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Approach choice like 'intelligent consumer'

Study up

Here are some Web sites many of our insiders found helpful:

The state's Department of Education Web site at www.firn.edu/doe/ contains school grades as well as Indicator Reports (http://info.doe.state.fl.us/fsir/) that let you plug in various factors such as teachers with advanced degrees, the suspension rate, the number of gifted or special needs students, etc.

The school district's Web site at www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/ has information on the choice system, which schools are in your area and information about each school.

Insiders offer their tips

We asked some public officials and teachers how they picked the schools their kids went to. They also offered their advice to parents embarking on the search.

WHO: Clayton M. Wilcox, Pinellas County's new schools superintendent

SCHOOL: Garrison-Jones Elementary in Dunedin for his daughter, Morgann, 8, in third grade, and son, Tanner, a fifth-grader.

WHY: Wilcox went through a frustrating search for a new house under the school choice system. Despite those problems, Wilcox said he and his family are "ecstatic" about moving into their home in Dunedin and about their new A-rated school, with its parklike campus not far from home.

HIS ADVICE: Wilcox and his wife combed the state's Department of Education Web site (see box) using the school grades and Indicator Reports to help them narrow the search, even bringing printouts with them during the house hunt. "I think you have to be an intelligent consumer," said Wilcox, who encouraged parents to ask all kinds of people about their preferences with the school system, the chances of getting in and what their experiences were. Then take a day, go visit the school. "See how you are treated by the principal and the staff. Do you get the runaround or are your questions answered?" Because of choice, schools try to woo parents with "attractors," special programs that focus on math or science or international studies. Though convenience to home seems to be the most attractive feature in choices, "I'm certain that people would prefer a great teacher to some of the other choices."

Start early, make some visits, talk to officials

WHO: Barbara Faylo, substitute teacher at Brooker Creek Elementary in East Lake and PTA parent education chairwoman at Brooker Creek.

SCHOOL: Jesse, 9, is at Brooker Creek Elementary, Joshua, 12, just started at Tarpon Springs Middle.

WHY: Her children were originally zoned for Brooker Creek, and she has been very happy with the teachers and parent volunteers there, so they stayed put. When it came time to put her older child in middle school, she organized informational meetings with her PTA to learn about school choice. They also invited guidance counselors and curriculum specialists at several middle schools to speak at the PTA. On her own, she visited several schools and ended up narrowing her focus to Safety Harbor, Carwise and Palm Harbor, as well as their eventual choice, Tarpon Springs Middle. They also applied for Coachman Fundamental and were offered a spot. Then came the tough choice: Go for the small setting and parental involvement of the fundamental school or go to Tarpon Springs, where her son could take the bus to school and could get the gifted classes the fundamental school didn't offer. With her son pushing for a neighborhood school and having to provide transportation to a fundamental school, the busy mom chose Tarpon Springs, mostly for its gifted program.

HER ADVICE: "I would start early doing your research," said Faylo, who says she started weighing her options two years ahead of time. Be sure to carefully read the choice information from the school district and its Web site. Take special note that programs such as gifted or magnet schools may have different deadlines. Her other tip: When visiting a school, talk to the guidance counselors. Unlike the time-strapped principals, guidance counselors are more readily available to talk and are well-versed on the school's curriculum and what the school has to offer. She also went to open houses and tours, talked to other parents and met with curriculum specialists and teachers to get a feel for the schools.

Take tours of schools, observe classes

WHO: Kiwanis Baines, fourth-grade teacher at Douglas Jamerson Jr. Elementary in St. Petersburg.

SCHOOL: Her younger son is in kindergarten at Jamerson and her 11-year-old attends Azalea Middle School in St. Petersburg.

WHY: Baines used to teach at Fuguitt Elementary in Largo, and her son went there on a special attendance permit. But in October 2002 she attended the Discovery Night at the soon-to-be opened Douglas Jamerson Elementary School. Jamerson impressed her so much that she requested another declaration of intent form. She eventually got her son into Jamerson and got a job there for herself. The school's math and engineering focus sparked her interest because, besides being closer to her St. Petersburg home, she thought it would challenge Kristopher, who loves math and science. As a teacher, she liked the hands-on approach. Classroom instruction is balanced with laboratory activities so students can actively participate in learning. When it came time for him to move on to middle school, she researched the best math and science programs. He didn't make it into MEGSSS, the gifted math program, so she set her sights on Azalea's gifted program, and he got in.

HER ADVICE: "Search early. Don't wait till the last minute, those lines are something else." She suggests parents start reading information on the school district's Web sit e (see box) and visit schools as soon as possible. She also cautioned that parents need to already be thinking about high schools and making sure their kids have the classes they'll need to get into the programs they are interested in. Listening to her child and helping him foster his interests led her to conclude that he is excited about going to school. She recommended going on the school tours and visiting classes in session if possible to get a sense of the atmosphere. "I also talked to his fifth-grade teacher about what she thought was best for him. She gave me the pamphlet for Azalea."

