Interviewing High Schools

Please take look at the list of questions for the elementary and middle school interviews as many questions will be the same. 
http://smartercaliforniakids.blogspot.com/2011/09/questions-for-deciding-between.html
There are unique aspects to interviewing high schools listed here.

Things to do:

• Review materials from high schools: website, articles, informational CDs, catalogs.
• Make an appointment for your student to shadow in the classroom, some allow 7^th graders to shadow.
• Have your student develop a list: ‘most important things a high school has for me’.
• Prioritize this list.
• Develop a parental list of most important aspects of a high school.
• Interview current and past students.

Questions:

Location

Commute time

Mass transit possibilities

Setting of the school, conducive to studying

Number of students: whole school/grade

Number of students per classroom

What are the extra-curriculars?

What are the clubs?

What are the sports?

How competitive are the sports programs?

Are there individual and team sports?

How are those not on a team encouraged in athletics?

What are the required courses?

What are the elective courses?

What are the AP courses?

What are the entrance criteria for AP or honors classes?

What are the AP tracks?

How academically competitive is the atmosphere?

What is the social environment: competitive, supportive, etc?

What do you know about the current student body?

What are the rituals of the school?

How are students encouraged to be active parts of the school community?

Do students feel heard?

What do the school newspapers tell you about the school?

What are the expectations of behavior?

How many college counselors?

What percentage of the student body goes to four year colleges?

What percentage are accepted into their first choice college?

What is the testing philosophy?

How is security handled?

How are drugs on campus handled?

Are there ways in which the school deals with student stress?

Questions for Selecting Elementary or Middle Schools

As you consider which  elementary school or middle school is best for your child these questions may help you think of others that are also important to you, how your child learns, and finding the best environment possible.  I used these as the basis of my phone interviews with schools before I went on site to visit the classrooms.  I chose five schools, filled in the questionnaires on the phone, rated the top six most important questions for me, compared the results and then went to see the school in person if they had met my criteria.

Questions                                                                          Responses: Yes, No, #, or comment

• Tuition                                                                                                 $
• How is tuition paid? Upfront? Monthly?
• 100% giving/donation program                                                          
• One time capital charge/initiation fee                                                     $
• Supply Fee                                                                                          $
• Tuition includes:
• Tuition does not include:
• After school care fee                                                                           $
• Before school care fee                                                                         $
• Parochial or Non-      
• Public: charter, neighborhood, IB, immersion                                                                       
• Financial sustainability plan                                                              
• Grades of instruction                                                                                      
• School days/hours of instruction                                                             /                               
•  Start & end time                     
• Number of students                                                                             
• Teacher/Student ratios
• Average number of students in each classroom                                                          
• Stated policy on number of students per class                        
• Standardized tests used for assessment                                                                                  
• Average test results                                                    
• Accreditation                                                                                   
• Memberships                                                                                      
• Parent Handbook                                                                                
• Student Handbook                                                                              
• Foreign Language
• Days per week                                                                       
• French, Spanish, Mandarin
• Latin                                       
• Laptops issued to each child?                                    
• Core curriculum evaluation frequency
• By subject                                                                              
• Mapping                                                                                 
• Evaluation/adjustments                                                          
• Liberal Arts (computer, art, drama, music)
• Frequency of technology class                                                      
• Schedule of software applications taught per grade               
• Music class                                                                            
• Art                                                                              
• Performing Arts
• Choir
• Clubs
• Science
• Science competitions
• Mathematics
• How many levels per grade                                          
• English
• Athletics
• Team sports available to girls and boys
• Facilities
• School is on school property
• Library on site
• Gymnasium on site
• Grass playing field onsite
• Summer Programs
•  
•  
•  
• After school Enrichment Programs
•  
•  
•  
• Parent/Family Participation                                                               
• Encouraged to share talents & skills w/ classes?
• Cultural Diversity                                                                                          
• Economic Diversity
• How is character taught
• Is the school known for anything in particular, what are they most proud of, specialty 
• Culture Described                                                                              
•  
• Teaching Methodology                                                                       
• Emotional Learning                                                                            
• Small group advisory
• Emphasis on emotional IQ                                         
• Parent Communication
• Report Cards Online                                                              
• Homework Online                                                                  
• Newsletters                                                                            
• Electronic summaries of class outings                       
• Lunch onsite provider                                                                                                
• International Travel Experiences
• Other trips (fees included or excluded)
• Student Government                                                                           
• Written Evacuation Plan for Earthquakes, 911 Scenarios                  
• Texting plan to contact parents in emergency             
• Emergency Committee                                                
• Parent Education                                                                                
• STAR speaker series onsite                                                   
• Common Ground series with other schools    
• Other              
• Classroom Facilities
• White boards                                                                          
• Electronic white boards                                                         
• Overhead projector                                                                
• Slide projector                                                                                   
• Computer projector                                                                
• Age of textbooks                                                                                
• Access to teachers before school, after school, email, phone, in person
• Study groups available
• Discipline and accountability process outlined, understandable
• How does the school handle bullying: social, physical, cyber
• Parental dispute management, how does the school resolve parental concerns
• Increase in  applications from 20__ to 20__  
• Number of applications for number of openings in 20__                                            /                  
• Acceptance rate to High Schools of interest
• # applied, # wait-listed, # accepted, # w/ honors, # Scholars

10 Ways to Improve Studying

After 26 years of education and four degrees these are the 10 study principles that supported me through some long years.

 

1. Study with next year in mind, not the next test.  Long term memory builds the conceptual foundation for future understanding and creativity.  Time lapses between studying such as summer leads to memory loss and reduced access to known material; as with every muscle, entropy starts within 3 days of non-use.

2. Quiz yourself while you read.  Within the sections of the chapters, ask yourself questions while/during the initial reading.  This leads to creativity and curiosity.  Time yourself.

3. When pressed for time, study in 10 minute increments.

4. When tired, change subjects every 20 minutes to keep the brain actively engaged.

5. Study using different media, use a specialized electronic study aids such as JogNog.

6. Use integrated studying which addresses kinesthetic, auditory and visual techniques.  Briefly draw/sketch your topic within 5 minutes.  Record your voice with 10 minute notes.  Use Google images to find pictures of your topic.

7.  Immediately after class, in the hallway, write down one interesting idea from the lecture to keep yourself stimulated with the topic.

8.  Alternate study locations.  Study in the gymnasium, hallway, bathroom, car, dinning room, in front of the fireplace.  The brain responds with flexibility when studying occurs in different locations.

9.  Remember the chapter title while/during reading.

10.  Review, review, review - even the topics from the year before and never wait to the last minute if you want long term foundation memory.

 

Be as dynamic and as creative as you can when you approach studying.  The more challenging and variable the study methodology will result in faster long term learning and less stress when studying for exams.

 

Irene A. Smith, BS, MA, JD, PhD