The right choice? Wichita school district fair may be able to help you

Walking through the Wichita district’s annual Choices Fair, it’s easy to see how school shopping can be a stressful experience.

You can send your child to a traditional magnet school, a STEM school, an environmental school or a performing arts school. There are leadership schools, community service schools, health and wellness schools, core knowledge schools, international studies schools and Spanish language schools. You could opt for the school down the street or one across town.

And those are just the public school options.

“It definitely can feel a little overwhelming,” said Cindy Graves, principal at McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary in north Wichita. “It helps to do some previewing even before you get there.”

The state’s largest school district will show off magnet schools and other special programs at its annual Choices Fair on Thursday. The fair, 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Century II Exhibition Hall, is designed to provide “one-stop shopping” for families exploring education options within the Wichita district.

If you’re embarking on that search for the first time, here are some suggestions from local educators, parents and experts from GreatSchools.org.

▪ Know your child. “Understand how your child learns and what structure fits your child best, because that’s going to be your foundation for looking for schools,” said Steve Padilla, director of communications for GreatSchools.org.

“Is your child rambunctious and bouncing off the walls a bit? Then maybe you’re not going to want that structured school setting where everybody is walking in a single-file line and not talking,” he said. “It may look good. You may love the school, but it may not be the right fit for your child.”

▪ Get to know the system. Whether you’re enrolling your child for the first time or looking for a new school, there’s a lot to learn. Internet sites such as GreatSchools offer general primers, or call your district office with specific questions.

If you’re in the Wichita district, visit the magnet schools website: magnet.usd259.org. There you can read about magnet types and themes, access frequently asked questions and download magnet application forms. The deadline for submitting an application for the 2016-17 school year is earlier than usual this year – Jan. 15.

▪ Think about your priorities. Knowing what’s important to you – location, curriculum, activities, cultural diversity, even school start times – will help you narrow your choices and ask pointed questions. But always keep your child’s learning style in mind.

“A lot of times parents focus on the school first and not the child,” Padilla said. “They focus on ‘Is this a good school? Is this a clean school? Is this a safe school?’ And all those are important, but if that still doesn’t fit your child’s needs, then it doesn’t matter.”

▪ Ask around. “What are other parents in the community saying about these schools? What are they saying about the teachers, the administrators, the classes?” Padilla said.

Several websites offer patron reviews of schools. And although some anonymous reviews can be misleading, asking parents you know and respect about their experiences will give you insight you can’t get from a school’s Choices Fair booth or other official channels.

▪ Visit your top choices. No amount of reading or research about a school can tell you as much as you’ll learn by actually visiting the campus. Wichita magnet schools – as well as Robinson Middle School and East High, which offer pre-IB and International Baccalaureate diploma programs – have reserved dates and times when parents and prospective students may visit. Most begin Nov. 9.

“I always encourage parents to go see the school,” said Graves, the McLean principal. “They’ll hear things from friends or colleagues about different schools, but you never know. It’s your experience, and you and the child need to come in and decide based on what you actually see.”

Padilla, of GreatSchools.org, suggests visiting a campus several times – whether it’s a magnet or neighborhood school – to get the most complete picture.

“Go there in the morning, when it’s drop-off time. That kind of tells you a lot,” he said. “See how structured it is. Get a feel for what it’s like in the morning or the afternoon. That gives you an idea of ‘OK, am I really going to want to do this every day?’ ”

▪ Apply. Check with the school or district where you’re applying to make sure you know the application deadlines. The deadline for most Wichita magnets is Jan. 15. Pre-IB and IB programs have slightly different deadlines, so call the school or visit its website to make sure you’re on track.

▪ Support your child and get involved. “Once you make your choice, continue to follow up,” Padilla said. “It’s not a one-and-done. You’re not like ‘Woo-hoo, I chose my school. I’m good.’ ”

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 7:52 AM with the headline "The right choice? Wichita school district fair may be able to help you."