Konichiwa to Kindergarten at Murray Language Academy!

Getting my almost-five-year-old son Benjamin into Kindergarten has been very stressful.
But yesterday I arrived at a real achievement.
I got Benjamin into the close-by public, magnet school Murray Language Academy just by walking in and informing them of our address change.
Voila!
Another boy had withdrawn and there was space for Benjamin.
He had been number 23 on the waiting list of that school and number 7 on the waiting list at the Ray School, the only other worthwhile public school for white kids (it seems) in this neighborhood. Many may see that remark as racist but the Ray school is the most diverse school racially in the neighborhood. White families who live outside of the Ray district clamor to get into that school. Blacks are the majority in every other surrounding public school. And those schools seem to be rough.
Plus, Ray has a lot to offer students.
I do have quite a bit of skepticism about Ray school though because a friend had a mediocre to bad experience in kindergarten. In my opinion all the class sizes are too big in the Chicago Public Schools with 28-30 children in kindergarten.
We recently moved and so are no longer in the Bret Harte school district.
Last year, Benjamin went to Bret Harte for the free, public, state-funded pre-Kindergarten program after attending Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School’s nursery school from 8:30am-12pm. We were happy with Bret Harte. Ms. Russell, Benjamin’s teacher is excellent. She’s a golden apple nominee. We really connected with the other children and parents in that program. Benjamin learned a lot too.
But we were pretty tired of taking our two boys to two different places all the time: Akiba, Bret Harte, 2-year-old Judah’s other day-care. Our goal is for both boys to attend Akiba in the fall. There is a great buzz about Akiba’s Kindergarten with the low student/teacher ratios. There are 15 students and 2 teachers in the Kindergarten class. But the tuition is an astronomical $10,000!
We’ve applied for financial aid and STILL haven’t heard back from them. BOOHOO! We’re getting annoyed and frustrated here.
My husband and I had a whole discussion last night about the importance of a Jewish education. The cost is going to be quite high for a Jewish education. That’s going to hurt. Children at Akiba know Hebrew. They are comfortable with it. They know prayers and Bible. At the Murray Language Academy children choose between daily French, Spanish and Japanese instruction. Spanish was filled, I signed Benjamin up for Japanese.
Hey! He loves sticky rice and seaweed. So why not?!
Stay tuned….

Teen attacks

Liz Bakwin, a member of the Parent Support Network, posted this neighborhood watch warning to the groups' e-mail communication:
"Wanted to let everyone know that a 7th grader was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a group of similarly-aged and older children at 4pm between Ray School and Bixler Playlot on Wednesday. He was physically hurt -- scratches, etc. -- but is OK. As far as I know, the police haven't caught the perpetrators, although there was quite a brouhaha on Kenwood between 55th and 56th last night, involving some teenage boys being taken away by UC police. That's as much as I know."
I have heard of other instances where teens attack teens here in the neighborhood. Last spring students at Kenwood High School were attacking adults.
Often these are Black on White attacks.
They all suck!
This one in particular is scary because the location is considered one of the most popular and safest for children and families in all of Hyde Park. I have spent and continue to spend many hours in this playlot. Hyde Park is an island of wealth and racial variety on the Southside. How wonderful that is. I feel fortunate that I and my children have friends of all colors. But often the tension is unbearable.
Lately the police composite sketches have been crowding Hyde Park's bulletin boards.
This attack is a sad commentary on our state today. Not only do I mourn for the victim but wonder about who's watching and caring for the attackers - kids themselves.