more on.... SCHOOL
So...since we are on the subject of school, and since I'm an expat with little experience on how things work in the States...I was surprised to find out that children don't have to attend pre-school here. Okay, that's fine, there's tonnes of fun stuff to do at home, but then I started looking at the Kindergarten situation...in our State, you have to be 5 by September 1(give or take a few days) to be enrolled for Kindergarten that year (school year starts at the beginning of September). If you miss the cutoff by a week or a month...tough luck, you have to wait until you are nearly SIX to attend Kindergarten!!! Then, it's not a full day of school...it's a measly half day! But...if you have the cash, and I'm talking C-A-S-H...your child can attend 'full day' Kindergarten at 'select' public elementary Schools. How much you ask?
$3200!
Wait a minute, did I say 'public school'? Yes I did...because it is considered 'after school care' a.k.a. baby-bloody-sitting! $3200 for someone at public school to 'babysit' my child! If you think I sound a bit miffed, yes I am!
So...if you are unlucky enough to be born after the first of September, and don't have an extra few thousand hanging around your child could be almost SEVEN YEARS OLD before they have their first full day of school. In my opinion this is INSANE! I don't know how we are going to handle this people? Where I am from, you go to full day school when you are FIVE, you attend 'kindy'(our preschool) for FREE from age 3-5! So what I'm seeing is kids get better opportunities and options if they come from homes that can afford the 'extras'...shame shame shame. I'm really disappointed.
Yesterday I got a call from the County Education Department, they are sending out information about obtaining a State Variance for Piper so she can attend Kindergarten early, she emphasized to me that they make it as difficult as possible to grant variances, regardless of circumstances.
Mike and I say BOLLOCKS!
9 comments:
If only our country were smaller- converting us to a more sound system would be incredibly tough in a nation of this size... it does totally suck. When I was married D and I often mused about going back to Trinidad until kids were in college- just a much, much better system there not unlike NZs... D came out of HS having finished 2 years calculus and sadly was forced to take it again undergrad. Bored out of his skull of course.
Welcome to America!
And people are wondering why our kids can't keep up ??
Bollocks is the right word, I heart that word, it covers a multitude of situations....
I had an idea, really consider it OK?
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are you considering?
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move to england.
you'll have:
me
wagamama
me
jamie oliver
me
bbc
me
cheaper flights to NZ
me
6 weeks paid vacation a year
me
free health care
me
free dentistry
me
6 months paid sick leave
me
free schooling (full time) from age 4
me
free pre-school from age 3
me
remember, seriously consider it....
companies would be desperate for Mike
I'm desperate for my friend
:0)
are you still there in USA???
GET ON THAT PLANE!!!!
Well I think you would be great at homeschooling. ;)
I agree...this is completely INSANE! Avi misses the cut off by 26 days. Some public schools in our area offer full day kindergarten, but if it's not in your zone you have to petition to get your kid into it. I feel your pain.
Hayley, I understand your pain! Our Jake's birthday is Sept 6th. He made the cutoff here but I had to listen to many lectures about how he wouldn't succeed since he was the YOUNGEST in the class. I too say BULLOCKS! So what... was I supposed to keep this intelligent kid in pre-school ANOTHER year fingerpainting CLOUDS! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! He did just fine and besides socializing with EVERYONE (not because he is YOUNG... but because he's never met a stranger!) he did GREAT!!! GOOD LUCK with the variance!!!
:-)
-Nicole
come on TA for Logan!
Yep, it's crazy. And where we live, the $3K for full-day kindergarten only covers the school day, 8:30 - 3:00. If both parents work, you have to pay MORE for before and/or after school care.
Oh yeah, and Z is going to miss the cut-off by 10 measly days. 10 days!
That's really crappy and insane. Hope it all works out for you.
Hugs,
Jonni
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