Applying to Kindergarten...

[Shellie]

So the kid is 5 and we applied for him to go to this (public) school that is a STEM magnet (Science Technology Engineering Math). He's a smart as hell kid, half the time you don't know youre talking to a 5 year old. Anyway, it's one of a couple schools in town that are not based on lottery. They are hand picked by a board of admissions people. wtf.. So I've been stressing over doing what I can to ensure his admission. I had to have his preschool teacher fill out an evaluation form and send it back to them. She gave him glowing marks. I am also writing a letter talking about him and us, and my plans to be involved in the school, etc. Examples of his "work" and I plan on including pictures of him working on making circuits, etc.

It's crazy! It's not even what I would consider a high class school. It is one of the best in the city, but geez.

[Zeus]

So much stress just to get him INTO school....

Then again, I've had enough issues with my not-really-but-diagnosed ASD (Autisim Spectrum Disorder) kid with the public school that hopefully it's easier later for ya

[Lox]

I'm not looking forward to the kids going to school. I have a feeling I'm going to start freaking out the night before just like when I used to actually be in school!!!

[Eric]

I'm not looking forward to the kids going to school. I have a feeling I'm going to start freaking out the night before just like when I used to actually be in school!!!

Don't go projecting on your kids! lol.

[Lox]

I'll hide it. My wife will just have to deal with it.

[Oracle]

I have similar bad feelings when I think about my kid starting/getting into school.

Oh... yea - I have a kid

[Flip]

Oh lord, if/when, my kids are going to public school. Simple, done, it's good for them.

[Shellie]

This IS public school!

We are famous for our screwed up school system. Until recently, race was also a deciding factor on which school you were allowed to go to here. Schools had to maintain a certain race percentage. People were denied applications to certain schools because of their race (black AND white). Then I think they tried changing it to income level.

Now, you are assigned a cluster, or area of schools, you can rank these schools and you are picked in a lottery to what school you go to. Unless you want to apply to a magnet school, you can list 2 of those of which you may or may not get (lottery again). If you don't get a magnet school, then you fall back to the cluster schools. Magnet schools are schools with special fields of study. Now there are a couple of schools in the area that are still public school, but they don't do lottery. They have a board that hand selects the students that attend. We applied to one of those. I am 85% sure we will get in, but I'm still terrified we won't.

It's an absolute mess.

[Shrinweck]

Wow that's horrible. If it makes you feel better, the Atlanta Public Schools system cheating scandal trial is STILL regularly in the newspaper here.