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The transition from private middle school to public high school is tough, but survivable.
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By MADDIE HIGHTOWER
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 10, 2001
Moving from middle to high school has its particular challenges.
Overnight, you're transformed from the oldest, most experienced student in the school into the youngest, greenest newcomer. Your schedule is confusing. Where is your advanced math class again? Ten miles from your locker? And the homework load? Goodbye sleep.
Some kids add to that basketful of anxiety another stress: making the switch from private school to public school. Sure, it might be cool to lose those plaid uniforms and wear jeans for a change, but there's much more to it.
We talked to a group of kids who are weathering that transition well this semester, having left St. Paul's School in Clearwater for different public high schools. They have some war stories to tell, and some success stories, too.
Fourteen-year-old Alex Gelep, a freshman in the International Baccalaureate program at Palm Harbor University High School, accidentally went to both first AND second lunch, making himself late for fifth period.
Christina Rogers-Hehr, also 14 and a freshman in the IB program at St. Petersburg High School, got lost trying to find art class, "but that's how I met one of my good friends."
My own first day was not without a few surprises. My semester elective was team sports, which I had picked because I figured there would be lots of other girls in it. I turned out to be VERY wrong. There were only five other girls, 30-some guys. But, like Christina's experience, mine turned out to be positive, too: I became friends with many guys from that class.
Alex says he chose a public high school because he was interested in having a larger student population and because he could get a good education for less money. Public school doesn't mean easier education, Alex says. "The homework is easier, but the tests are harder."
Another St. Paul's graduate, Katherine Sultenfuss, also 14, is a freshman at Clearwater High School. She says Clearwater High is easier academically than St. Paul's, but that making friends is harder. Going to public high school is "good because it's not the same thing every day, and bad for the same reason," Katherine says.
Christina says she decided to make the switch from private to public because "It was convenient, and the IB is a good program."
Christina has known Alex and Katherine since kindergarten. All three say that the one thing that they miss most about private school is knowing everyone -- students and faculty alike. In the St. Paul's graduating class of 2001, 13 of the 41 students had gone to school together for nine years.
"We were close," Christina says. "I miss not knowing everyone in my grade."
The social and educational aspects of switching from private schools to public ones are only part of the daunting experience. Food is a factor, as well.
Alex, Christina and Katherine agreed that the food at private school (or St. Paul's, at least) is generally better than the fare in their public school cafeterias. "St. Paul's food had more variety," says Katherine.
"We have this awesome pizza (at St. Pete High)," Christina said, but she maintains that the food at private school was just as good or better.
There are differences between private and public schools in many areas, agrees Anete Vasquez, teacher of English I and English III in the IB program at Palm Harbor University High. "In general, private school kids are better behaved," she says. "But the IB program is as close to a private school atmosphere as you can get."
James Day, who teaches inquiry skills to IB students at Palm Harbor, disagrees. He says he cannot tell a difference between students who attended public and private schools, academically or by appearance. Each student is different.
Mrs. Vasquez suggests students facing the decision of which high school to attend should contact people they know from their old school who have gone on to different schools, to find out about the atmosphere.
Naturally, the difference in student population -- private schools usually are much smaller than public schools -- is enough to make any prospective freshman a little nervous, especially if you've never been in a public school atmosphere before. Mr. Day says he has observed that private school kids tend to take longer to adjust to the crowd in high school.
The transition from middle to high school is going to be slightly stressful regardless of the type of school you have attended or will be attending. After completing nearly a semester of public school, Christina is still positive. "It got harder. I'm getting C's on my report card for the first time ever," she says. "But I still like it way better than private school."
The best approach, according to these "veterans," is to not worry so much, and it will be easier to enjoy your high school experience.
- Maddie Hightower, 14, is in the ninth grade at Palm Harbor University High School International Baccalaureate Program.
Here's the rest of today's Xpress
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