Beyond the Brochure – Page 35 – By Christina Simon, Anne Simon and Porcha Dodson. A blog for parents who are applying to private elementary schools in Los Angeles. And, what life is really like at some of these schools.

Guest Blogger Alice: The Dreaded Parent Interview

January 20, 2015January 20, 2015 admin 3 Comments

So you’re applying to private elementary schools and you’ve managed to actually get a date for a tour and/or interview (which for some schools means you called months in advance and already jumped through some hoops), which generally means both you and your child will be interviewed. You’re a grown up and have survived job interviews and talked banks into loaning you money, so this should be a piece of cake. “You aren’t nervous,” you tell yourself and pretend the new outfit you bought is for some other reason, but the truth is as much as we are prepping our kid by begging and bribing them to behave for just one hour, we know that we also have to pull it off.

In fact, when you’re applying for a kindergarten spot in the competitive L.A. private school market, it may even be more about the family than it is about the child. I remember the butterflies. I remember trying to look like I had money, but not so much that I was pretending to be a big donor. I remember wondering if it’s better to look like working mom, or a stay at home mom, (as if I could fake it one way or another). I remember frantically searching a school’s web site to see if I could think of at least one or two “intelligent” questions to ask, and then trying to memorize those questions.

I decided to go to a source and ask an admissions director at one of these schools, to sit with me and anonymously give me some insights into what they are hoping to get out of the parent interview

Alice: What’s the single most important thing you are looking for in a parent interview?

Admissions Director: For parent interviews I want to hear in their voice that they are supportive of their child and will be of the school. In other words, once they put their kid in the school, I want to know they will trust the school to do what it’s supposed to and not get in the way.

Alice: You mean?

Admissions Director: (laughing) Get in the teacher’s faces.

Alice: Is there a tip off that makes you know you may be talking to a difficult parent?

Admissions Director: Yes. When they start getting really pushy, questioning the curriculum before they even spend time here. “If my child does this or that, will you do this or that?” They are always seeking more and more. It’s not many parents, but you do find them.

Alice: What would your biggest tip be for a parent going into a parent interview?

Admissions Director: For them to realize that not every school is necessarily a perfect fit for their child. They may think it’s a fit because of the status of the school, or whatever, but they need to understand that a child has to be socially and emotionally ready for any school they’re applying to. Some parents want to push them further than they can actually handle. Know the boundaries of your child and what’s good for them.

Alice: Can you give me an example?

Admissions Director: Often the child is just too young and not ready for what a school is going to ask from them.

Alice: I’m just curious, does it mater what you wear to an interview?

Admissions Director: No. I mean, some parents dress up and that’s nice, but what’s on the outside doesn’t matter. It’s the way they present themselves verbally in conversation that’s more important.

Alice: What if one of the parents doesn’t show up? Does that matter?

Admissions Director: It’s not a big deal for one interview, but if dad, for example, doesn’t show up, I’ll reach out at some point.

Alice: You’d like to lay eyes on both parents?

Admissions Director nods.

Alice: So any final tip for us parents?

Admissions Director: Parents should do their homework about the schools they are applying to, try to talk to other families and get the pros and cons and have questions.

Alice: Sure, but what kinds of questions?

Admissions Director: Anything, about their financial commitments, what after school programs are offered, what transportation, parent involvement on campus? What high schools the kids matriculate to?

Alice: And finally?

Admissions Director: Come in with an open mind. Before deciding if this is or isn’t the right place for your child. Even if you come in thinking it is right, listen and make sure before you apply.

——

My own final thought is this: I once was in a group interview situation for one of the most of prestigious K-12 schools in the city and they had about eight to ten parents around a large table and opened it up to questions. It started with one person asking how many letters from board members of the school would be too much to include in the application. I believe the officer responded with one is likely enough and then another hand went up and a parent asked, “Following up on that, is it obnoxious…?” I didn’t even have to hear the end of the question, because if you start with, “Is it obnoxious?”, it obviously will be obnoxious. Sure enough: “Is it obnoxious to have someone from Clinton’s Cabinet write letters recommending our family?” Clinton at that time was President. I can’t say how the admissions director took that, but everyone else in the room including me, rolled their eyes. So my personal thought would be, try not to be obnoxious.

