decisions...

Tomorrow I'm heading to Rosemont to finally enroll Sophia for their Nursery class for SY 2008-2009. Honestly though, there is still a teeny weeny part of me wondering if I'm making the right choice. I just hope and pray to God I am. Any parent would want the best for their kids right? And I am just exactly one of them. After all the time I spent to give this school issue a thought, here I am still not 100% sure. I guess I got to realize now that we can never really be a hundred percent sure on certain decisions, on certain things. Especially if it involves the future of our children. I know I am thinking too far ahead and being too sigurista to a fault maybe but hey, I just can't help it. No matter how I try not to worry too much and to take things slow, I just can't. Whenever people say that I should relax as its just pre-school, I would want to blurt out that a child won't probably need as much of a great school than now as these early stages of her school life are most crucial to what she will become in the future - study habits, views in learning etc.

All I really want is to instill the love for learning as early as now. I fervently wish I am and will achieve that goal for her in choosing Rosemont.

school stuff

I am definitely getting Sophia these for school ...

Foogo by Thermos Leak-Proof SS 10 oz - Food Jar

Foogo by Thermos Leak-Proof SS 12 oz - Straw Bottle

Product Features

* The vacuum insulated stainless steel interior and exterior is non-reactive to all food and beverages.
* Keeps beverages cold & fresh for 6 hours; Kid proof unbreakable design is perfect for infants and toddlers
* Insulation helps inhibits dangerous bacteria growth
* BPA Free materials ¿ Stainless steel interior and exterior ; Soft drinking spout is made from food contact safe Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE)
* Dishwasher safe for easy care; Sweat proof design won't leave water rings

rosemont baby

As I wrote in my previous entry, we are now enrolling Sophia in Rosemont for SY 2008-2009. Well, let me correct that statement. I already enrolled the little girl last week actually. I even got her uniforms na, haha. Talk about one excited mommy here!!! She's going to the Nursery afternoon class though as no more slots for the morning already. Ayan, ang bagal ko kase magpareserve. My fault! All the while I thought I was early na but apparently, to Rosemont's standards, I inquired and applied late already.

Anyway, here are the little girl's uniforms. The second is the PE uniform to be worn every Friday. Don't you think the little girl will look oh so cute in them?!?

Brent, not yet.

Visited Brent South Campus and what can I say? I’m impressed. I am, really - with the classes, the surroundings and with the people. Well, atleast those I’ve talked to anyway. People there are so nice! When I stepped inside the campus, parang wala ako sa Pilipinas! Haha I guess that’s one part that explains the SKY ROCKETING tuition fee. It’s almost like buying a car every year, haha.

Anyway, on to my kwento. I pretty liked what I saw although I didn’t get to see the students in the middle and upper school. I had good vibes with the school honestly but the thing is this …

Apparently, Sophia is not eligible to enter their Pre-K yet as kids in this class are supposed to be four by December. Sophia will turn four not until next year - March. She is eligible to enter the pre-school classes though at Brent in ATC but Brent ATC is closing down already this coming May which leaves me no choice but to look for a school to enroll the little girl this June (SY 2008-2009). I wonder now if this is a sign. You all know how I’m having apprehensions of sending Sophia to Brent right? Just so you know, I even pray for it, asking HIM for signs. I wonder now if this is somewhat a sign HE is giving me. Oh well …

Jon and I talked and we came up with the decision to let Sophia go to Rosemont for this school year and we’ll just see what happens next. We have got one whole year ahead of us to really think about it on whether we’ll let her transfer after a year or make her stay in Rosemont and just go straight to Woodrose by grade 1. We’ll see how it goes. We’ll observe Sophia at Rosemont first and just decide after. So I guess my school hunting is not yet over, far from over.

to brent or not to brent

For a backgrounder, read this first.

I never thought that school hunting will be this hard. For petes sake, we’re just talking of preschool here you know.

As I previously said, to this day, Jon and I are yet to come up with a decision on where to send Sophia this coming June. Although we have paid the reservation fee at Rosemont, we still haven’t disregarded the option of sending Sophia to Brent School South Campus which is a good ten minutes away from our house. Honestly speaking, we have been toying with the idea of sending Sophia into an International School before but we never really took it seriously. Well, not until now that we feel that the little girl is up for a bit of drilling and is ready for big school as she’s already 3.3 yo by June which will make her eligible for Nursery. She spent a great year at Toddlers Unlimited but I believe its time for her to move on.

