Choices

I am so grateful that I have so many choices for Mason's school.  I really am.  But right now, I wish someone would just pick for me because I just don't know the right place.  I figured I would write about it and maybe an answer would appear...

Bracken:
Pros:
Magnet school
Suzy works there
Owen goes there.  Mason really wants to be where Owen is.
Free
No before-care/after-care because of Suzy and the library
ipads/lots of technology
lots of diversity

Cons:
Lottery (will find out mid-March)
Location is not great

Alexander Dawson:
Pros:
Hands-down the best curriculum
This is a school that could change one's path

Cons:
$$$$$$$$$$
Uniforms
Rich families - which I would not fit in with

Discovery Charter School:
Pros:
This school really intrigues me.  It is only the second year that it has been operating.  There are only 8 classrooms.  It reminded me of the Montessori class rooms.  Multi-age classes!!  This is PERFECT for Mason because he is very advanced and would be pushed with the older kids.  He would get a lot of attention here.  It is all project-based learning.  The school runs Monday through Thursday and Friday is designated as family learning time. The more that I think of this, the more I like it.  First, my time with Mason has been cut shorter because of the divorce, and this gives me (or Steve) another day with him.  This is the schedule we have been on for the past two years and I was kind of sad to know that it was going to end.  I love that we would still have three day weekends to go travel to the cabin, play more sports, and just live and play more.
Free
Close to home
Before care is really cheap and starts as early as 6
Feels like an extension of how he is learning right now - which I am extremely happy with

Cons:
I didn't see any computers
I would be afraid of the transition into the next school since this one is so different
Lottery

Staton:
This is the public school that I am zoned for.  I have the least amount of information about it, but it seems like the default if nothing else works out.  It seems like a very decent school.  It was new and clean and I walked around the classes and it looked exactly like you would expect a good elementary school should look.  I have heard only good things about the school, so this being my default is a pretty good scenario.  The registrar that I talked to said that she brings all her grandkids to this school from Henderson because it is so good.  She said the gifted and talented numbers are very high at the school and it is basically the best public school in town (which is the same that Suzy says).

Cons:
None, except it might not be the BEST place.

I guess my plan is to wait to see how the lottery plays out for Bracken.  He would excel there, and it is where he wants to go.  If I don't get Bracken, I will see if I get in to Discovery.  The school would be great at least for 1st grade.  If he shines there, he can continue.  If it is a little too "different" than I like, I will move him for second grade.  I will be more financially prepared next year to go for Dawson.  I don't think I will consider any other private schools.  I would rather save my money to be able to splurge and do Dawson at least by 4th grade (and Alex will then be in 1st grade), so I have 3.5 years to save $40,000 (and means to pay $40-50K for the next 5-8 years...then comes high school choices - AHHHH!).  When I went on the tour for Dawson, it seemed like a big switch happened in 4th grade.  That is when the different electives start, and I think that is when a smart kid like Mason starts disliking school if it has been too easy for him.  Dawson does have tuition assistance, which I would probably qualify for, but I know there will be unexpected expenses associated with that school (fundraisers, field trips, uniforms, birthday parties), that I don't want to feel stressed out all the time because money is always tight.

By the way, Alex is doing perfectly fine right where he is with our beloved Laurence.  My plan with him is to move him to Bright Horizons when he turns 4 and he will stay there until after Kindergarten.  If Mason is at Discovery or Staton, I would move Alex to that school for kinder, since they are all the same price and then the convenience of one drop off outweighs Bright Horizons.