If you are thinking about moving and you have children, it’s a guarantee that you are going to base your location on schools in the area. This can be a huge decision, seeing as your child’s future is at stake here. I complied some tips and things to think about if you are currently in this situation that may be of some help.
RESEARCH: This is very important when trying to figure out where you would like to move. Almost every school has a website, whether it’s own, or a link from the school district’s website. Read about how the school describes itself. What is the mission statement, or educational philosophy. Sometimes you can find test scores from the past and compare them to the national averages. There are also other websites that have excellent information about individual schools, some with forums and rating systems. Comments from other parents can be a great insight to what you can expect from the school or school district. After finding out about these things, write a list of further questions that you have or could not find answers to.
VISIT THE SCHOOL: There is really no substitute for personally walking into the school and making your own observations. The school should have some kind of program set up for new families, so call ahead of time and schedule a visit and meeting with a parent volunteer or principal. Request a tour of the school as well. This is a great opportunity to ask the questions that you have from your research.
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: Here’s a list of some questions that you may or may not have thought about.
-How long has the average teacher been teaching at this school?
-How long as the average teacher here been teaching?
-How are parents involved in school activities?
-What kind of extras are available for children to participate in?
-What kind of creative classes do you offer (art, music, science, language, physical education)?
-How does the school make extra money? What kind of fundraising opportunities are available and where does the money go?
-How active is the PTA?
-Do your teachers have teaching assistants in the classroom? If so, how much of the teaching is done by them in comparrison to the actual teacher?
Do you have any other specific questions that can help make or break your school decisions? Leave them as a comment below!
If you need help or have questions about any of the schools in the metro Phoenix area or Mesa, or anything real estate related, please feel free to give us a call at Occasio Realty. We’d be happy to share our wealth of information with you! 480.699.1820.
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