Both magnet and neighborhood schools have positive aspects, but parents need to be active in support and decision-making either way.
By LINDA COLE, Times Staff Writer
Published August 29, 2004 Situation: Times Newsfeatures copy editor Linda Cole wanted her daughter to stay right where she was.
(This article originally appeared Sept. 14, 2003)
In November 2002, my husband and I were asked to make a choice: where to send our daughter, Jennifer, for her junior year of high school.
For us, this decision was a given.
Jennifer would stay at Northeast High School, where she had been for the past two years. She would be grandfathered, which would allow her to remain at Northeast through her senior year.
Having been in both magnet and zoned public schools, we are convinced our kids are happier and our family life is less stressful when they attend neighborhood schools. A school nearby makes it easier for the kids to participate in activities and for parents to be involved at the school.
Moving Jennifer to a new school for her last two years would have been a major readjustment, considering she is involved in so many student activities - clubs, student council and yearbook to name just a few - and she has many close friends. So it was an easy call.
Northeast has a special place in our hearts - my husband, his brother and I graduated from there, as well as our son, who graduated in 2001.
The major benefit of attending a neighborhood school is that students have a common bond with other students from the area. Both of our children attended Shore Acres Elementary and made many lifelong friendships.
Kids who attend neighborhood schools are often involved in neighborhood soccer leagues, Little League baseball and Boy and Girl scouts. These neighborhood bonds reinforce friendships.
Another advantage of attending a school close to home is increased participation in after-school activities, such as clubs, athletic activities and tutoring. And parents with busy schedules reduce driving time for meetings or sporting activities.
For third and fourth grades, Jennifer, along with other neighborhood students, was bused to Campbell Park Elementary, which my husband and I think is the best-kept secret in Pinellas County.
This small school was like an extended family - Jim Steen, the principal, and each teacher from kindergarten to fifth grade knew every student who attended the school and called them by name. It had a warm, friendly atmosphere, and Jennifer was very happy there. We had the option to bring her back to Shore Acres for fifth grade, but opted to leave her at Campbell Park, as did many of her friends' parents.
Both of our children attended magnet middle schools. Daniel went to 16th Street Middle, now John Hopkins, for the computer magnet program. For two of his three years in middle school, he was bused to the Osceola High School campus, where portables were set up to house students during the reconstruction of 16th Street Middle/John Hopkins.
While Daniel made many friends, having a countywide student population located far away made it difficult for the students to engage in after-hours activities away from the school campus.
Jennifer attended Bay Point Middle School's Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technologies. Like her brother, she made many friends, but none who lived close enough for her to study or hang out with. This magnet program also drew students from all parts of Pinellas County.
When they returned to the neighborhood school for high school, both children reconnected with friends they had known since they were in kindergarten.
My husband has been a member of Northeast's School Advisory Coouncil(SAC) for six years, serving as a member, vice chairman, chairman and co-chairman. When both of our children were in elementary school, I was active in PTA at both Shore Acres and Campbell Park, and also served on the SAC at Campbell Park.
No matter which school your child attends, we feel the most important thing you can do for them is to be involved. Attend open house, SAC and PTA meetings, get to know their teachers. We realize that in middle and high school it is more difficult to get to know the teachers than in elementary school, but make sure you can put a face with a name when your child talks about a teacher.
Situation: Times Newsfeatures copy editor Linda Cole wanted her daughter to stay right where she was.