The Seattle school district delayed their enrollment deadlines this year so we are still waiting to find out where Zoe will be going to high school. I think we won't find out until late this month. Whatever the outcome, it'll be controversial.
We live around the corner from a great high school (Ballard) and it's the school that Sid goes to. I've really liked all the teachers I've met and the parent involvement is incredible. Naturally, we expected Zoe to go there as well but Zoe likes to make things difficult. She absolutely does not want to end up in Ballard. Her reasons are as follows:
1) Her brother goes there and she hates being compared to him by teachers
2) She wants to radically change her hairstyle and recreate herself over the summer
3) She's tired of the friendships she's made in middle school and doesn't know how to break out of them and get into knew ones.
I can totally understand #1. I can kind of understand #3 because she's a bit of a follower and has a hard time with friendships in general. #2 is ridiculous (sure, I'll let her color her hair but do the kids that know her really care that much).
We took her on many high school tours in January and February. So what did she pick?
1) Roosevelt
2) The Center School
3) Ingraham
4) Ballard
She really wants to go to Roosevelt. I'm a little worried that it's a big school full of strangers and she's a little girl who is afraid of strangers but she was adamant about it being first on her list. She wanted Ingraham as her second choice but Robert put is foot down. He was not going to let her go there based on the location. I checked the bus schedules and it's not that horrible of a ride. Just 5 minutes longer than a Roosevelt ride. I did the tour with her there and the school has some charm despite it's location and depressing architecture (I know, a silly thing to judge a school by). Of all the high school tours I went on, Ingraham had the most friendly student body and they really seemed close to each other. I think it would be a good match for Zoe. Yet, Robert insisted that she come up with another 2nd choice (really, his main problem with Ingraham was HIS commute if he had to pick her up or take her there and his fear of her occasionally waiting for the bus on a not so friendly Aurora Avenue). The Center School got put in as #2 at the last moment as a compromise (hey, bus stops downtown aren't any friendlier). This is another school I think Zoe will do exceptionally well at.
I personally prefer #2 or #3. I think she'll be a bit sad if she doesn't get into Roosevelt. If she does get into Roosevelt, I really, really hope that she takes it all in and actively participates in all it has to offer. Part of me wonders if she'll change her mind after a quarter and beg to go to Ballard. I'd let her.
BTW, I can't believe she'll still be 13 when she starts high school. Scary.
(note, I edited this after I posted. I originally wrote that we were crossing out fingers for #1 or #2...that would be Robert is crossing his fingers for either of those. I can't write. I'm out of practice and my nose is runny.)
I hate to say it, but she really has no hope of getting into Roosevelt based on where you live. She has some chance of Center School, but it's a crap shoot. Ingraham doesn't tend to get wait lists, so I doubt she'd end up at Ballard.
Ballard's big enough that I think she could find her own niche just fine (and it seems to me to be a huge advantage to be so close), but who knows.
Yeah, we know Roosevelt is a long, long shot but that was her first choice so we stuck with it. Zoe has this idea that if she wills it hard enough magic will happen. This should be a good learning experience for her. I don't think she's thought long and hard about how she'll really feel if (when) she ends up at Ingraham. We'll certainly know in a few weeks!