Phoenix High School Recommendations?
Dec 28th 2014, 1:45 am
#16
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2
Re: Phoenix High School Recommendations?
I hope this doesn't confuse you more but let me add some background. In Phx there are basically 3 types of schools.
Public Schools
- just like the regular UK schools funded by local taxes and free to attend. The schools are organized in school districts which run 20-25 schools in their assigned area. N. Scottsdale would be Paradise Valley Schools or Scottsdale Unified District. Both districts are well funded (I know I pay taxes to them ;-). Even so some are better than others - my wife substitutes (supply teacher) and she seems some schools with laptops for every student and then others sharing between classrooms. You can show up on the first day of school and register if you live in the school boundaries. If you want to attend a different school you typically have to register in January. If you live within the district you get priority over outside of the district applicants. Elementary schools are K (kindergarten) to 6th grade, Middle 7th & 8th, high schools 9th onward. I believe the UK year system is one year different from the USA, not talking about academics but naming system. My daughter started 3rd grade at age 8. Not sure of your sons age but he sounds like either middle or high school.
Charter Schools
These are semi-independent public schools. They have to accept all students they can't select based on academics. They get their funding from the state/school district but make their own local decisions. Typically they have waiting lists and you have to apply around January. We used to live in Colorado and charter schools were typically setup by parents and had to have a specific focus (science, arts etc.). Our daughter was at a charter school and I felt it was better just because all the parents wanted their kids to be there (my wife waited in a line all night to sign up). In Arizona a number of "non-profit companies" have setup a series of Charter schools. I don't have experience of these schools - BASIS and Great Hearts are two of these. The reviews of these seemed to be very polarized. Charter schools are typically smaller but you will probably struggle to enroll him from the UK given enrollment is now and over subscribed.
Private Schools
Just as in the UK you pay to go and there is a good selection in Scottsdale. They tend to be smaller and often are K-12 so you never have to move. My next door neighbours kids go to Scottsdale Christian Academy which is well respected, may be worth a look I think it's ~$12-15K a year. One thing I've noticed about American schools kids are expected to be very independent even my 8 year has to organize homework and a class schedule. Not knowing your son but he may be a little lost in the 1000+ kid high schools. So a smaller k-12 school private may be a better transition from a UK school.
I have no problem with paying for a school - I'm the product of a direct grant school if you can remember that far back, just very lucky the local public elementary school is excellent. My daughter is in a gifted class doing 5th grade work as a 3rd grader so they are flexible.
I have mixed views about the American education system - when I'm helping my daughter do homework I'm sure I never studied that at Primary school, but when I'm interviewing engineers at work I wonder how they got a degree.
Let me know if I can help further. N Scottsdale/N Phoenix are great places to live - check out Desert Ridge (Aviano/Fireside), Greyhawk or DC Ranch as place to live - make sure you have a pool or access to a community swimming pool it's hot !!!!
Robert
Public Schools
- just like the regular UK schools funded by local taxes and free to attend. The schools are organized in school districts which run 20-25 schools in their assigned area. N. Scottsdale would be Paradise Valley Schools or Scottsdale Unified District. Both districts are well funded (I know I pay taxes to them ;-). Even so some are better than others - my wife substitutes (supply teacher) and she seems some schools with laptops for every student and then others sharing between classrooms. You can show up on the first day of school and register if you live in the school boundaries. If you want to attend a different school you typically have to register in January. If you live within the district you get priority over outside of the district applicants. Elementary schools are K (kindergarten) to 6th grade, Middle 7th & 8th, high schools 9th onward. I believe the UK year system is one year different from the USA, not talking about academics but naming system. My daughter started 3rd grade at age 8. Not sure of your sons age but he sounds like either middle or high school.
Charter Schools
These are semi-independent public schools. They have to accept all students they can't select based on academics. They get their funding from the state/school district but make their own local decisions. Typically they have waiting lists and you have to apply around January. We used to live in Colorado and charter schools were typically setup by parents and had to have a specific focus (science, arts etc.). Our daughter was at a charter school and I felt it was better just because all the parents wanted their kids to be there (my wife waited in a line all night to sign up). In Arizona a number of "non-profit companies" have setup a series of Charter schools. I don't have experience of these schools - BASIS and Great Hearts are two of these. The reviews of these seemed to be very polarized. Charter schools are typically smaller but you will probably struggle to enroll him from the UK given enrollment is now and over subscribed.
Private Schools
Just as in the UK you pay to go and there is a good selection in Scottsdale. They tend to be smaller and often are K-12 so you never have to move. My next door neighbours kids go to Scottsdale Christian Academy which is well respected, may be worth a look I think it's ~$12-15K a year. One thing I've noticed about American schools kids are expected to be very independent even my 8 year has to organize homework and a class schedule. Not knowing your son but he may be a little lost in the 1000+ kid high schools. So a smaller k-12 school private may be a better transition from a UK school.
I have no problem with paying for a school - I'm the product of a direct grant school if you can remember that far back, just very lucky the local public elementary school is excellent. My daughter is in a gifted class doing 5th grade work as a 3rd grader so they are flexible.
I have mixed views about the American education system - when I'm helping my daughter do homework I'm sure I never studied that at Primary school, but when I'm interviewing engineers at work I wonder how they got a degree.
Let me know if I can help further. N Scottsdale/N Phoenix are great places to live - check out Desert Ridge (Aviano/Fireside), Greyhawk or DC Ranch as place to live - make sure you have a pool or access to a community swimming pool it's hot !!!!
