Choosing an Elementary School: What to Consider Beyond the Basic Info.
Between our 3 kids we've attended 4 different elementary schools! After all that experience, these are the areas I suggest investigating beyond the typical questions before enrolling.
A fun fact about our family is that between our three kids we’ve attended four different elementary schools! Two have been public schools, two have been private schools, and three in Los Angeles and one in Idaho. Currently my three kids are in kindergarten, 4th grade, and 6th grade, and all are at different schools. So, not only do I have a lot of lived experience with different kinds of elementary schools, I’m also still in the thick of experiencing it!
Living in a big city like Los Angeles means there are many kinds of schools, and families often explore a lot of them then apply to a few and wait to see which schools have space for their kids. Those availability emails come out soon! In Los Angeles, the decision date is early March for both LAUSD Choices (the Los Angeles Unified School District “Choices” programs include Magnet, Charter, Schools for Advanced Studies, etc.) and for local private schools. I know that in other areas of the US families will hear also in the next two months whether or not there is space in the schools they applied to for their kid to start school there in the fall.
The waiting time between now and receiving those emails can be very stressful – so much is uncertain! And then, once the emails are sent, there is typically just 7 days to make a decision and commit to where your child will enroll to attend school in the fall. There may be one school your child gets into so the choice is made for you, or a waitlist scenario, or a choice between a few schools. That 7 day period can be very intense – there is a lot to figure out in a short time!
As your Type A Mom friend I want to help lessen the stress of that decision! So, I thought that I’d highlight a few topics to investigate that oftentimes aren’t brought up during typical school tours or info sessions.
These questions are not meant to be judgmental – they are simply meant to be thought provoking in a helpful way, and are based on my experience. My goal is that when you’re faced with a school decision, you’ve thought about as much as possible so you have a fuller picture of what life would be like if your kids went to school there! (And, if you’re not currently in this school decision stage with your family, please send this to someone who is!)
WHAT ARE THE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS?
Transportation is a major factor in your and you child’s elementary school experience. These are some specific things to consider:
If a school bus is offered:
Is it free? If you have to pay, can you sign up for day passes or is it a full year commitment?
Is the bus stop walking distance from your home or will you need to drive to it?
Driving to a bus stop adds hassle if you have other kids that stay home since you may need to bring them in the car with you unless your partner is home.
What time is the pick-up and drop-off at the bus stop?
Often this is a much earlier morning and later afternoon than if you drove, so think about if that early/late time is feasible.
Driving to school:
Are drop-off and pick-up a carline/carpool situation where the adult stays in the car and the kids get in and out?
This can be appealing because there’s less hassle, but it also makes it more difficult to make friends with other parents because you aren’t running into each other.
Or, does the adult need to park nearby and walk to drop-off and pick-up their kids?
If this is the case, be sure to find out if there is a parking lot or if you have to find street parking (I’ve experienced both and while a parking lot seems easy it can get crowded and tough to maneuver in at pick up time, while street parking runs the risk of a parking ticket or tough crosswalks)
Are adults able to drop-off and pick-up just one kid or do they need to find another family with whom to carpool?
If you do have to carpool, does the school help you find nearby families?
When adults drop-off and pick-up kids, will they see their kid’s teacher?
I loved being able to do this at some my kids’ schools because they’d give me little bits of feedback about my kids’ days.
WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL HOURS?
The hours of the day are important when considering work schedules, traffic patterns, and your kid’s energy.
What are the standard school day hours?
Are there any late start or early dismissal days?
We’ve attended two schools with late starts once a week, and two other schools with early dismissals once a week. All of that affects our adult schedules so are important to consider!
What is the policy for late arrivals?
What happens if you’re late to pick-up your kid?
WHAT ARE THE VOLUNTEERING EXPECTATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES?
Volunteering is very personal decision and it’s best to know what the expectations are before enrolling!
What in-person parent involvement is expected? What in-person parent involvement is allowed?
I’ve experienced both sides of this – one school expected a lot of parent involvement and another school did not let us in the classroom at all.
If a parent is a “room parent/room representative” does that mean they are in the classroom weekly, daily, or only for holidays? Or are they simply the coordinator between the parents and the teachers/school?
Also, I’ve experienced two ways of choosing to be room parent: one, I chose to be the parent representative and two, I applied and waited to hear the school’s decision.
Are the other parents you work with assigned to you or can you choose who to be room parent with?
Are there parent association groups that parents are expected to join?
Some schools make this mandatory and at others it’s voluntary.
Are there activities throughout the school year that the parents must plan like: book fair, teacher appreciation day, school carnivals, gala/dinner dance night out, auctions, etc.?
WHAT IS THE SIBLING POLICY?
If you have more than one kid in your family, the sibling policy is important to consider!
Are siblings automatically accepted once they are the correct age to attend or do they have to apply?
If a sibling is not automatically accepted and are not the right fit, when will the school tell you?
Will the school suggest other schools for your other child?
HOW DOES THE SCHOOL HANDLE SNACKS AND LUNCH?
Food is a big part of a kid’s day, and a big part of what you may have to prepare every day before sending them to school. Some major things to ask/consider:
What food (if any) is provided by the school?
One school we’ve attended provides free snack and lunch, two had cafeterias where my kids could buy food, and another the parents ordered online at least two nights ahead of time and paid for it to be delivered to the classroom each day.
