Kindergarten School Fairs
So the other day I picked up a flyer for a Kindergarten Fair – which was great news, as there’s been quite a bit of discussion about school choices in our household of late as we begin thinking about kindergarten options.
Now I am sure most of us are familiar with College Fairs- either from attending them ourselves in high school, or returning after graduation to help market our own alma maters to college-bound students. Dozens of different colleges and universities sending representatives to try and sell their schools to high school students thinking about their higher education. Schools competing for the best students and marketing their own uniqueness to fit the needs of a diverse student population.
And so to me it seems natural to hold a similar program for families looking at the beginning of their children’s education as well (shouldn’t the first 13 years be just as important as the last 4?). Even by age 4 or 5 you can tell that children have different learning styles and are at different educational levels, and thinking that you can fit them all into a one-size-fits-all model just doesn’t make much sense. I think it is a great think to have the opportunity to highlight different educational programs and encourage schools to compete for students- even as early as kindergarten. The thing that saddens me though is that for most students, there are no real options. Sure, the choices are there- if you can afford the sometimes $18,000 and up yearly tuition (yes, even for Kindergarten!).
While some of our local public schools are wonderful- just down the street there are other options that continue to struggle. But it is equally important to remember that even at those “great” schools- some students in those schools may continue to struggle- and simply looking at broad generalizations or overall test scores may not be the best measure of how that school will do for a unique child. And so, sadly, many kids in our area remain stuck in a school that may not be able to best meet their needs and give them the best opportunity for success.
Again, that’s not to say that every private school will be right for every child either- but again, as we’ve said before, choice isn’t about public versus private. It is about being able to make the decisions that give a child the best chances to succeed. It isn’t about any one school – or school model- trying to be everything to everyone, but rather a system where we have the diversity of options and that can better fulfill the needs of a very diverse society of unique individuals.
I am pleased that our local public schools will have representatives at the Kindergarten Fair – in addition to the private schools- and I look forward to hearing what they all have to say. And hopefully in the future all Virginia families will have access to multiple options when it comes to the education of their children- and no child will be stuck in a school that doesn’t meet their needs.
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