Ramblings on a Stormy Night

Wow - now I understand a little more. It's been over two weeks since I posted last. How time does get away from us.

The weather is absolutely crazy here lately. This past week the average highs have been in the upper 70's and lows in the upper 50's to low 60's. Very unusual for this early in April. According to the government weather page, we're in for storms tonight with hail the size of baseballs possible. Maybe even a tornado or two. Then...maybe some frost on Saturday night. My three year old told his daddy tonight that it was going to rain and snow this weekend. Maybe he has a future in weather forcasting.

It was really difficult watching Scarborough Country and Hardball on MSNBC with my television turning itself on and off at random. We're basically technology junkies at this house (my husband's a definite technogeek) but sometimes its a HUGE pain in the ass. When my dad decided it was time to get with the program and get a plasma tv, he and my mom offered to upgrade our 27" Magnavox with their 32" Panasonic 2 tuner picture-in-picture television. Has a great picture, never had any trouble with it, blah, blah, blah. The saying don't look a gift horse in the mouth keeps running through my head but this TV is absolutely driving me even nuttier. It began playing its tricks as soon as it arrived at our house, but has steadily been getting worse and worse.

The silly thing does have a great picture. The two tuner aspect is great. It is VERY distracting however, to be watching something, TV, DVD, VHS, and it have it just turn itself off. Nothing you do will turn it back on until the TV itself decides that it is time to come back on. It pops a couple of times and then comes back on. Some nights it doesn't do it all. Other nights just a couple of times and others, it comes off and on 5-10 times in a couple of hours.

I realize that I don't have a big following at this time but I have a question to pose to whomever is reading. I am looking for thoughts and opinions on private school vs. public school. (I don't mean colleges.) Our son will be starting school in approximately a year and a half and, coincidently, we have a new, independent school opening next fall. The mission of this school is "to provide children with an extraordinary education in a supportive, stimulating environment. The school climate will enable students to become a community of learners, develop leadership skills, acquire a strong ethical framework, cultivate an appreciation for the arts, advocate the virtues of a sound body with a sound mind, and achieve their highest potential. Students will discover the joy of learning."

The philosophy is "is that each child has his or her own individual gifts and talents. Our job is to help identify each child’s gifts to reach his or her highest potential. We also believe that each child develops at his or her own pace. Learning is not a race to see who gets there first, but an individual process in which children must be nurtured, supported, and challenged to do their best. We believe learning is natural and should be an enjoyable experience. We will help our students experience the joy of learning and the satisfaction of accomplishment."

My husband and I are both the products of public school. I went through the entire thing (including graduating college) here in Anytown, USA. My husband was an Army brat who never spent more than three years at any one school, including two three year stints in Germany. He went to two different colleges, emerging with a buttload of hours and no degree. I basically managed to make the system work for me and he became bored with the system very early on and all but refused to work with it.

I simply can't decide which is the best path to take. We pay for public school whether we use it or not. We pay for public school even if we are paying for a private school. Are private schools "elitist"? Do public schools provide a sufficient education for an average student, let alone a "bright" or "gifted" student? Does a private school provide a better education? Is it worth the large tuition that they charge?

The reason this is so much on my mind tonight is two-fold. First, we received a newsletter from the fledgling school in the mail today. Secondly, if we are going to send the boy to this school, he will need to go to a screening this summer, we will have to fill out a formal application and pay an application fee. All of this a year and a half before he starts school because they expect a waiting list for new kindergarteners this fall and next. (This I don't doubt. My cousin's son starts kindergarten this coming fall in a small suburb to the east of Anytown. They had a "orientation" of such last week where the kids and parents actually went to school for 1/2 day, bus riding, lunch and all. They were told 170 new kindergarteners were expected. Wow, that's a lot of little rugrats!)

Let me know what you think! I'm interested in everyone's thoughts as I'm at a loss for the present time.

The page is, as will be for quite some time, (especially since my technical advisor is currently non-operative and making strange, loud snoring noises) a work in progress. I'm just learning the tricks and things to make it look better and provide you with interesting links and graphics.

Now that W. Bush, henceforth know as Shrub in this blog, is on my television and it isn't turning itself off, I've got to get up and hunt for the remote to turn him off. Probably time to go to bed and try to go to sleep. I know, I know, counting sheep doesn't really work for me either, but what the heck, I think I'll try!