Understanding Your Options Within a Controlled Choice System

Whether you are entering the January Kindergarten Lottery or trying to decide between schools that have openings you may want to spend some time researching your options.

The Schools at a Glance brochure contains an overview of each school as well as charts comparing some of the special features available at each school.

Each school’s website contains both general information and an inside peek into the life of the school community in the form of parent newsletters, calendars, and recent news stories posted to the site.

Here is a listing of Family Liaisons for each school:

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Word-Of-Mouth
Many families wish to send their child to a school where they will already have friends or family. When weighing advice from other parents, it’s helpful to speak with parents inside the schools you are considering. While well-intentioned parents may have misperceptions about schools they are not personally familiar with.

Most schools have a parent group, PTO, or “Friends” group that can be reached via their school website or family liaison. Or, you may wish to post to a local parent listserv asking for feedback from parents whose children currently attend a particular school. Since schools change over time, weigh the responses of current parents more heavily than parents who left the school several years ago or more.

Differences Between Schools
All schools have strengths and weaknesses, so while some schools may be a better match for your child than others, there are no “best” or “worst” schools in Cambridge. Parents base their selection of schools on a number of factors, and you should base your decision on the values that are most important to you.

Differences between schools may include: location, schedule, structure of the day, length of day, school demographics, after school childcare options, arts or athletic programs, foreign language instruction, community celebrations, and approach to creating positive peer culture.

As you get to know a variety of schools you will find that there are happy parents, bright students, academic challenges and academic support available within all of our schools. All schools follow the same core curriculum and build community partnerships that enliven and enrich their school community. All of our schools offer music, art, library and computer classes and provide physical education twice per week. All schools have a CitySprouts garden, and all offer a school lunch program that includes nutritional menu items prepared in a full kitchen on site.

The school choice process is the first step in building a lasting partnership between parents and schools, so choose your partner wisely. No matter which schools you choose, our teachers and staff stand ready to work with you to provide your child with the tools they need to realize their full potential.