traditions. A lot of families came to the festival. Even grandparents came.
We also like the Latino Family Support Worker at Kimball who is very helpful for us. She explains all the paperwork to parents and works individually with children to make sure they understand their school work. When we had concerns about WASL testing and No Child Left Behind, she was able to answer our questions.
Biggest misconception about public schools? We heard about how another school near us was recently designated as a bilingual school. Some people might think that is the only bilingual school in our area. But there are a lot of schools like Kimball that have many languages spoken by families. Our school has many Chinese, Philipino and Spanish-speaking families.
PAROCHIAL SCHOOL MOM Loves the School’s Small Size, Required Parent Volunteering
Tricia Madden, social worker Mother of Maliko, first-grader at Christ the King, and Tasha, kindergartener at Christ the King.
Why parochial? I chose a parochial school for several reasons. First, my family is Catholic, and I grew up going to Catholic schools. It’s a strong value, a family tradition. There’s a spiritual aspect to the education, too, one that emphasizes accountability. Also, I’ve worked with kids for a long time providing social services. I like the idea of a K-8 model, and think it’s healthier for kids’ development. The kindergarteners have eight-grade buddies, defining a role for the older kids and creating a positive interaction with younger students.
Did you consider public schools? We’re a multi-racial family (Madden, who is white, is the adoptive mother of two African-American children.) A big concern for me is that my kids aren’t always in the minority. We looked at one public school because I thought it would be more integrated and also cost was a factor, as a single parent. But when I went on a tour of a public K-8 school – it seemed huge! By comparison, in my son’s current class, there are 16 students. The maximum allowed is 22 students per class. The entire school has a little less than 200 students.
What do you like best about your school? I love that it is small. Also, you have to volunteer a certain number of hours – most people over-donate. The school feels like a community, and becomes an “extended family” with social events keeping us connected outside of school. We met up with other families once a month over the summer for picnics and bowling parties. The principal knows all the students and their families, too.
Biggest misconception about parochial schools? I think the biggest misconception is that sense of entitlement – that it’s all rich white kids in private schools, that the diversity isn’t there. Our school is very racially and socioeconomically diverse. It’s not a conservative, right-wing place. And you don’t have to be Catholic to attend parochial school.
PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILY Wanted Kids to Go to School in Their Neighborhood
Sarah Slater and Mike Hayes: Slater’s a freelance graphic designer, dog walker and soccer coach. Hayes works in sales and marketing for a technology company. Parents of Henry, fifth-grader at Stevens Elementary; Lily, third-grader at Stevens Elementary; Dylan, seventh-grader at Meany Middle School.
Did you consider private? We didn’t consider private at all for elementary school. We were new to the city and wanted our kids to build a foundation in their neighborhood. For kids in elementary school, the most important thing is for them to build community.
Originally, we thought we would look at private middle schools … However, Dylan really wanted to go to Meany. People think you have to go look at a lot of schools, and act like you’re crazy not to. But watching people freak out about school choices, I felt sorry for the families and the kids who were stressed, too.
Best thing about school? There’s great community at the kids’ schools, and the kids are all very proud of them. Dylan’s middle school received an arts initiative grant to host an arts festival, along with an arts walk and student skit. That was the best thing – the audience was the school community, and there was a huge positive response.
Biggest misconception about public school? People think that kids in private school get a better education. They may have a better art program or something, but I don’t know that paying all that money gets you a better education. My son takes honors math classes, and there’s a parent-led math group held after school for students who need extra challenge. As a parent, maybe you need to work a bit harder to make (a strong education) happen, but you get a deeper sense of involvement, too.
Ultimately, it’s not your grades that will make you succeed, but your ability to empathize and communicate with many different groups of people. Public school provides that.
PRIVATE SCHOOL DAD Likes That His Kids’ Schools ‘Fit Their Style’
Janos Mathiesen, cabinet maker Father of Olivia, a seventh-grader, and Stellan, a second-grader. (Seattle’s Child is not publishing the name of the children’s school at Mathiesen’s request.)
Did you consider public? Olivia attended public schools for two years, but it wasn’t a good fit. Private schools were on my radar because of a friend whose kids attend them. After first grade, Olivia entered a private school. Because my daughter was already in private school, I didn’t consider public school for Stellan, though he attends a different school than his sister.
What’s the best thing about your school? There’s the gut feeling you get when you visit a school. Private schools have a flavor. They all come from a different place. Olivia and Stellan’s schools provide a good fit for the types of intelligence they have, the schools fit the style of the kid. Olivia is an avid reader and has a strong interest in the humanities – that’s the vibe at her school. … Olivia chimes in: At my school, you’re really open to be who you are. It’s really comfortable. You call teachers by their first names and there’s always music around. It’s like a second home.
Biggest misconception about private schools? One that comes to mind – though parts of it are true – the diversity criticism. Private school is not accessible to everyone necessarily. The real issue I think is socioeconomic, not the color of one’s skin. While private schools may be slightly homogenous, there’s more diversity than people think. Private schools try to get a broad sweep of people. A lot are like me, a normal middle-class father. …
At Olivia’s school, the kids clean the school on a regular basis. They have chores. They all eat together. It evens the playing field. Everyone is involved, and feels good about their contribution.