What happens if your kids forgets their lunch/you forget to order them a lunch?
How does the school handle food allergies?
Does the school allow nuts? Two schools my kids attended allowed nuts, and two did not.
Is there a cafeteria? How do they accept payments?
Or, is there a service from which parents can order lunch to be delivered to their child? How do they accept payments?
How late can parents add a lunch order for their kid?
ARE THERE ANY AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND/OR AFTER CARE OFFERED?
Understanding what after school activities and support are available is important to your and your kid’s school experience!
Is after care included in the school day and school fees?
If so, what is included during that after care (snack, special activity, homework help, etc.)
How late in the day does the program run?
How late does the program run if there is a half day or early dismissal at school?
If kids aren’t automatically enrolled in after care, when does that sign up occur? How competitive is that sign up - are there some activities that fill up quickly so there’s a chance your kid won’t have after care?
Is after care comprised of individual classes you must sign up for that are held each afternoon, or is it simply a set amount of time that kids are cared for?
Is the pick-up time flexible or is it a sharp pick-up time?
One of our after care programs offers flexible pick-up where I can arrive between 3pm to 6pm to get my kid, and other ones have a sharp pick-up time with no flexibility.
HOW DOES THE SCHOOL FUNDRAISE?
Many schools fundraise throughout the year through hosting different events, and many schools also ask for donations from parents.
Does the school expect donations from the parents?
If so, is there a target amount per student?
If the school does not hit their fundraising goal, will any programs or teacher assistants be cut from your kid’s school day?
How many fundraising events are there each year?
Are there a minimum number of fundraising events parents must attend per school year?
Are parents expected to plan/host fundraising events?
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL FEES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR?
Often schools have fees that come up throughout the school year, and they’re something to consider before enrolling.
Does the school pay for field trips and retreats, or is that an additional fee?
If the school does not pay, do they offer fundraising opportunities for the kids to help pay for this? One school we attended let the kids fundraise which cuts down the cost parents had to pay.
Are there fees for items like PE uniforms, sports team uniforms, etc.?
One school we attended provided one sports uniform but after that we had to purchase additional ones.
Once kids are old enough to need laptops, does the school provide them or do families purchase them?
WHAT IS THE VIBE OF THE OTHER FAMILIES?
The other families in the school make up the school community, so these questions will inform how the day-to-day will feel.
Where do most of the families live?
This determines how easy it will be to have play dates, to sign up for and get to the same after school sports teams, etc.
Are the families welcoming to new people?
I’ve found that a clear way to assess this is to ask if they invite everyone in the class to birthday parties.
Are the families always coordinating extra activities for the kids (like art class, soccer class, etc.) and if so, are they inclusive?
WHAT IS THE HOMEWORK POLICY?
Homework has a big effect on your life at home…
How often are kids given homework for each grade?
Two schools we attended gave a weekly packet in kindergarten so we could do it at our own pace. One school does not ever assign homework, and one school gradually added more homework at each new grade level.
How long should homework take kids to do every night?
What parental oversight is expected?
Whenever friends call me and ask my advice about where to send their kid to elementary school, I always highlight those questions for them to consider. Added to the typical questions about schools (what is the educational philosophy of the school, what math program do they teach, when is a world language offered, what are the special classes offered, what is the student/teacher ratio, etc.) they usually help my friends make a more informed decision that fits their unique family’s needs. I hope that writing these down and sharing them will do the same for you and your family!
❤️, Amanda, your Type A Mom friend
PS: Three things that helped me parent this week are:
Ordering Valentine’s Cards NOW: Valentine’s Day is over Presidents Weekend this year, so that means my kids are celebrating in their classrooms on February 11th and 12th. That is SOON! So I ordered these squishy Valentine’s for my son A(6) who is in kindergarten, and these slap bracelet Valentine’s for my daughter C(9) who is in 4th grade. Now I don’t have to stress that there isn’t time to get the cards my kids want to give, AND these are personalized so the “from” section already says their name which makes it so easy for us all. Personalized Valentine’s have been amazing at reducing the stress around giving Valentine’s cards…
Glass Storage & Pre-Cut Parchment Paper: I made energy balls for an after school snack for my kids this week. I store them in a glass container in the freezer, with each layer separated by parchment paper. I grab an energy ball straight from the freezer and serve it cold to my kids when they need a quick snack – and my husband and I also love them! The glass container makes storing these and all our leftovers so easy (especially because I got the oven safe ones so they help me bake/reheat food) and the pre-cut parchment paper is a dream after years of cutting wax paper off a roll and never getting the size right!
Sunscreen Stick: I keep an spf 50 mineral sunscreen stick in my kids’ backpacks in case I forget to put it on them before school. Well this week the temps got up to 80 and I forgot to put sunscreen on A(6) before school so we used it on our walk from the car to school. I also keep an spf 50 stick in my purse too (but mine is a “glow” kind that isn’t a layer of white cream) and used it right after I dropped him when I met a friend on a walk. Keeping these in our bags was super helpful to us both!
Super helpful breakdown especially the transportation questions. When we were looking at schools last year, I didn't think to ask about carpool logistics until it became an issue. The vibe question about whether families invite everyone tobirthday parties is actually genius for gauging inclusivity.