One of the biggest decisions LP Dad and I have been working on this winter has been where LP will go to school. When we bought our house, we bought knowing that we would have to send her to private school. We loved the house and the neighborhood (we didn't even know then just how lucky we would be with neighbors) and got such a great deal on the house itself that even paying for private school on top of the mortgage would be less than just a mortgage on all of the other houses we looked at. What I didn't know then was how hard it would be to choose a private school.
Three weeks ago we went on a tour and signed her up before we left. It it a Montessori school that runs from pre-K through grade 6, set on the director's 85 acre family homestead. From the moment we walked into the first classroom I fell in love with the school. By the time we left LP wasn't calling it Barefoot Princess's school anymore and had decided it was HER school. She definitely did not have that reaction at the other school we had recently toured.
In addition to math and numbers, language, science, geography, social studies, the children receive Spanish, music, art, drama, computer training and fiber arts classes. I asked how I could sign up when I saw the fiber arts room. There is a barn on the property with livestock and poultry and a mile-long natural and historical trail. The children are outside 3 times a day, giving them plenty of time and space to explore and burn off all their energy.
BP has been in school there this year and will be LP's classmate next year. After our tour we visited BP and her family at their new home (which is beautiful) and while the kids played BP's parents gave us their opinion of the school and what BP has gotten from it this year. This just further reinforced that we made the right decision. And not only will BP be a classmate next year, but Alessandro will be starting with her as well.
The only downside to the school is the distance. It is 32 miles from our house and about a 40 minute drive, so LP and I will be spending a lot of time in the car. But LP is a good traveler and I think we will be able to use the time for her to tell me about everything that happened in school that day.
I wasn't sure that I would ever be able to make the decision and was getting actually becoming a little depressed by the search. But before we had even finished the tour I knew, this place was perfect for LP. She will not only learn, she will thrive here and I am so thrilled to be able to give her this amazing opportunity.
4 comments:
I can tell how relieved you are to have made such a big decision. I hear in your voice how confident you are that it's the right choice and I'm so excited for LP next year. Looking forward to hearing preschool stories next Fall!
It is an amazing place! It is like a little piece of heaven. Wish I was 3 and could go there too! Worth every second in the car. Oh the stroies you will hear at the end of the day.
That school sounds wonderful and I am so glad you're happy with the decision. I'm sure LP will thrive there, and you'll get to listen to lots of good music and stuff in the car. :)
You do sound relieved. It's such a huge decision, and the school sounds awesome! I think seeing BP and Alessandro there will make LP's transition even more fun. That's great it's only 40 minutes away from you... I mapped it out when we were looking and it's much further from my house.
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