High School

[GraytonBound]

Teachers sigh in relief when they have the last month or to actually teach as they would like!

That's what scares me about public schools....they are so controlled that they can't do what they want. Our old headmaster once said we don't even take milk money from the govt, that way they can't tell us what to do.

 

[graytonrbust]

Most important is consistancy

Just my 2 cents worth......

I am a product of upper class private school mixed with a rather nice public school. I believe that I did benefit from both in some form or fashion, however, I feel that consistancy (one or the other) in my education would have been much more profitable. While most people are under the impression that "pricey, upper-class" private schools are safer, believe me when I say that when there are more prosperous students, there will be more unsuitable options available other than acedemics, sports or music for them to choose from. This is without a doubt also in public shools, I think that some times people are under the impression that it is not in the private ones. And most of the time, because of who these kids are and what family they are from, no one ever notices until sometimes it is too late.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thanks for the

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Most important is consistancy

Just my 2 cents worth......

I feel that consistancy (one or the other) in my education would have been much more profitable.

Just curious, how many times did you change schools? We're talking about not just changing schools but changing states! Our boys would be 4th & 6th grade at that time.

And I know what you mean about private school "opportunties", we have friends in that same situation...the kids are so used to mommy & daddy bailing them out that they really don't care much about values or responsibilities. Lots of money & time does make it easy to have a lot of "extracurricular" activities.

 

[graytonrbust]

Re: Most important is consistancy

Just my 2 cents worth......

I feel that consistancy (one or the other) in my education would have been much more profitable.

Just curious, how many times did you change schools? We're talking about not just changing schools but changing states! Our boys would be 4th & 6th grade at that time.

And I know what you mean about private school "opportunties", we have friends in that same situation...the kids are so used to mommy & daddy bailing them out that they really don't care much about values or responsibilities. Lots of money & time does make it easy to have a lot of "extracurricular" activities.

 

[beachmouse]

Collegiate high's not as hard to get into as the press clippings would lead you to believe, especially if a student has high grades freshman year at their traditional high school. Student body is pretty much the same what you'd find in the honors/AP/IB track at other area high schools- some of them very bright, others are probably pretty average in terms of IQ, but willing to work extremely hard to get good grades.

It's a good school for smart/motivated kids who don't necessarily fit in right in a traditional school. The drawbacks I see are fewer extracurricular opportunities, and if the kid plans on going outstate for college, they may have problems with transfer credits with some colleges because of how the OWC program is structured. (If the kid knows they're going to stay in-state for their BA/BS, college transfer credit will be extremely painless and smooth because of how FL higher ed numbers and classifies courses statewide)

For the traditional high schools, I'd give the nod to Niceville High- strong academics, Okaloosa County in general runs their schools very well, extensive successful extracurriculars, and a motivated student body. It's where a lot of the area rocket scientists (who are in missle development at Eglin AFB) send their kids.

 

[GraytonBound]

Thanks for the info beachmouse...sounds like you have experience with the schools down there. Do you have kids currently enrolled?

 

[beachmouse]

No kids yet, but we did our homework when we were buying our house and some of the selling points for the area we picked were Bluewater/Plew elementary schools, Destin/Ruckel middles and Niceville HS, both from the test scores and from the subjective side of things (general reputation, what we thought of the kids we knew who went there, etc.)

 

[GraytonBound]

Bluewater/Plew elementary schools, Destin/Ruckel middles and Niceville HS

Thanks for the info beachmouse...I had already been to the high school website but was not familiar with the elem & middle schools. I just did a little research & they do look like great schools! (just a little larger than we're used to)

 

[beachmouse]

I know what you mean. My high school in Michigan had about 600 students, and that seems to be typical for the Okaloosa elementary schools. But it at least it's not like the Miami area where you get high schools with 4,000 kids at them.