[-]Chicago Moms: Anyone waiting for private school letters? Do we think they will be received on 3/17 or sent from the schools on 3/17? In other words, should I stalk the mailman tomorrow or wait until Thursday? And while we're at it, where did you apply?
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[-]I have connections to someone high up in Chicago Schools. I was told that the current administration is trying to make the teachers union look bad to gain support for pay cuts. They are planning on cutting magnets and gifted schools to incite anger from parents. Maybe all you uber-pro-public school folks will wish you'd gone private when all the special programs are gone?
3 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]Wow, really, what is your point with this snarky post? Public schools are hurting, we all know that. Kids' lives will be impacted in negative ways, we all know that. But being "pro" public school does not mean being anti-private, and the public/private decision is not really a Coke/Pepsi choice for most families who don't have an extra 20,000 or 40,000 on hand. Wondering what your point is and toward whom this annoying post is directed?
[ Reply | Options ]Yeah, this post is annoying. Still, now that we are starting to see the kinds of cuts coming and the huge increase in class size, it is scary. I don't know if the op knows what they are talking about, but the idea of 40 kids in a classroom isn't what I'd call a good education in even the best schools. My oldest is only 2, but it sure makes me think we should get out of Chicago.
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[-]What would you think of a neighbor who commented on the amount of exercise you get? I was out taking a walk the other day and my neigbor said "nice to see you getting exercise-how much do you work out during the week?" like it is any of his business
6 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]I think if he would have just said how much working out do you get during the week...it would have come out better...BUT since he said nice to see you working out..that's the part that's a little annoying to me
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hopefully he just didn't mean anything by it and is just "thoughtfully" challenged
[ Reply | Options ]^^^btw I'm overweight and when I started working out one lady had diarrhea mouth and would say unkind things. She "thought" she was being nice but lady needs a lesson in being thoughtful. When I got pg with my #3 (after losing 30 lbs) she said..you see you lose the weight and your dh touches you again. WHAT??? I told her him touching me was never a problem...he likes something to hold on to. BITCH
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[-]My second grader received in school suspension today for telling another student he was going to shoot him......I am mortified and scared out of my mind....help me please
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Your kid's school sucks. He's 7/8 years old! That's what they say. I mean, unless your kid actually has a gun and intends to shoot this kid, it's ridiculous.
[ Reply | Options ]I think it's an appropriate response to teach him what is and what is not acceptable behavior. On your part, I'd be mortified but not scared out of my mind. It's TALK. He's an 8 year old boy. Teach him, but don't expect that he's really going to need to be institutionalized at this point.
[ Reply | Options ]Thank you ....I am overreacting and am glad for the feedback-that's why I posted-but he's such a sweet boy (I know-Charlie Manson's mother said the same thing) that I'm wondering what is going on at school to make him have such violent outbursts....he jumps in our bed most nights....sometimes interrupting "things" ;)
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Cut back on the TV and the video games. This is obviously the parent's fault. But the school did over-react. Still, such are the times. Deal with it at home. I doubt it's a serious problem, it hardly ever is.
[ Reply | Options ]NP: I don't think it's true that it is obviously the parent's fault. I used to know a kid who was obsessed with guns and warplay etc. He knew entire plots of violent movies and would go over them, blow by blow. It turned out that he had no tv in his home at all--had never seen these movies--and would just grill his friends for details and commit them to memory. Little boys pick up on our society's obsession with violence simply by leaving the house.
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4th grader brought a knife to school & threatened to use it. was finally kicked out after parents complained to administration (private school). there is a big differnce - little kids talk about cops & robbers etc - doesnt mean they are a threat. you r administration overreacted. public or private? (just curious)
[ Reply | Options ]With apologiues for the delayed response: I understand being mortified about the suspension, but I would not assume there is violent intent behind his language. It is alarming to hear a child speak this way, but after all, sometimes they are just repeating what they hear, or trying to gain control of their environment, or engaging in their little battles between good and evil. It is often metaphorical and not literal. All the same, you should talk to him about what shooting really means, the repercussions, the finality of a shooting death, etc. My 3-year-old told my 5-year-old recently that he was going to kill him when disputing ownership of a balloon. It was shocking, but moments later they were having a tea party with Curious Georg...
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[-]Writing ILY/FC letter for chicago private. Should it be handwritten? If typed, on what letterhead? My work letterhead? I don't have personal stationary that is 81/2 x 11.
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disagree. people in chicago do this. was told by friend now at latin she did this (after her preschool director at st. chrys told her to). also know folks from mary meyer who do this. its important to convey if a school is FC bc they won't waste an admit if they don't think you'll take it.
