Where Do We Go From Here?

Choosing a school for your child after Arbor is an important decision. You may be thinking of this when your child enters Arbor, or you may not consider it until he or she reaches the middle school level. The transition to either public or private school requires planning.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING THE CYCLE

We hope that every child who enters Arbor will remain to complete our middle school program. The Montessori curriculum is designed to correspond with the child's natural planes of development. Rather than impose an artificial one-year cycle of learning, Montessori establishes a curriculum that comes to closure at ages 6, 12, and 14—times when the child is ending one stage of development and entering another. In the last year of each of these cycles all the materials and exercises of the earlier years bear fruit.

Arbor students look ahead to the ends of these cycles. The four-year-old longs to become an afternoon child; the elementary child looks forward to his or her sixth year; the sixth year student eagerly anticipates middle school, and the 8th grader is ready for high school. It's not just the new lunchbox and longer day, not just the trip to Cumberland Island or the graduation ceremony to which these children look forward. They are aware of their older classmates' maturity and mastery. They sense the ripening of their own academic skills and look forward to taking their turn as class leaders. We believe that each child deserves and benefits from the opportunity to complete these cycles. The information in this flyer assumes that a child is leaving Arbor after completing the middle school program. However, we know this may not be possible for every student, and we welcome conversations with parents contemplating early withdrawal.

WHICH SCHOOL IS BEST FOR MY CHILD?

Atlanta is blessed with a multitude of fine schools. However, the large number of choices presents a challenge for parents. We suggest you begin your investigation by asking what you and your child want in a school. It is important to do this before you begin to gather information or visit schools. Being clear about what you are looking for helps school personnel give you the information you need to make a sound decision. It will also help you to evaluate the information you receive.

Whether you choose a public or a private school, a personal visit to talk with teachers and administrative personnel is essential. A good school welcomes inquiries from prospective parents. Personal contact well in advance of your anticipated admission date will enable you to become familiar with and take advantage of program options that may benefit your child.

Approximately half of Arbor's graduates attend a variety of private and parochial schools in the Atlanta area. Other Arbor families choose public education. Arbor graduates attend public schools throughout metropolitan Atlanta.

Talking with parents whose children attend these schools can be very helpful. We will be happy to put you in touch with parents of former Arbor students who attend the schools you are considering.

WHEN SHOULD WE APPLY?

Many private schools require testing for applicants, and several schools cooperate in offering joint testing services during November, December and January. Applications are due in January or February and interviews are typically conducted in February and March for the following school year. Notice of acceptance is usually mailed in April.

We do not like to see children who are thriving at Arbor leave prematurely. Although we discourage parents from applying during their child's elementary years, it may be reassuring to begin your inquiries at that time. Many private schools have more openings each year at the ninth grade level than in the lower grades. These schools count on transfer students to fill their high school classes. Ask the Admissions Director at the schools that interest you about their pattern of accepting transfers. Be frank about your desire that your child complete Arbor's program, and ask about the number of openings they anticipate at the ninth grade level.

WILL MY CHILD GET IN?

We encourage you to apply to more than one school. This way, if your child isn't accepted at your first choice you will have alternatives. It is also not unusual for Arbor students to be accepted at multiple schools.
Arbor has developed an excellent reputation among Atlanta schools. Those schools that have received large numbers of Arbor transfers do look forward to applications from our graduates.

Whether considering private school or investigating the options available to your child within the public school systems it is important to ask what criteria are used to screen applicants. Decisions may be based on any or all of the following considerations:

Teacher recommendations
Standardized test scores
Evaluation of student achievement
The child's talents or special areas of interest
Social skills and classroom behavior
Learning disabilities

Private schools may also consider:

Number of applicants for available spaces
Racial, ethnic or gender balance
Parents’ history as volunteers or financial contributors to their present school
The family's need for tuition assistance

Application Assistance
Your child's teacher will gladly fill out any forms requested by the schools to which you are applying. Teachers are also available to help students prepare to write application essays and to answer questions admissions personnel may have about our program or student evaluations. However, please realize that the teachers and the office staff are assisting all the children in the graduating class. So that we can meet your deadline, please give us as much lead time as possible

Waitlisting
Every private school occasionally accepts a student who later chooses to go elsewhere. The private schools establish waiting lists to help them replace these students quickly. Some private schools automatically put on their waiting list every child who applied but was not accepted. Others may create a select waiting list of qualified students for whom they hope to find room.

Waitlisted students are not admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. When spaces become available the same criteria for admission listed above are taken into consideration in moving a child from the waiting list to admission. Your child may be passed over even though he is a strong candidate simply because the class with the vacancy already has several more boys than girls.

Occasionally one of our graduates is waitlisted at his or her first choice and later accepted for admission there. However, the deadlines for responding to letters of acceptance from other schools do not always allow parents to wait and see whether their child will be moved off the waiting list at the school of first choice. There is no one best strategy for charting your course through this process. It helps to remember that there are no Arbor graduates still waiting in limbo. Every child and family eventually finds a second home, and graduates usually report they are happy in their new school regardless of where it lay on their original list of preferences.

HOW WILL MY CHILD ADJUST?

Students in their last year at Arbor often experience some anxiety about going to a new school. They may worry about homework, making friends, being in a larger school, having many teachers, changing classes, how hard the work will be, etc. Needless to say, parents experience anxieties too!

Many graduates miss Arbor at first, but they take with them so many things: a love for learning, a sense of responsibility for their own success, excellent research and study skills, a solid foundation in math, language, geography, and science, and excellent social and problem-solving skills. With your continuing support and encouragement and a little time they will soon be feeling comfortable in new surroundings. They are well prepared to meet the next challenge.