Any advice for new parochial school parents?

[Nobhilldweller]

Our son will start 1st grade in a San Francisco parochial school after a trying year at our local public school. I was wondering if more experienced hands have any hints, especially on the following topics:

1. Uniforms: Should we buy local, or go ahead and get his clothes from Land's End?

2. Discipline: Do Catholic schools have a better handle on students? The Dean told me yes, but what is your experience (it was a rough year. I could use some reassurance)?

3. Athletics: How how is the city's Catholic school league organized?

4. Inclusion: How can I make sure I am kept "in the loop" without seeming pushy?

5. Food: Are school lunches typical better/worse than SFUSD (if it can possibly be worse)?

Thanks!!

[kessiesf]

Hi Nobhilldweller, sorry to hear about the rough year you had with SFUSD. I don't have any direct experience with SFUSD but I can say we've had a great experience so far with our Catholic school. The principal is engaged and active, and there really haven't been that many discipline issues as I as I know. For athletics, especially in the early grades, some parents will take charge and organize teams. Many schools do microsoccer or something like that in the fall and spring. There's a basketball league too. And as far as being in the loop without being pushy, I'm sure you'll settle in just fine once school starts. Given what you went through last year, I can understand the anticipation but be assured that things will work itself out.

[edsanfran]

I don't have an specific advice on SF parochial schools but will let you know that a non-Catholic friend of mine found Catholic school to be a wonderful experience for her child who was bullied in kindergarten at an independent private school. They switched mid-way through the year. She indicated that she received weekly (if not more frequently) updates on her child, what was going on in the class and had plenty of opportunities to observe first hand what was happening in school by volunteering. In her experience, expectations of student behavior were high and enforced. Behavior that included bullying or excluding others was not tolerated. Best wishes to you.