Opinions of Schmitz Park Elementary…versus Lafayette?

[mamaofboys]

My family recently bought a house in West Seattle. When we bought, our school was Lafayette, which we’d heard had a good reputation (part of the reason we bought the house.) But then the district rezoned, and now we are apparently in the Schmitz Park boundary (even though it’s a lot further away!?) I don’t know that much about this school, other than what we could gather at the open house. There seems to be a lot of involved parents and a it had a nice community feel to it, somewhat “smaller” than Lafayette. How are the academics? Art/music programs, etc? The two schools seemed similar enough that I didn’t bother applying my son to Lafayette, and I’m just hoping that was the right decision. I have heard about the Spectrum program (not offered at Schmitz) but I’m not really clear on what that entails.

Our son will be in first grade. We also have a younger child who will start kindergarten in a couple years. Thanks for any input you might be able to offer about what to expect at Scmitz!

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[kellym]

Both my daughters went to Schmitz…We loved the experience…great teachers and staff, smaller community feel, very involved families…good reading and math programs..the passport program for geography is unique and effective…great PE..enjoy that now you won’t get it at the secondary levels much. Enjoy!

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[jellyfish]

Schmitz park is my fist choice in WS schools, though we didn’t get into any of my favorites during open enrollment (Pathfinder is my next favorite, since they have Writers’ Workshop & Project-Based Learning). I am very impressed with their decision to replace Everyday Math with Singapore Math — and the textbooks were funded by the PTA. If you’re not current on the math controversy, read up on Everyday Math online (lots of lawsuits, complaints across districts, and dubious research). The Schmitz students score very well in standardized math tests, too. Here’s just a local article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2011097718_bruce17.html

Additionally, I’ve heard good things about the Read Naturally and Passport Club programs, though I believe these are part of several WS schools. Other interesting factors are the Great Books/Literature Circle, nature walks, and The Challenge Program (where ALL kids have the chance to do advanced work, not just those identified as “gifted”). The parent community seems to be strong, and I love the fact that biking to school or after school is emphasized. When I toured, it just felt like a great place to be. Lots of art, a really fun gym, a committed community, and happy-looking classrooms.

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[jellyfish]

I’m sure you’ve seen it, but for those who haven’t:

http://www.seattleschools.org/schools/spark/docs/SchoolBrochure2004.pdf

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[mamaofboys]

Thanks for the input and articles so far, lots of good information. Based on the school brochure, it sounds like there are some great things going on there and it will be a good fit for my son.

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[WSAC]

I know lots and lots of happy families at Schmitz. I’d say Lafayette garners more mixed reviews.

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[Bonnie]

I know several parents who send their kids to Schmitz and one parent who sends their kids to Lafayette. All are very happy. If I had to choose one over the other I probably would have a hard time choosing. Schmitz is a bit smaller, and I’d prefer a smaller school.

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