Mother of three, Alice attended east coast private schools as a child and has been in the private school world as a parent for nearly twenty years. Her kids attended Mirman for elementary, then Harvard-Westlake and Brentwood for high school, with one still to go. She is a writer working in film, TV and for various magazines such as Family Fun, Wondertime, Glamour and Brides.

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Tips To Help You ACE Your Private Elementary School Parent Interview

January 14, 2015January 19, 2015 admin 4 Comments

This piece was originally published on Elizabeth Street on January 19, 2014.

Photo credit: Adam Capriola, Flickr Creative Commons License

Many, but not all, private elementary schools want to meet applicant parents without their kids present as part of the admissions process. Parent interviews are typically meetings between parents and the admissions director. There is no single format and each school determines how the interview will work. Some schools are very casual, while others are more formal. The tone of the interview will depend on the personality of the admissions director and the general atmosphere of the school.

If you’re applying for kindergarten, keep in mind that a parent interview is about you and your child. Some schools are very interested in how well a family will fit into the school’s culture. Other schools are more focused on whether the child will excel academically. It’s hard to know what to anticipate, but researching the school and talking to your preschool director and current parents at the school can help you prepare.

Here are our tips to help you ace your parent interviews:

1. Do your homework ahead of time. Review the school’s website and be sure you are familiar with the mission of the school and what differentiates it from other schools. Be prepared to talk about how your family fits with the philosophy of the school. Why your kid would be a great addition to the school should also be something you are prepared to talk about.

2. Review your written application and be consistent in your interview conversation with what you said in your application about your family and its values and goals. Make sure you communicate who you are and make your family’s story one that will be remembered by the admissions director.

3. Be positive AND honest about your child. Don’t try to make him/her look perfect. In talking about his/her strengths, give real examples of these characteristics. You might talk about how he/she is willing to share toys in the park. Or, perhaps your kid will include other children in playtime at preschool, rather than exclude them. These two examples indicate friendliness, empathy and maturity. In speaking about any challenges, make sure you share that you understand and accept them and are committed to working with the school to partner in serving your child’s needs.

4. Be careful about telling the admissions director you’ll definitely accept a spot if it is offered. You may feel tempted to do this, but it isn’t necessary and could hinder your applications at other schools since some admissions directors do talk to each other. And, don’t make the mistake of being too aggressive in the type of questions you ask like, “Why does this school cost so much?” or, “How much will it cost us to guarantee you’ll let our kid in?” These are inappropriate questions!

5. Arrive early. Plan your route and allow for traffic and other delays. Showing up late is a big no-no. Both parents (if there are two) should attend. The absence of one parent signals a lack of interest in the school.

6. Try to anticipate a few commonly asked questions like, “Tell me about your child,” or “Why do you want your child to attend our school.?” Sometimes, starting with a broad comment about why you love the school and then moving to specifics about why this school is right for your kid works well. It also helps to discuss your answers to these questions with your spouse/partner before the interview. You should both be in agreement about why you want your child to attend the school!

7. Not every parent interview will go well. In Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles, I write in detail about a parent interview for kindergarten that went so badly we withdrew our application from the popular school. Sometimes, the interview may feel more like the admissions director is merely going through the motions and has little interest in what you have to say. Or, you may learn more about the school and realize it doesn’t seem right for your child. However, just because you don’t think an interview went well doesn’t necessarily mean the admissions director felt that way. There are plenty of families who were convinced their interview was a disaster or just adequate, only to receive an acceptance letter a few months later!

Finally, we highly recommend approaching each parent interview with confidence, professionalism and a bit of luck.

Written by Christina Simon and Anne Simon, co-authors of Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles

Lycée International de Los Angeles shows solidarity for France as it mourns the victims from the Charlie Hebdo attack

January 10, 2015January 10, 2015 admin Leave a comment

The events of the past two days in Paris have been truly horrifying. We know Beyond The Brochure readers are as devastated as we are at the loss of life and the attack on the freedom of speech. Here’s how Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA) showed solidarity with France and helped students express their sympathy. –Christina

Los Angeles, CA – January 8, 2015 – While France is mourning the dead from a fatal act of terrorism on January 7, 2015, many countries are expressing sympathy and support. At Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA) where almost half of the students on its five campuses are of French nationality, of French origins, or Francophiles, the emotional reaction has been acute.

“As a school whose origins are deeply anchored in the French language and culture, the LILA community stands in solidarity with France and her people in light of the awful attacks in Paris,” said Michael Maniska, LILA’s Head of School.