[ Reply | Options ]Interesting. The same preschool director mentioned just above expressed mixed feelings about such letters, and we didn't do it. Our initial result was waiting lists across the board. We then wrote an I Love You Letter and were admitted to our top choice several days later. My takeaway from the experience is that unless you are the ideal admissions demographic - for example, an African-American investment banker whose children bring diversity to the school but who also can pay their own way -- it is important to let the school know that you will attend if admitted. Most families I know at Latin, Parker, Lab, City Day and Sacred Heart did this, of course with some exceptions. Caveat: Don't even consider doing this at more than one school....
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[-]Is it really necessary to send a 3 yo to preschool? We didn't get accepted for our first choice (Disney) due to space, our second choice (Greeley) isn't in the safest area, and we aren't sure the tuition for Montessori is worth it for such a little kid. Any reason why we couldn't just keep her home with classes and playdates until she's 4? She'd be the youngest in her class anyway (August baby). TIA for any advice!
6 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]We were in the exact same situation last year, but chose to go with Greeley anyway after meeting the teachers and getting some great recommendations. I would suggest you reconsider; our daughter LOVES her preschool class and has made incredible strides with writing (even starting to read a little), even though she is the youngest in her class.
[ Reply | Options ]I don't think preschool is so important for a 3 year old. I agree that Greeley is pretty good and has a good reputation system wide. That said, are you talking about preschool for all? If so, if you sign up for it, don't count on it being there this fall. Preschool for all was set to have most of their sites closed before the newest projections of state funding cuts, so it is highly unlikely any of the sites will survive.
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[-]An elite private school is on a diversity hiring binge, pretty much giving offers to all of the African-American candidates for teaching positions. Quote from one current faculty member: "He's pretty low-energy, pretty quiet, but he's black . . . so I guess I'm OK with him getting an offer."
16 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]Could be they've been slapped with a suit charging hiring discrimination and they're doing what they can to fix things to avoid legal hassles. Frankly, I was disturbed by the lack of diversity I saw in the teaching staff of the school my AA child will attend. Diversity among the teaching staff is as important as diversity of the student body.
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I don't really care what color my dc's teachers are if they are great teachers but I certainly do care if they hire teachers who are not as qualified as all the other teachers in dc's school just because of diversity reasons. That is plain bull shit and not fair to the "diverse" teacher b/c the parents and other teachers will resent him/her.
[ Reply | Options ]did it occur to you that he's a good teacher and otherwise qualified? do you honestly believe that every white teacher can be described as high-energy and loud, as a matter of fact i'd bet those attributes would be considered negatives in a black male teacher.
[ Reply | Options ]np; I think the one in this situation is not good if he moved around every year/every other year. Either he wasn't good enough or he's too fickle. Either way, bad news. Of course, there are wonderful AA teachers and administrators. But a lot of teachers in mostly black schools who are hired bec they're black partly - if they're good, parents would love them but sometimes parents feel like they should get the best teachers, black or white, even if they themselves are black.
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Can anyone recommend a day care center in/near Oak Park? Our son is 18 months and we are moving to the area in the near future. We are considering two different Montessori schools but the cost makes most of these centers an impossibility for us. Would love to hear from you if you and your child have found a caring day care center.
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[-]What neighborhoods outside of Lincoln Park and Lakeview have nice neighborhood schools? Are there any? We are looking to move into the city, but can only afford about $900-1000 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment.
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Try Rogers Park, Albany Park, or Humboldt Park. All those should have 2 beds for the 1000 range. The schools aren't so great, but you can try through the lottery. You might find a large one bedroom in Lincoln Square or Andersonville that would work, both those areas have decent-ish schools.
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[-]I wasn't so sure about sending my child to Chicago Public Schools a year ago. When we got into a great school, I was happy, but still wary. Nearly a year later, I can say WOW, our kids are in a better school than any we could pay for. My kindergartener is writing stories and my second grader writes essays. Never would have guessed a school could be in the city and be so good!
17 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]Glad it worked out for you. Is it a magnet or neighborhood school? There are certainly gems in the city, unfortunately, it can be hard to get in -- the magnet near me is harder to get in than Harvard, and so many of the top publics are in neighborhoods where if you could afford to live there, you could likely afford the privates. What are your thoughts on class size and "extras" like language, music, art, and PE?
[ Reply | Options ]We are at Hawthorne. I can't say enough good things about it. No, we didn't apply to private schools. I did look at a few private schools but the ones we could afford were really no better than most public schools (imo).
