A school's reputation is one thing, but to really get a feel for the school, you need to spend some time there.
By STEPHEN BUCKLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published August 29, 2004 Situation: Stephen Buckley, the Times assistant managing editor/world, got his daughter into a magnet school the year before choice began.
(This article originally appeared Sept. 14, 2003)
In the beginning, we were overwhelmed.
By the end, we were exhausted.
In between, searching for a school for our daughter became an obsession for us, complete with numerous school visits and interviews and daily updates. When we arrived in June 2001, we knew this sort of work was in store for us. What we didn't know was how hard it would be.
A lot rode on this decision. If Olivia, who was entering kindergarten, got into a good school, we would stay in St. Petersburg for at least several years. If not, we'd already agreed to move within two or three years, a prospect we dreaded. In seven years of marriage, Cathleen and I had already moved seven times.
When we started our journey in spring 2002, we didn't know where to begin. We knew a lot of schools by reputation and not much else. We'd heard about the resources at Perkins Elementary, about the communications program at Melrose Elementary, about the focused atmosphere at Lakeview Elementary. But all of that came from the newspapers and neighbors.
So, we got to work. Over several weeks, Cathleen visited Perkins, Melrose, Lakeview, Bay Point, Bay Vista and Pasadena elementaries. To our surprise, some schools with sterling reputations turned out to be less than impressive: In one, the corridors were chaotic; in another, the curriculum was uninspired; in another, classes were orderly but joyless.
Yet we found ourselves unexpectedly drawn to others: One school's young but energetic faculty vaulted it to second place on our list.
After the series of visits, we sat down to talk and evaluate and talk some more. Which of the six - all less than 15 minutes by car from our southern St. Petersburg home - offered the resources, the creative faculty, the comfortable environment, and the racial and socioeconomic diversity we were looking for? Where would Olivia fit in best?
And, even then, would the school district's computers give us what we wanted?
In the end, yes. Olivia got into Perkins, and we learned a valuable lesson: Don't rely on reputations. Go see for yourself.
Meanwhile, Perkins has proved to be a great fit for our artsy, international daughter (who has spent half of her short life overseas). And we're relieved: The call to the movers can wait.
Situation: Stephen Buckley, the Times assistant managing editor/world, got his daughter into a magnet school the year before choice began.