When Jon and I were discussing, Brent School came up. Jon was convinced its the better choice. And after reading Apols post regarding the school and its International Baccalaureate System which means that if you graduate from an IB certified school (which Brent is) you won’t have to take an entrance exam when you go to college in US or in UK, I am almost convinced too. But not quite. I was deeply thinking about it and for some reasons, I have apprehensions of sending Sophia to Brent. I am worried that Sophia might not be able to adapt to the kind of environment they have there. I am afraid that she might be left out as most of her classmates will be foreigners (this I’m not sure naman and I have yet to see, haha). I am wondering if Sophia will thrive in the setting Brent School has to offer as my initial perception is kids there will have different lifestyles, values and beliefs from us. Maybe, opposite even. I have countless worries. Not to mention the sky rocketing tuition fees! I have all the figures actually as I already inquired. Costs start from $6,000 to $12,000 a year (Kinder to Grade 12). I told Jon about my concerns and he took them well. So well that for a while we haven’t brought Brent up again in any of our school discussions.

Not until today.

My FIL and MIL came to visit today. While in the middle of discussion, my FIL asked about where we’re sending Sophia this June. We told him of our indefinite plans and how we were not too keen on sending her to Brent anymore for personal reasons. What my FIL told us after (which I can’t clearly remember now) makes Jon and I rethink our plans for our little girl. He somewhat convinced us that we should not worry about small things as we shouldn’t underestimate what our daughter can do (smart daw ang apo niya, LOL!). We shouldn’t think so far ahead according to him too like sending Sophia to college in the US etc. Well, he could probably say this because sending a daughter to school in the US is not new to him. My SIL is currently studying in Florida thats why. We shouldn’t scrimp daw on education as it’s the best gift we can give Sophia. But in my mind, is Brent actually the best? In short, now we’re back to square one. We are again seriously considering Brent School for Sophia.

Now, I need your thoughts. First off, are my concerns valid or not? Am I really worrying too much? I’m not familiar with how International Schools are being run so I have no idea. And last but not the least, my question to all of you, If you have the means to send your kid to Brent or any International School for that matter, will you send him/her there? Why? I’m looking forward to hearing from you. I hope to get as much feedbacks as I could. Help us end our misery

as of today ...

I'm still yayaless as of the moment (read here) so I still can't stay in front of the pc for more than an hour. Whenever I have the chance to sneak in a few posts, it has to be my expiring tasks you know ;p

Anyway, to make the most of my time, I bought Jon's laptop this morning. I was at Starbucks while waiting for Sophia's class to finish and I was able to write a couple of posts which were all expiring today. Hay, buti na lang :)

Tomorrow at 9am, Jon and I are off to Rosemont for our interview. You see, parents are to be interviewed first even before the kids get to have their turn. I wonder what it'll be all about. Jon canceled an important meeting for it, you know. Our motto has always been "family first" daw, yeah right! I hope it goes well :) Wish us luck!

school hunting ends

For some background, read this first.

I took Sophia to Rosemont (Woodrose Preparatory School) in Alabang this morning to see what she has to say about the school and to be able to personally inquire too. She's turning three this coming March making her eligible to join the Nursery Class of Rosemont. On our way there, Sophia kept on asking a lot of questions like why do we need to check out a new school, if Rosemont's going to be her new school etc. I told her to look around and tell me if she wants the "new" school.

Once we got there, I was greeted by the school director as I had made prior appointment. Too bad we were not able to observe classes though as kids were busy practicing for a certain school program that I failed to take note of. Mrs. Del Rosario showed me the classrooms though while Sophia explored the play area. Classrooms were neat, not exactly new but was within my expectations. The kids looked very well behaved as I noticed. They showed me the Nursery Classes and I must say, they all look big kids to me. I wonder if it's with the uniform or something. The nursery class is for the 3-4 year olds by the way. It's a big question on my mind now if Sophia will be as behaved as them by the time she joins the class.

Overall, I must say I'm pretty much satisfied with what I saw and is most likely (unless I find a better alternative within Alabang too) to enroll Sophia there by June. The little girl loved it too and didn't want to leave, haha. She loved saying "hi" to the kids and playing in the playground. I got some application papers already and is about to complete the requirements before scheduling an interview. The parents are to be interviewed first before the kid gets assessed. Oh diba?

Are we really saying goodbye to Toddlers Unlimited already? I guess, yes.