With Labor Day only a little over a week away, parents are busy gearing up for the beginning of another school year. If you are moving into Los Angeles, or even moving from one neighborhood to another, you might be finding the number of schools in the city more than a little overwhelming. There are hundreds of public and private schools for you to choose from.
When considering schools in LA, your first consideration should be location. Which schools are most convenient to your new home? If you are choosing to send your children to a home outside of the immediate area, how far are you willing to go for a better education? If you are still deciding on a neighborhood to move to, take the time to compare
The second consideration is the programs offered by the school. Are you looking for a specific teaching method, such as Montessori or a holistic approach, a private school, or are you interested in a public education for your children? Look to see what programs the schools offer. Art, drama, music, and sports programs differ from one school to the other. If your child wants to be the next Steven Spielberg or Venus Williams, there’s a school for that. There are also special college prep high schools.
Once you have narrowed down your list of possible schools, the next step, normally, is to visit the school and see how it is run. With school being out for the summer, this becomes a bit more of a challenge. It’s hard to watch teachers interact with their students when the students aren’t there. What you can do, however, is to talk to the school principal or other administrator, about how the school is designed. Most schools will also organize a tour for you. They may be some teachers setting up their classrooms that would be available for a quick conversation as well.
There are several websites that offer “grades” for Los Angeles area schools, and these are great to look at, but their real value is in the parent reviews. One of the best sites for this is GreatSchools.net. Compare parent reviews, but remember to take all of the comments with a grain of salt. A parent disappointed by a school is much more likely to leave a comment than a satisfied parent.
If you have already moved into a new neighborhood, ask other parents what they think of the school choices. They will be able to give you a much clearer view of the local options, and this can give you a great opportunity to get to know your new neighbors.
Picking out the Los Angeles school your children will be attending isn’t easy, especially if you are new to the city. Take a few days to narrow down some schools, go on some tours, and make the best choice for your family. Even though there are only a couple weeks before school is back in session, it is worth the extra effort to make sure your children are going to the best school for their individual needs and interests.
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