Ode To Public Schools

Just this week:

I spent 30 mins with a high school counselor reviewing college readiness details with Taye so we make sure we are checking off every box. I took Blythe in to preschool services for a pediatrician recommended speech assement with a teacher and case manager that lasted one hour.  She will go back in a few weeks for a complete evaluation with a speech pathologist, a psychologist and other trained professionals - at no cost to me.  If she needs further help the school district will provide it free of charge.  Taye finished drivers ed this weekend - for the highly subsidized rate of $60 he got 24 hours of classroom instruction and 12 hours of hands on driving instruction from his school.

Middle School Mascot

This school year:

Jaxon played school football and basketball this year and had uniforms, equipment, travel to and from games, paid referees, coaches etc. and even though only 14 boys made the basketball team hundreds of kids stayed after school to cheer on the team, visit with friends, cheerlead, play in the band and man the snack counter.  During sports season he spent 10 hours a day at the school and someone was always taking care of him.  One morning a week I go to Scotia's school and help coach the First in Fitness team. The PE teacher has all the practice zones set up with jump ropes and counters, an assembled pull up bar, and spaces for jumping, running and shuttling.

Science Project

Taye swam for high school swim this year and the school rented space at a nearby pool for daily practices, then the coach drove the big activity "party" bus back and forth to all the swim meets, CAP 8, regionals and States.

First in Fitness

Big D is living with us again and last week when he missed a week of school a teacher called to check in to make sure he was doing okay, and then hid a post it note in a stack of homework to "keep your head up".

Scotia Field Trip to Zoo

In years past my boys have had academically gifted testing and special AG classes during school hours with a part time teacher whose only job was to think up activities to keep brilliant minds busy. Scotia has remedial help with reading and math by licensed teachers who spend every single day just working with kids who need a little extra attention.  In first grade she had an entire year of weekly one on one training with a licensed speech pathologist at no cost to me.

Taye Odyssey of the Mind

They have participated in science clubs where teachers gave up lunch hours for months on end to coach kids and one teacher spent a morning during her spring break teaching my 10 year old boy how to sew. (I will love her forever!!) And then traveled with them to national events. My kids have planted gardens at school, hosted car washes, participated in athletic and cultural events and have been loved and nurtured by amazing teachers who I have seen show up at birthday parties and football games. 

This week I was working and at a huge high school in Charlotte that felt more like a college campus - lots of buildings with a big grassy quad in the middle. The final bell rang and thousands of diverse kids poured out of buildings heading for parking lots, carpool and buses. It was noisy but peaceful.

Taye Art Museum Field Trip

For sure bad things happen in public schools. I don't want to diminish that. (I wish every single education provider had a mandatory 3 credit college course in understanding poverty.  I also wish the salary was high enough that college students competed to get into the education major) But for the most part millions of kids wake up every day, hop on buses in their neighborhood, spend the day at school safe, eating, learning and socializing and end up prepared to contribute to society. 

Jaxon Odyssey of the Mind

I'm my dream world every kid goes to a public school and all the innovation of charter schools and the money of private schools and the energy of home schools gets funneled into fabulous public schools that meet the needs of all different kinds of kids. Small schools, art schools, science schools, super big schools and everything else in between.

(I have said before and will mention again, as the above list testifies... we pay what I think is a pretty hefty chunk in city, state and federal taxes and that money does not come even close to covering all the services me and my family receive.)