Novato parents are rabid about it. Some worship it. Others want it cast into the communal pit. So, what is Novato's Golden Calf? Rancho Elementary. And when the NUSD moved toward ending the dreaded lottery system and making golden Rancho a regular neighborhood school, all hell broke loose.
Rancho Rancho Rancho. Often called, "a public private school," Rancho Elementary has the highest test scores in the district... but that's about it. The Novatologist can speak about this with great authority, as he toured Rancho a year or two ago, along with many of the other Novato schools, assaying the local elementaries for his oldest child, who was slated to begin kindergarten. Needless to say, the Novatologist didn't come away with a warm fuzzy.
Rancho has been coasting on its golden reputation for quite some time. While the test scores are high, the lily white demographics make those numbers rather suspect. More importantly, in the TWO tours the Novatologist took as part of the notorious lottery system, he observed that not one child, not one teacher, was smiling.
No one was smiling, anywhere. Everyone looked stressed and unhappy, noses to the grindstone. One teacher was so dour that the Novatologist had flashes of stricken faces from old photographs of children slaving away in Victorian workhouses.
Most telling, the PTA president at the time, who gave both tours, said (twice): "We at Rancho believe that college prep begins with kindergarten." Really. The Novatologist thought he'd heard that wrong the first time, but she said the same thing on the second tour. Two tours were necessary to ensure that the Novatologist hadn't caught everyone on a bad day, but both times saw unhappy faces and rather ludicrous expectations.
Needless to say, when the Novatologist's oldest child was accepted into Rancho, he opted for another school (so we're not talking sour grapes, here). Other parents thought he was crazy, but the proof is on the children's faces. (The Novatologist chose San Ramon, which from the looks on the kids' faces, looks to be Novato's new jewel in the crown. They're getting a new principal, so we'll see how long that lasts. He seemed pleasant. And he installed an international baccalaureate program at his last elementary in Sonoma.)
Schools are more than just test scores, folks. There are other factors to consider, not the least of which is: is my child going to be happy there? Or are they goining to be continually stressed out from three hours of homework a night -- in first grade? (Studies show that 30 minutes is plenty.) Homework is great for parents who want their kids busy doing homework all the time, but there are diminishing returns to consider. The Novatologist says let Rancho be tossed into the public domain. It might be good for everyone, especially the kids who go there. Happy kids learn more than unhappy kids.
Awesome.
ReplyDeletewow. 3 hours of homework a night in first grade, really? my kids go there and by the end of third grade never saw more than 30 minutes, in fact were instructed by the teacher to spend no more than 30 minutes per night on homework. some third grade teachers let 'outside play' be their homework, and gave no homework during the giant's in the world series. you are very uninformed and making HUGE generalizations about something you have little to no real information on. shame on you and stop being such a 'hater', you are a parent after all and should be setting a better example for your children. i fid your post nothing short of ignorant.
ReplyDeleteAh, well, the Novatologist exaggerated for entertainment's sake in terms of amount of homework. However, since you brought it up, he has heard firsthand that the homework is significantly more than other Novato schools, this comment from a teacher. The president of the PTA herself at the time of the tours proudly said that, "one to two hours of homework a night wasn't uncommon," as if this were some some badge of honor. These are all eyewitness facts, not gross generalizations, folks. And not assigning homework during the World Series is more for the teachers who don't want to grade it, hello?
ReplyDeleteBesides that, the Novatologist is hardly a hater. Pointing out truth is not hating. He's merely pointing out what no one else will point out, as Ranchoans are ostensibly far too rabid about the subject and typically get their knickers in a twist whenever anyone points out the warts on their Golden Calf.
And indeed, the Novatologist is setting a prime example for his children by exploring the efficacy of Novato's educational system. It is our duty as citizens.
Everything you say is 100% true.
ReplyDeleteIt's not ignorant if it's the truth. Rancho parents are so stuck up and arrogant.
ReplyDeleteOk, folks. The Novatologist didn't want to polarize here. He merely wanted to convey that it might be best for all if Rancho became a normal neighborhood school. The Novatologist's main point was that happy kids learn better. This is the ultimate goal.
ReplyDeletethese opinions are exactly what is wrong in our community - it is unfair of you to state/assume that "rancho kids are unhappy". fine if it's not for you, but clearly those at rancho are happy with the environment and the kids i know and observe (i work in the classrooms) have a high-level of pride for their school and individual success. my kids are extremely happy with rancho, love their teachers and friends there. it is irresponsible of you to be posting these statements if your intent is simply to "state facts". these are not facts, but observations and second hand feedback. it should be about choice - your's and mine. trust me, the environment and the education the children at rancho receive should be of no concern. the concern should be put towards the suffering neighborhood schools that are on academic probation, those are the children that need to be "saved"....
ReplyDelete[sigh] Everyone, please read this carefully. The Novatologist is only reporting what he saw and heard -- first-hand. His observations are as valid as yours -- more so for the Novatologist, because his sensory organs recorded these words and images, LIVE. In a way, your words are suspect, because The Novatologist hasn't seen what you've seen. His words and actions are not irresponsible. They are frank reportage. You say your kids are happy. The Novatologist says he saw no happy kids on two separate occasions (neither of which were Mondays). Everyone has a different experience, which is what makes our community such a rich and vibrant spectacle. If you're in a classroom environment, you might want to mention this to the kids, so that they might mention it to their parents.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is nothing "wrong" with our community. Right and wrong are value-judgment illusions, the words themselves meaningless without context. Again, everyone has a different experience, which is why Life's vast Tapestry so often needs cleaning. These are things that merely are. You choose one, and not the other. The Novatologist saw what he saw and opted for another school.