ColinsMum, that's what dh is worried about too. In fact, I feel kind of bad because we are on the fence. I know others might be too, and I agree, $400 isn't enough to seal the deal. My parents and dh have big reservations about the private school because of it's size and the fact that they haven't begun a new elementary class since the middle- and high-schoolers were that age. They've just focused on that group of kids through the past 7 years. I'm worried about what happens if the teacher quits for some reason. It's not like they'll have a back up. The thing is, if their vision comes to fruition, it will be a wonderful opportunity. I'd prefer it if ds's current Montessori school turned out to be a good fit so he doesn't have to switch schools again. Maybe he'll love it by the end of the school year. So far, he's had only a few weeks to adjust. According to ds, it's not going so well.
Actually, no this isn't our first choice. Our first choice is that he falls in love with the Montessori school where he's currently attending. I like the school a lot, and they are committed to making it work for ds. They run like a well oiled machine, and ds feels very accepted. He also says he's sufficiently challenged. Mostly, I don't want him to have to move to another school and go through yet another adjustment period.
The other school is also a good option, in my opinion, however no one else in my family seems to agree with me. I'm more of a risk taker and feel comfortable putting my faith in these people because I've come to know them and trust them. No one else has been as involved as I with this school, so they are making judgements based on how it looks on the surface: too new, too small, unstructured----what I see is innovative, lots of individual attention, and out of the box.