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okay, one more time. In terms of class size, their classes are at 31 and 32. But the kindergarten class has a full time aide. Still too high, imo, but better than 31 and no aide like most of the city. The kids get a LOT of extra classes. 7 a week. They go to PE, music, art, library and tech, and then two of those occur twice. We feel really lucky to be there and wish everyone in the city could have an equally good education.
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As far as I know, they are guaranteed, in as much as this is a strong priority of the school, the administration and the parents. We fundraise more than a quarter of a million dollars a year to make sure there are classroom aides in the lower grades, arts partnership, new technology, additional staff, and a whole bunch of other things.
[ Reply | Options ]I asked our principal if we could direct our donations toward classroom aides, and was told that they could not be directed for any specific purpose--the disposal of the funds was at the discretion of CPS.
[ Reply | Options ]I think it might be because we raise so much money for other things, that it frees up discretionary money for aides? Either that or the admin just has made it a priority to put the aides the board funds into those early grades? Not completely sure, but I do know the aides have been in the K and 1st rooms for a long time. If it turns out that we lose aide positions due to budget cuts next year, I have no doubt that parents will step in and volunteer in those rooms to provide an extra adult in the room. There is a huge amount of direct parent and community involvement. I would be willing to serve one day a week in a primary classroom to help cover any loss that comes our way and I know there are many other parents like me. It is one of ...
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How do you know it's better? After all, you don't have first hand knowledge of the other school. Sounds like your kids are thriving but you really can't know if they're better or worse off.
[ Reply | Options ]The private schools we toured had so-so test scores, so-so teachers and dingy facilities. Of course there are great private schools out there. But we can't afford 20K a year. I think my point was that I am so happy we are in such a fantastic public school and our children are thriving. I do know that we would be terribly worse off financially and personally as a family if we even tried to pay for one of the top 3 privates in the city. It doesn't mean that our school is better than all other, just that it is better for us.
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Does anyone know anything recent about Stone Scholastic Academy, Disney or Peirce? We are in Andersonville and will be applying to schools for the 2011-2012 school year.
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[-]any chicago moms on? are you waiting to hear from private schools on March 17? reading the nyschools post is making me wonder if we'll be shut out as well...anyone want to commiserate?
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[-]What's Evanston like for SAHMs? (Or SAHDs, for that matter.) We live in NYC now, but are going crazy for more space; all the vintage buildings in Evanston look great, plus DH's family is nearby. I'm worried though that I'll feel even more isolated than I do now, plus without the distractions/activities of new york all around. Is it incredibly boring? We drove around, and it *looked* boring, though the trees and lake were lovely. I'm looking for a less suburban, less country club area, more bookstores and alternative parent-type places. and some sort of community of parents. We have a 6 month old, and I'm going to stay home for at least a while....really, any thoughts on the NYC-to-Chicago transition would be welcome.
15 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]I only ever lived in the city before moving from Chicago to NYC, but if you are only talking about space, you get way more of it for your money in Chicago city proper than NYC anyway. I knew folks who moved to Evanston after kids as a compromise between burbs and city and they liked it - I kind of equate it to moving from Manhattan to Queens.
[ Reply | Options ]Try Lincoln Square of Bucktown/Wicker Park. Both will seem dirt cheap compared to NYC.
[ Reply | Options ]OP here: when we drove around, we ended up in Wicker Park. Liked it a lot more, but figured the schools would be better in Evanston, close to the lake/parks for the kid, probably more parents around -- no? Would love to hear more about the area if you can, we were on our way to the airport and ended up there by mistake and had only an hour to look around.
[ Reply | Options ]I worked as a nanny in Wicker Park/Bucktown and it is an awesome neighborhood for families! They have at least 3 indoor play areas for those cold/rainy days, easy access to the zoo and conservatories, as well as other museums. It's a 10 min. drive/20 min. bus ride to the zoo/beach, etc. I'm not sure about the schools, but the parks and parent communities in this area are AWESOME! lots of child-geared activities and those alternative places in this area.
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i know this sis an old post, but in case you are watching and still considering Evanston, we moved to Evanston from NYC last year. So I have many thoughts on that transition. Let me know if you are still interested, and I can make a longer reply.
[ Reply | Options ]OP here -- I don't know when you posted this, but I would LOVE to hear more! Thanks.
[ Reply | Options ]I live a couple of blocks just south of Evanston. The schools may be great, but I'm not so sure about the rest of activities... There is 1 indoor play area in a nearby suburb, there is a museum about 20 min. north that is really great... There are a lot of parks and it is nice to be on the beach. But it's at least a 20-30 min. drive downtown to get to the real child activities/museums/etc. I recommend Wicker Park/Bucktown for what you want, great community, alternative places, lots of kid friendly places, easy access all over the city.