Paying attention to options pays off

WHO: James Bennett, St. Petersburg City Council member.

SCHOOL: James B. Sanderlin Elementary in St. Petersburg for his 10-year-old daughter.

WHY: Bennett's daughter spent her first few school years at St. Paul's Catholic School in St. Petersburg before switching to her zoned school, Lakewood Elementary (when zoning still existed). But when school choice came into play last year "all her friends left," Bennett said. So the first week of school last year, Bennett learned there were still openings at the new Sanderlin Elementary School and they switched her. Bennett, who has traveled the world and served in the Peace Corps, liked the international focus at Sanderlin and is so far happy with the decision.

ADVICE: "Pay really close attention," said Bennett, noting that even the new school superintendent had trouble finding which schools were available for his kids. "Welcome to the club," Bennett said of Wilcox's frustrations. "You are no longer zoned for a particular school, so there's no guarantee anymore. They are on their own." Bennett recommended doing research and talking to as many people as possible to find the right school. "The information is out there, you just have to get to it."

Examine faculty for teaching strength

WHO: State Rep. Frank Peterman

SCHOOL: His 13-year-old attends Southside Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg, and his 8- and 6-year-olds attend Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary in St. Petersburg.

WHY: His oldest child had attended their zoned school, 74th Street Elementary in St. Petersburg. But Peterman, who credits his wife with doing all the research and legwork, kept applying and finally got into Bay Vista Fundamental. "We wanted our children to have an understanding and respect for schoolwork to be prepared at a decent level for college later." The result, he says, has not always been easy, since the parents at fundamental schools are required to sign homework and attend PTA meetings, "so you are having to be on top of things. It's a bit more intense." But he's glad of that.

HIS ADVICE: Look for a school that has strong academics. Be very sensitive and close to the teachers. "You want to have a sense of the type of teachers they have and whether they are good teachers and have a desire to go the extra mile for the child." Also, take into account the overall environment of the school, the other children and the families there. While choice is allowing parents to choose schools close to home, Peterman fears that schools will become segregated again. He's hoping that families look at all the schools, not just their own neighborhoods. "Children cannot be isolated, black or white; they have to grow socially and be able to engage all communities."

Visit many schools to discover right one

WHO: Nancy Bostock, Pinellas County School Board member

SCHOOL: Bay Vista Fundamental in St. Petersburg for her two daughters and one son. Her son had started out in special education at Maximo Elementary in St. Petersburg and switched to those programs at Perkins, Campbell Park and Maximo Elementary again before they felt he was ready for Bay Vista.

WHY: Though they lived near Pinellas Point in south St. Petersburg, their daughter was zoned for Rio Vista, 20 minutes away, when they applied for magnet and fundamental schools. They considered private schools but "at the time we thought the fundamental schools offered us everything we wanted and more." The one exception was religious education, "so we realized we would have to step it up and be more active in our church. ... In the end, no school is going to offer absolutely everything you want." Another driving factor is that they had just adopted a biracial daughter and would go on to adopt an African-American son, so a school with racial diversity was important. "Going to Bay Vista really offered me the best of both worlds."

HER ADVICE: "Go to as many schools as you can. There's nothing like the gut reaction you get when you walk in and talk to the staff and other parents." She tells parents who are considering magnet and fundamental schools to just go ahead and apply to all of them because what might not interest you in the summer may start looking good by the time you get your notice of acceptance in December. That way you at least still have that option. Look up statistics on the computer. But that, Bostock says, is "just the first step." Talking to parents, staff and anyone else who has had experience with the school gave her a broader picture.

Match interests, academic programs

SCHOOL: Her younger daughter is in fifth grade at Rio Vista Elementary in St. Petersburg and her eighth-grader attends Bay Point Middle School, a science magnet.

WHY: When she took over as principal two years ago at Pinellas Park Middle, she moved her children to schools "that matched their academic interests." She liked Rio Vista for its strong back-to-basics philosophy and the science magnet for her older child. She has her eye on John Hopkins Middle, a performing arts magnet, when her younger daughter heads to middle school because of her interest in the visual arts.

HER ADVICE: Get to know the "attractors" or special programs that each school offers to match your child with his interests. "I don't necessarily look at grades because one subgroup can throw the whole school's grades off." But if your child does fall into a subgroup, such as special needs or is a struggling minority student, check to see how those subgroups perform at that school, she suggests. Take a tour or even schedule a conference with the principal. Brimm has held several at her school with parents. Location is also key, however. Being able to get to the school quickly makes a community school more attractive to the parents and fosters a strong bond, Brimm said. "I do have my worries with (segregation) as an African-American leader," Brimm said. "But the movement to community schools seems reasonable; I am just concerned that we are prepared structurally for it."

