Seminar Program in SD school district

[Rhett]

[quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine]

[UCGal]

[quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine][/quote]

My view had been that test scores are a factor (among many) to consider. But I’ve gotten kind of disillusioned this year with my kids elementary school. It’s top rated… but I’ve seen some stuff this year that makes me question how well they deal with anything other than well behaved, bright, self motivated kids. Not just my kids – but friends are also starting to question.

But it’s still a well above average school. And if your child is bright, self motivated, and doesn’t have any issues – they’ll do great at the school. Which is why the scores are high. The vast majority of the kids fit that description.

[UCGal]

[quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine][/quote]

My view had been that test scores are a factor (among many) to consider. But I’ve gotten kind of disillusioned this year with my kids elementary school. It’s top rated… but I’ve seen some stuff this year that makes me question how well they deal with anything other than well behaved, bright, self motivated kids. Not just my kids – but friends are also starting to question.

But it’s still a well above average school. And if your child is bright, self motivated, and doesn’t have any issues – they’ll do great at the school. Which is why the scores are high. The vast majority of the kids fit that description.

[UCGal]

[quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine][/quote]

My view had been that test scores are a factor (among many) to consider. But I’ve gotten kind of disillusioned this year with my kids elementary school. It’s top rated… but I’ve seen some stuff this year that makes me question how well they deal with anything other than well behaved, bright, self motivated kids. Not just my kids – but friends are also starting to question.

But it’s still a well above average school. And if your child is bright, self motivated, and doesn’t have any issues – they’ll do great at the school. Which is why the scores are high. The vast majority of the kids fit that description.

[UCGal]

[quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine][/quote]

My view had been that test scores are a factor (among many) to consider. But I’ve gotten kind of disillusioned this year with my kids elementary school. It’s top rated… but I’ve seen some stuff this year that makes me question how well they deal with anything other than well behaved, bright, self motivated kids. Not just my kids – but friends are also starting to question.

But it’s still a well above average school. And if your child is bright, self motivated, and doesn’t have any issues – they’ll do great at the school. Which is why the scores are high. The vast majority of the kids fit that description.

[UCGal]

[quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]
We’ve looked at the seminar programs. There are differences between them. I’ve heard similar things about the La Jolla seminar program… And after this year’s experience, I’m changing my view about schools that look good on paper, vs schools that might have lower overall test scores, but be better for the student.[/quote]

What was your view before, and what’s that view now? I was under the impression that you believed that test scores didn’t tell the entire story.

[Sorry for not following the board as closely as a family member of mine][/quote]

My view had been that test scores are a factor (among many) to consider. But I’ve gotten kind of disillusioned this year with my kids elementary school. It’s top rated… but I’ve seen some stuff this year that makes me question how well they deal with anything other than well behaved, bright, self motivated kids. Not just my kids – but friends are also starting to question.

But it’s still a well above average school. And if your child is bright, self motivated, and doesn’t have any issues – they’ll do great at the school. Which is why the scores are high. The vast majority of the kids fit that description.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=AN]The more I hear about GATE/Seminar and budget problem, the more I’m leaning toward keeping my kids in private school.[/quote]

I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.

My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=AN]The more I hear about GATE/Seminar and budget problem, the more I’m leaning toward keeping my kids in private school.[/quote]

I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.

My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=AN]The more I hear about GATE/Seminar and budget problem, the more I’m leaning toward keeping my kids in private school.[/quote]

I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.

My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=AN]The more I hear about GATE/Seminar and budget problem, the more I’m leaning toward keeping my kids in private school.[/quote]

I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.

My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.

[sdduuuude]

[quote=AN]The more I hear about GATE/Seminar and budget problem, the more I’m leaning toward keeping my kids in private school.[/quote]

I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.

My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.

[an]

[quote=sdduuuude]I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.[/quote]
That’s a big problem for me. I’ll be sending my kids to a private school for Preschool – 1st Grade. I was thinking of taking them out of private school and try and get them into the Seminar program. My initial impression was, all Seminar classes perform at a very high academic level that would push the kids to the maximum potential. But if not all Seminar class are the same and not all are different than regular classes, then I won’t even take the risk and just keep them in the same private school through 5th Grade.

[quote=sdduuuude]My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.[/quote]
My impression is, public school is more than sufficient for Jr. High and HS. There’s no single curriculum for all the kids, so, your kid can do as well as they want to.

[an]

[quote=sdduuuude]I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.[/quote]
That’s a big problem for me. I’ll be sending my kids to a private school for Preschool – 1st Grade. I was thinking of taking them out of private school and try and get them into the Seminar program. My initial impression was, all Seminar classes perform at a very high academic level that would push the kids to the maximum potential. But if not all Seminar class are the same and not all are different than regular classes, then I won’t even take the risk and just keep them in the same private school through 5th Grade.

[quote=sdduuuude]My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.[/quote]
My impression is, public school is more than sufficient for Jr. High and HS. There’s no single curriculum for all the kids, so, your kid can do as well as they want to.

[an]

[quote=sdduuuude]I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.[/quote]
That’s a big problem for me. I’ll be sending my kids to a private school for Preschool – 1st Grade. I was thinking of taking them out of private school and try and get them into the Seminar program. My initial impression was, all Seminar classes perform at a very high academic level that would push the kids to the maximum potential. But if not all Seminar class are the same and not all are different than regular classes, then I won’t even take the risk and just keep them in the same private school through 5th Grade.

[quote=sdduuuude]My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.[/quote]
My impression is, public school is more than sufficient for Jr. High and HS. There’s no single curriculum for all the kids, so, your kid can do as well as they want to.

[an]

[quote=sdduuuude]I think the key thing I gleaned from this thread is – each school is different. There are probably several that do it right, several that do it badly and several that do it in a way that makes it no different from regular school.[/quote]
That’s a big problem for me. I’ll be sending my kids to a private school for Preschool – 1st Grade. I was thinking of taking them out of private school and try and get them into the Seminar program. My initial impression was, all Seminar classes perform at a very high academic level that would push the kids to the maximum potential. But if not all Seminar class are the same and not all are different than regular classes, then I won’t even take the risk and just keep them in the same private school through 5th Grade.

[quote=sdduuuude]My boy/girl twins both tested GATE and we got the whole pitch on what it means – but I can’t say the quality of the GATE program will steer us away from the middle school we expect to attend, unless there are real problems with both the standard and GATE classes.

I was in higher-level classes as a high-schooler and was isolated from the rest of the class for freshman and sohpomore years. I must say, I hated that.[/quote]
My impression is, public school is more than sufficient for Jr. High and HS. There’s no single curriculum for all the kids, so, your kid can do as well as they want to.

[Author]

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