A minute of silence was observed on the school’s secondary campus in Burbank on the morning of the attack. On January 8^th, the following day, a whole school assembly was held in order to pay respects to the victims of the tragedy. “It is essential for us to both educate and inform our students in order to provide them with the tools to enable them to understand such a tragic event,” explained Anneli Harvey, Director of the Burbank campus. The assembly, conducted in French, was led by LILA’s Secondary Academic Director,Emmanuel Bonin, who said, “We remain firm believers in France’s national motto of liberté, égalité, fraternité.” The somber students, many of whom had attended an homage to the victims in Los Feliz the night before, talked about the cartoonists, journalists and police officers who were killed in the ambush that marked France’s deadliest act of terrorism since 1961.

“Just as my father grew up with Charlie Hebdo, I was also doing the same,” said 11^th grader Théo Grison of the satirical left-wing newspaper that became famous for its controversial and irreverent cartoons and reports skewering politics, culture, and religion. “Killing these journalists is like killing freedom of expression. We are mourning the people who died but we are also mourning the death of an essential freedom.”

www.lilaschool.com

7 Things You Can Do To Find The Right Private Elementary School In L.A.

January 6, 2015January 6, 2015 admin 2 Comments

Photo credit: Nick Amoscato (Flickr Creative Commons License)

Conquer these essentials and you’ll be more likely to find a school that truly fits your kid and your parenting style.

1. Understand the type of school (traditional, developmental, progressive, religious, Waldorf). Many schools are a hybrid of philosophies.

2. Think about your kid’s learning style and the environment that will be best for them…can you picture your kid at the school?

3. Assess the culture of the school (who are the other parents, is it laid back or strict, etc.). Do the parents look like hippies and artists or golfers and bankers? I got this one very wrong in a big way at The Willows…the culture of that school was never the right fit for our family.

4. Geography. Can you get there and back daily. Where do the other families live?

5. Tuition cost. Private schools can cost $8000/year or $30,000/year for K. There are costs in addition to tuition (enrollment fee ($1,500) annual fund, enrichment, field trips, uniforms, hot lunch).

6. Financial aid. Try to determine whether a school has a generous financial aid budget. Look at the percent of the school’s budget allocated to financial aid…listed on the website or in the annual report. Schools with endowments are typically more likely to have robust financial aid budgets, but smaller schools can offer generous financial aid packages too.

7. Trust your intuition. The most popular schools (or the most expensive) aren’t always the BEST schools!

Goodbye, 2014…What’s Up, 2015?

January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 admin Leave a comment

After visiting family in Florida, I’m back in Los Angeles for a low-key New Year. I’ll be cooking the traditional Hoppin’ John (so delicious and very special to my family!) and hanging out with my daughter while my husband and son watch tons of sports. I thought I’d give you a few highlights from 2014 and a peek at what’s on the agenda for Beyond The Brochure in 2015.

The most challenging post I wrote this year was about this blog.

The most popular post this year was about L.A. private school tuition.

The posts I’ve enjoyed writing the most are Private School Profiles.

I became a contributing writer to Mom.me (an AOL Lifestyle site).

The most exciting moment was finding out the book is sold at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.

I’ve tiptoed around the issue of middle school admissions, but I think I’ve found the answer: Guest Blogger Alice. She’ll be a regular contributor in 2015. Alice is a Mirman School parent and a former Brentwood and Harvard-Westlake mom, so she knows her L.A. private school stuff…I mean she really KNOWS. And, she’s funny, brutally honest and a really good writer too.

In 2015, Beyond The Brochure will feature more posts about who gets into private school (and why), what you need to know about all aspects of admissions, more private School Profiles, a post or two about feeder schools (I learned something new I want to write about), the most affordable and the most expensive private schools in the L.A. area, more reader questions/answers, upcoming private school events, private school buzz, what makes a private school “academic” and a tiny bit of snark, of course. There’s just too much about the private school world that makes my head spin not to mention it here.

I hope you’ll keep reading and following along on Facebook since that’s where you can find blog posts, events, private school news and articles. Most of all I appreciate you telling your friends about this blog and the book too. This is definitely a word-of-mouth endeavor. It is everything I wished I’d known when I applied to kindergarten for my daughter in 2005-06. I hope it’s everything you’re looking for too.

Cheers to a wonderful 2015!––Christina