5 Ways to Research Schools When PCSing

It seems like we have a conversation like this about once every quarter in my house.

“Branch just sent a memo about possible next moves.”

“You know there is always a possibility we could end up staying here.”

“Should I throw my name in for that job?”

But last week when we were looking for something (I really wish I had read this article earlier) and my husband said, “Go ahead and keep that…we’re about eight months out and we might need it for the move,” the realization hit me. My brain automatically became a scene from the movie Inside Out. I could actually envision little versions of myself running around in my head.

There was the one with yoga pants on, hair in a messy ponytail, wearing glasses, that was frantically cleaning out the kitchen pantry. Another version of me was sitting on the floor in my son’s room bagging up LEGO sets. Yet another little Amy was purging clothes from my teenager’s closet.

But then I saw the tiny-inside-my-head-self sitting on the couch, wrapped in my favorite blanket, late at night, basking in the glow of the laptop. That one was researching schools.

You see, it’s at this time every few years when we get word that a list is coming out. Or branch fires a warning email hinting at possible summer moves.

It’s at this time of year that I do what I do best. This is when I research possible schools for my kids. And if I can toot my own horn for a minute, I have been fairly successful thus far. So successful, in fact, that I’ve had people ask me to give a class on it.

Here are a few tips to help you when researching schools:

1. Give yourself plenty of time. 

The most important thing to remember is that this process takes time, patience and, according to my husband, a bit of neurosis. 

The minute that I hear an inkling of a possible new duty station, I look it up. Even if it’s a remote possibility, I familiarize myself with what county we would live in, the name of the school district, and school sizes and locations. Sometimes it gives me a sense of peace just to know I’ve located where the darn place is on a map.

2. Contact someone you know who knows the schools. 

Ask yourself if you know anyone currently there or who has been there somewhat recently. I make a mental note if I’m Facebook friends with them (or not), then file that away. Once you know more, contact those friends who may have lived in the same district. 

3. Check out individual schools.

As the duty station becomes more permanent sounding, I start looking at the individual schools my kids might attend. I search out their state test scores and check parent scores and comments on GreatSchools.net,

I’m aware that test scores and parent comments on a public, unmonitored website may not provide the most accurate picture of the individual school, but it certainly frames the picture a bit.

I bookmark the school district website and familiarize myself with things like their school calendar (when the year starts and ends, etc.) and what is featured on their homepage.  

4. Call the school.

Once we’re fairly confident we know where we’re going, I call the school(s). I call multiple times during the week at different times of the day. Neurotic? Okay, maybe.

But if it isn’t possible to make an in-person visit (this is always preferred), a phone call is all I have to go on. And let’s be honest, receptionists and secretaries are the lifeblood of most schools and keep them running smoothly. An office that is complete chaos, messages that don’t get returned, and unwillingness to spend time talking to a transfer are red flags.  

Luckily, I’ve never had that problem. In fact, last summer I had a secretary email a classroom teacher after we talked and that teacher called me from her house that night to answer my questions. It doesn’t get much better than that.

5. Use social media. 

Does the school district or school have a Facebook page? What about Twitter? What about their PTO or PTA?

Once, I discovered a friend was already at my next location because I saw her name on a PTA newsletter on a school’s website. I didn’t even know she lived there! I hit her up on Facebook, and she was able to provide first-hand knowledge of the exact school I was researching!

Social media can also give you insight into school functions, after-school clubs, and any recognition they may have received. Not to mention, social media is a great way to look at photos in and around the building where your children will be for eight hours a day, five days a week.

 

 

All of this seems like a lot of work, right? You might ask, with all this work, what am I trying to find? Am I looking for the top school with the best test scores that spends the most money per pupil?

Not at all. I’m trying to find the best fit for my kids. I’m trying to find a place for them to be their best, where they will feel engaged and encouraged, and where they can grow. I wear quite a few hats as their parent, but I honestly feel that being their educational counselor is the most important hat I wear at this stage in their lives.  

If this means I spend 30 minutes to an hour a day during this time finding the best fit for them, I’m okay with that.  

And if it means I get to spend less time bagging up LEGOs, I’m okay with that, too.