Tag Archives: School

What Is The Difference Between Private School Vs Public School?

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Growing up I always wondered about those rich kids that attended private schools. They got to wear the cute uniforms and seemed more privileged than myself. But the truth is I really had no idea what made their school students so cool. Was it all about money, and if so what was the cost? What was better about their school than mine?

Pros & Cons

According to Council for American Private Education, the average tuition for private school (from 2007-2008) was estimated between $13-15,000 for K-12. Interestingly enough, there are a little over 33,000 private schools in the US but only 11% of the population is attending them. More than 80% of the wealthy kids (with parents making $100,000 or more) attend public schools! Here are the pros and cons which might shed some light on why this is the case:

Private School Pros:

  • Attract tend to hire better teachers.
  • They are selective of students they admit, which can mean higher quality friends for your kids
  • Students that are admitted must have a proven academic record
  • The school grounds and facilities are higher quality and school lunch is more nutritious
  • Colleges tend to accept students faster if they’ve had private school education and training

Cons

  • Cost: you will spending anywhere from 10,000-17,000 per year
  • No public transit
  • The state government is not involved with private schooling so the highest official you can address your concerns to is the Board of Trustees.
  • Hiring of teachers is not regulated by any teaching degree
  • Richer students can sometimes get more privileges than others

Public School Pros

  • Public transportation
  • Great social clubs like band and chorus, PTA programs, etc., after school programs
  • Teaching degree is required
  • There is always a higher official to address your concerns to

Cons

  • Administrators can be much more difficult to work with
  • State testing can be outdated
  • Innovative thinking is less appreciated
  • Full classrooms
  • Grading system can be demeaning
  • Wide range of students from different backgrounds can result in higher influence of drugs and other dangers

Despite this list of pros and cons, gathered from various sources, I would take this information with a grain of salt. Children with rich parents have as much influence of drugs and alcohol as children with middle class or poor parents. In fact, it can be said that because both substances can be extremely costly, the rich may have better access. Also, administrators at private schools can tend to be a bit snottier than those at public schools.

When it comes to making a decision on which school your child should attend its best to do some research. Google the top private schools in your area and then investigate their services and reputation. If you find a great private school in Utah or anywhere else the cost may be well worth the experience and education your child will receive.

Choosing Elementary School Photographers – Part I

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If you look on the wall of any mother’s home you will find cherished memories framed for every year. No matter how silly the photo, school photographs are remembered for a lifetime. Like most things that have a deep rooted tradition, technology has made elementary school pictures much more exciting. Many schools go with the traditional school pose for their fall program. But did you know a lot of schools use spring pictures as a fundraiser and have fun doing it?

Things to Consider when Choosing an Elementary School Photographer

Before you can think about how school photography can be a great fundraiser, you first have to choose the right photographer. For school photographers in San Diego, most decisions are made by the administrative staff, while others are left to the PTO or PTA. However, with school staffs being spread so thin these days, many schools are leaving the decision to the PTO.

There are so many school photographers available today that the decision to choose a school photographer can be a difficult one. A school photographer in San Diego is going to have a different program than a local company in a small town.

Listen to word of mouth. Good school photographers will have people talking about them. They will also have a good selection of experienced, professional school photographers to run your school picture day. It is always good to take a look at the company’s website to see their overall philosophy.

Something else to consider when choosing a photographer is who is actually taking the school pictures. You might want to ask for sample pictures taken by the actual photographers who will be at your school picture day. Many schools ask to meet the photographers who will be working at their school, which isn’t a bad idea. You want a photographer who will allow the kids to relax, because when kids are relaxed they take better pictures. This in turn leads to parents who are satisfied with their school pictures.

Another consideration when selecting a photography company is how much work will be required of the school. Many companies provide all the staff needed for picture day and require no volunteers from the school. When a company takes most of the work off of the school they are well valued.

Other photographers prefer teacher and parent volunteer involvement on picture day. There is a rational explanation for this, that the parents and staff know the students better. However, if your photographer is experienced in taking elementary school pictures, the kids will warm up to them very quickly. Plus, parents are not experienced in running a school picture day, that should be the job of the school photographer.