Finding the right school for your child in San Diego
If you're relocating within San Diego, picking the right school for your child can be tough. And if you're moving into San Diego from outside of the city, it can be even harder. With no firsthand experience and very few people to turn to for a discussion of schools' reputations, you're going to have to do some investigating on your own. We've pulled together some questions that experts say you should ask when picking a school for your child, whether it's elementary school or high school.
Do the principal and faculty have time to talk to you?
You should be able to set up a meeting that's at least half an hour long with the principal. During this time, you can talk about the school's environment, the principles of its teaching style and its academic achievements. But most importantly, you'll be able to see firsthand what kind of interaction you can expect with the school. If the principal doesn't have time for you when you're new to the area, can you be sure that she will have time for you when your child is in trouble? Even at the busiest schools, being able to create time to meet with a parent is a sign of a well-managed administration. And talking to a few of the teachers—at varied grade levels—will give you a good feeling for the style and habits of the school.
What kinds of activities do the students participate in?
Do the kids at the school spend their time in after-school day care? Is the school in a neighborhood where most kids have a stay-at-home parent? Or do most of the kids spend their after-school time in organized sports or stimulating classes? You want to find a school where your kids can identify with what the other kids are doing. Even if your child is interested in karate now, she is much more likely to develop her skills and a habit of lifelong exercise if her new friends join her. And when she outgrows the sport and wants to try something else, you'll want lots of options available to her. Check for academic, artistic and athletic activities. It'll serve your children well to get a taste of all three.
What do the numbers say?
Many parents don't know that they can find tons of statistical data about area schools on the web. They can also find articles about what local schools are doing, updates on testing schedules and reports on what the San Diego Board of Education is doing. While it's important to take a hands-on approach to picking a school, it can also be important to take a step back and just look at what the numbers say. The San Diego Unified School District website is http://www.sandi.net/ , and all of the other school districts in San Diego County also have websites.
Look at the scores of not only standardized testing, but also outside reports of school progress. (Many districts have “visitors” come in once every few years to evaluate the schools.) While all numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, colleges and universities are going to evaluate your student based on them—and you should know ahead of time what they are likely to say.