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I only lived in Chicago downtown ( after living in NYC for 6yrs) and I was utterly miserable ( I have moved back to Manhattan since). Now, I think it CAN be a nice place to raise family esp if you want more space, have family in the area, etc. I would stick to Lincoln Park area in Chicago proper. You can get a house or a REALLY REALLY nice condo for the price of 2br on Manhattan and it has West Village-y feel - coffee shops, restaurants, very neighborhoody with tree lined streets, people with families, dogs etc. I think it's a way better transition place than 'burbs, in my opinion. The weather really is miserable, and not just in winter. It rains a lot and gets muggy in the summer ( just so you know).
[ Reply | Options ]Ohh..I miss Chicago! I used to live in Bucktown. The public schools in Chicago suck, so you'd have to go to private. There are families in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. When we moved to NYC we couldn't believe how much cheaper Chicago was. Evanston has great schools and has a great vibe. They are totally different. I think its a good idea to look around and you'll know what feels right. GL!
[ Reply | Options ]Actually, there are many, many really great public schools in Chicago proper. But, you either have to make a LOT of money to be able to afford a home in a good neighborhood (zoned) school OR get really lucky and get into a good magnet. Or, if your kid tests into a gifted program, but less than 5% of kids who test get into a gifted or classical program.
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[-]Need to make a decision tonight about moving from NYC to Chicago. We've been here for 7 years and have a 7 month old. I LOVE love love NYC but cost of living is lower in Chicago and our families are close to Chicago. There are so many pros yet so many cons. I guess I just need someone to tell me life goes on outside NYC. It's the best decision for our daughter and future children, but moving closer to Chicago makes me feel as though I've failed. So bummed...
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Many people would be thrilled to move to Chicago! I think because it is "home" to you, that's why you feel like it's a failure. You will miss NYC tremendously for a year or so, but you will also begin to realize, when talking to friends or checking out UB, that many New Yorkers are so wrapped up in the city, that they really have very little else going on in their life. This occurs in every place, of course, but it's more pronounced in NY because the city almost swallows them whole.
[ Reply | Options ]np - I moved here from Chicago. We lived in Gold Coast (yes, car is nice). It is such a great community. School situation much more manageable. Downtown very international. Cost of living so much better. You will never never look back. We moved to Chicago from NYC (work brought us back), and I was so happy in Chicago. In one year you will be so happy that you left. NYC wears you out. Its hard to come back.
[ Reply | Options ]I'd move to Chicago in a second. I love it there. You can get everything in Chicago you have in New York, just a bit less of it (ie fewer museums, smaller music scene (though not by much...and its livelier), etc) and the housing is better and the people more normal. I wish I'd never left.
[ Reply | Options ]go for it! no move is forever unless you let it be! worst case scenario, you hate it and move back!
[ Reply | Options ]Brother and his family live in Chicago. Find it a lovely, much more low-key city, though if you care about such things it has a decidely less glamorous vibe. And don't underestimate the horrendousness of the winter. Summers don't offer quick beach escapes, winters drivable decent mts. but as said, you can get anywhere else really easily.
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I woman I know said that there are galleries & cafes in Chicago. And I have seen how great their museums are. There is culture there. There are areas of Chicago that are more NYC like then others. But just do not go in thinking that Chicago is going to give you the same experience that NYC would. They are both great! And do overlap in area but they are still different. Picking the right place to live there I would think is key.
[ Reply | Options ]OP: Thanks for the advice. It's really the best decision for my family (DD) and I am likely being selfish. Yes, I keep telling myself we can move back if we don't like it (seriously, the thought of being too close to my MIL drives me crazy). I DO love the glamour of NYC and I think that's what I'll miss most :(
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[-]Anyone in Chicago need an intern? My niece just moved back to Chicago after living abroad and is looking for an internship. Thanks mamas :)
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[-]So frustrated with my job! I am on maternity leave and asked to be considered for a 4 day work week when I go back. Most of the woman in my company have 4 day work weeks so it wouldn't be unheard of..HR took weeks to get me an answer and they said no because they are transitioning me onto a different piece of business and it required 5 days. I mentioned that I would like the oppoturnity for the first few weeks to work from home 1 day to help with the transition (this is my first child)..HR said I will let you know in a few days..still haven't heard. I am considering now just considering not going back next week..just venting.
1 reply [ Reply | Watch | Options ]if u don't go back to this company will your family be ok financially? do you have other job options? just b/c your company allows employees to work 4 day weeks doesn't mean you can demand that you also get this privilege just b/c you had a new baby. think of it from the company's pov.
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