Inner Conflict...

Whoa, is it almost Thursday already or what? I can't believe how fast the days are flying. Of course, it helps when you have a lot on your mind. This week has been spent oscillating between two schools of thought. "Yes, I definitely want to send Hallie to Christian school" and "No, that's crazy! Why spend an extra $4000 and drive over the mountain 4 times everyday just to avoid a 1:25 student-teacher ratio." Well, right now I am decidedly in the middle of the road on this one. I visited an open house at a private school on Monday after learning that they'll be rolling out the portable classrooms (i.e. trailers) in the Fall and have no plans in the works to build anything. As of now, 4 of the third grade classes are meeting in the middle school and there are 20 pupils in my daughter's kindergarten class...4 more than should be there. With over 200 new students expected next year, we could be looking at 25 students in each of the 7 first grade classes.

This school is awesome in so many ways, which is the reason so many people are moving here and overcrowding it. The education is top-notch (you should see the test scores) the facilities are awesome and new, and the parent involvement is unbelievable. Field trips usually have just as many parents as kids, and so many parents are stay-at-home moms that the pick up line in the afternoon backs up almost two miles and takes over half an hour to go through. I have been very pleased with Hallie's teacher this year. She is very sweet and Hallie has learned so much. She can tell time, count money, add, subtract, and reads on a first grade level. I can't complain about the academics at all. I just worry about my daughter being pushed aside next year and not getting the attention she needs because the frazzled teacher cannot handle the pressure. Hallie is so well behaved that she is the type who could be overlooked in that kind of environment. I don't want that. I also can't dispute the impact of a Christian environment and the positive affects it would have on her character. On the other hand, I don't want her cut off from the friends she has here...the ones she sees at church and in the neighborhood. How could I take her away from Rachel and Shelby? Aaaaargh.

I just don't know what to do. This is really stressing me out. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Other things going on...I am going to be on the small screen again. I will be doing a piece on the World Business Review about navigational software. I am racking up quite the filmography...ha ha.