Robert
Dec 28th 2014, 8:59 am
#17
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 33
Re: Phoenix High School Recommendations?
I hope this doesn't confuse you more but let me add some background. In Phx there are basically 3 types of schools.
Public Schools
- just like the regular UK schools funded by local taxes and free to attend. The schools are organized in school districts which run 20-25 schools in their assigned area. N. Scottsdale would be Paradise Valley Schools or Scottsdale Unified District. Both districts are well funded (I know I pay taxes to them ;-). Even so some are better than others - my wife substitutes (supply teacher) and she seems some schools with laptops for every student and then others sharing between classrooms. You can show up on the first day of school and register if you live in the school boundaries. If you want to attend a different school you typically have to register in January. If you live within the district you get priority over outside of the district applicants. Elementary schools are K (kindergarten) to 6th grade, Middle 7th & 8th, high schools 9th onward. I believe the UK year system is one year different from the USA, not talking about academics but naming system. My daughter started 3rd grade at age 8. Not sure of your sons age but he sounds like either middle or high school.
Charter Schools
These are semi-independent public schools. They have to accept all students they can't select based on academics. They get their funding from the state/school district but make their own local decisions. Typically they have waiting lists and you have to apply around January. We used to live in Colorado and charter schools were typically setup by parents and had to have a specific focus (science, arts etc.). Our daughter was at a charter school and I felt it was better just because all the parents wanted their kids to be there (my wife waited in a line all night to sign up). In Arizona a number of "non-profit companies" have setup a series of Charter schools. I don't have experience of these schools - BASIS and Great Hearts are two of these. The reviews of these seemed to be very polarized. Charter schools are typically smaller but you will probably struggle to enroll him from the UK given enrollment is now and over subscribed.
Private Schools
Just as in the UK you pay to go and there is a good selection in Scottsdale. They tend to be smaller and often are K-12 so you never have to move. My next door neighbours kids go to Scottsdale Christian Academy which is well respected, may be worth a look I think it's ~$12-15K a year. One thing I've noticed about American schools kids are expected to be very independent even my 8 year has to organize homework and a class schedule. Not knowing your son but he may be a little lost in the 1000+ kid high schools. So a smaller k-12 school private may be a better transition from a UK school.
I have no problem with paying for a school - I'm the product of a direct grant school if you can remember that far back, just very lucky the local public elementary school is excellent. My daughter is in a gifted class doing 5th grade work as a 3rd grader so they are flexible.
I have mixed views about the American education system - when I'm helping my daughter do homework I'm sure I never studied that at Primary school, but when I'm interviewing engineers at work I wonder how they got a degree.
Let me know if I can help further. N Scottsdale/N Phoenix are great places to live - check out Desert Ridge (Aviano/Fireside), Greyhawk or DC Ranch as place to live - make sure you have a pool or access to a community swimming pool it's hot !!!!
Robert
Public Schools
- just like the regular UK schools funded by local taxes and free to attend. The schools are organized in school districts which run 20-25 schools in their assigned area. N. Scottsdale would be Paradise Valley Schools or Scottsdale Unified District. Both districts are well funded (I know I pay taxes to them ;-). Even so some are better than others - my wife substitutes (supply teacher) and she seems some schools with laptops for every student and then others sharing between classrooms. You can show up on the first day of school and register if you live in the school boundaries. If you want to attend a different school you typically have to register in January. If you live within the district you get priority over outside of the district applicants. Elementary schools are K (kindergarten) to 6th grade, Middle 7th & 8th, high schools 9th onward. I believe the UK year system is one year different from the USA, not talking about academics but naming system. My daughter started 3rd grade at age 8. Not sure of your sons age but he sounds like either middle or high school.
Charter Schools
These are semi-independent public schools. They have to accept all students they can't select based on academics. They get their funding from the state/school district but make their own local decisions. Typically they have waiting lists and you have to apply around January. We used to live in Colorado and charter schools were typically setup by parents and had to have a specific focus (science, arts etc.). Our daughter was at a charter school and I felt it was better just because all the parents wanted their kids to be there (my wife waited in a line all night to sign up). In Arizona a number of "non-profit companies" have setup a series of Charter schools. I don't have experience of these schools - BASIS and Great Hearts are two of these. The reviews of these seemed to be very polarized. Charter schools are typically smaller but you will probably struggle to enroll him from the UK given enrollment is now and over subscribed.
Private Schools
Just as in the UK you pay to go and there is a good selection in Scottsdale. They tend to be smaller and often are K-12 so you never have to move. My next door neighbours kids go to Scottsdale Christian Academy which is well respected, may be worth a look I think it's ~$12-15K a year. One thing I've noticed about American schools kids are expected to be very independent even my 8 year has to organize homework and a class schedule. Not knowing your son but he may be a little lost in the 1000+ kid high schools. So a smaller k-12 school private may be a better transition from a UK school.
I have no problem with paying for a school - I'm the product of a direct grant school if you can remember that far back, just very lucky the local public elementary school is excellent. My daughter is in a gifted class doing 5th grade work as a 3rd grader so they are flexible.
I have mixed views about the American education system - when I'm helping my daughter do homework I'm sure I never studied that at Primary school, but when I'm interviewing engineers at work I wonder how they got a degree.
Let me know if I can help further. N Scottsdale/N Phoenix are great places to live - check out Desert Ridge (Aviano/Fireside), Greyhawk or DC Ranch as place to live - make sure you have a pool or access to a community swimming pool it's hot !!!!
Robert