Find out what your child loves to learn

SCHOOL: His one son recently graduated from Countryside High School in Clearwater. Before that he went to Curlew Creek Elementary in Palm Harbor and Safety Harbor Middle.

WHY: "We were looking for a good strong public school in our area with a good diverse group," said Aungst who never really considered private school. The family was "really happy" with Safety Harbor Middle's gifted science and math programs. Though they considered applying for the International Baccalaureate program, his son was interested in Countryside's television production program. In the end, he still came out of school with 30 college credits through the advanced placement classes he took and will likely graduate college in three years.

HIS ADVICE: Do your homework and find out what best suits your child. By choosing Countryside over the IB program, his son had fun with the television program and still was challenged academically. "Find something that motivates the kids," Aungst said. "It's about getting out of bed early in the morning and going to school, so you want them to want to be there."

Diversity, class size important factors

WHO: Steve Spratt, Pinellas County administrator

SCHOOL: His college-bound son attended Palm Harbor University High, but then graduated from Clearwater Central Catholic, where his 16-year-old now attends. His 14-year-old attends Kennedy Middle School in Clearwater.

WHY: When he was hired as county administrator in 2001, his kids were transferring from gifted programs in Miami. That allowed them to get spots at Ridgecrest Elementary's gifted program in Largo for his youngest and Palm Harbor for his oldest. The middle child started at Dunedin Middle, but it wasn't a good fit, Spratt said, so he ended up going to CCC. Spratt took advantage of the fact that the County Commission included an educator, a former School Board member and a commissioner with kids the same age as his. He picked their brains for tips and advice and visited the schools, looking for ones that were the most academically challenging. He considered a gifted school in St. Petersburg but the drive from Dunedin made that idea less appealing.

HIS ADVICE: "My own experience is to try to make sure the school environment matches academically what they are ready for," Spratt said. "I think class sizes are important, because you want to get individual attention." But Spratt also thinks it's important for kids to attend a school with a diverse population. "My kids grew up in a cultural melting pot in Miami," Spratt said, "and I happen to think that is a very healthy environment for them, so they are better prepared as adults."

Curriculum key item in making decision

WHO: Bill Foster, St. Petersburg City Council member

SCHOOL: Canterbury School of Florida in St. Petersburg for his two children, 13 and 9.

WHY: "We wanted a low teacher-to-student ratio and we were very interested in the curriculum," Foster said. The private school, which emphasizes college-preparatory programs, was also convenient to home and work so Foster was happy about that. Down the road, they are considering St. Petersburg High School's International Baccalaureate program, "so it's still the curriculum that is driving our decision."

HIS ADVICE: Do what feels right for you. "Private school isn't for everyone. For us it wasn't much of a debate because we felt very comfortable there."

Plan for progress through system

SCHOOL: Her 10-year-old attends Bauder Elementary in Seminole, and her 12-year-old goes to Seminole Middle School.

WHY: Her kids had been attending Orange Grove Elementary in Seminole, but their middle and high school options would have meant being bused to St. Petersburg in high school. Seeing the coming of school choice, which was going to grandfather in kids who were already enrolled in June 2001, Russell went on a rapid search for a home that would put her kids on a track for neighborhood schools. They now attend Bauder and can attend Seminole Middle and High schools in later years. She had a surprise this summer, however, when her middle schooler came home asking about the IB and CAT programs at other high schools. Russell is now discovering that to get into those programs, he will need some specific classes now. "You need to start preparing for this in fourth grade," Russell said.

HER ADVICE: "I would say think seriously about how you want to progress through the system," said Russell, keeping in mind which middle and high schools your child may attend and lining up your options and classes so they can take part if they choose to. She has gotten the best information from other parents who have already been through the system and from guidance counselors who have advised her about curriculum and class choices. "Go to the choice fairs at the mall or our Family Education Centers and just browse," Russell said. "I firmly believe any one of our neighborhood schools can provide an excellent education. But the biggest change is now you have an opportunity to browse. Fourth grade is the time to browse, fifth grade you have to ask some serious questions. As you move through middle school, you have them take the most challenging courses the child can handle and look at electives."

Find out what you want from a school

WHO: Rick Baker, mayor of St. Petersburg

SCHOOL: His two children, 7 and 8, attend a private Christian school.

WHY: The Bakers knew they wanted their children to attend a Christian school so they visited several and talked to families who attended. "We tried to find people who have sent their children to the school before so we can get some personal recommendations and a comfort level."

HIS ADVICE: "First of all you find out what you want to get out of a school," Baker said. He recommends visiting schools and using the school system's Web site (www.pinellaschoice.org) to learn about the different schools in the area. A special project of Baker's pairs businesses with neighborhood schools. The city is running a series on Channel 35 about the different programs at the schools, Baker noted, but he's also hoping to help the school system do a better job of "marketing" the city's schools. "It's complicated now, but it's also a great opportunity for parents," Baker said, "because you have a lot of attractor schools, magnet schools and other programs that allows parents to choose what they want."