Parents/guardians regularly ask staff in the Somerville Public Schools to help them decide which elementary school in Somerville is right for their student. This is an impossible question to answer because every student is a unique individual with an individualized mix of strengths, interests and areas needing improvement.

So, in a District with a controlled choice enrollment plan, how do you decide? Our friends at PBS offer the following list of questions for parents/guardians to ask when visiting a school, talking with other parents/guardians and evaluating written materials like this guide:

• Can you imagine your young person in the school environment? Will they fit in socially?
• Is the size of the school appropriate for your young person? Will s/he do better in a large school or smaller school? Are the library/media center and gymnasium adequate for your child's needs?
• Does the school feel warm and inviting? Do staff and students seem to enjoy being in the building?
• Does the school have a particular educational philosophy or approach? What is it, and do you think it will work for your young person's learning needs?
• What are the average class sizes?
• What is the learning environment like? Are students working on projects, listening to a teacher lecture, reading, working with instructional technology?
• What kind of exchanges do students have with teachers, administrators and other staff?
• Is there student work displayed? What does it look like?
• How does the school address social-emotional issues, like managing peer pressure, dealing with conflict and explaining and maintaining rules?
• What are the discipline and homework policies?
• How balanced is the curriculum? How much time is given for core academics and for specialist subjects like art, music, physical education and library/media studies?

In Somerville you can explore these questions by:

• Talking to other parents/guardians of students in the Somerville Public Schools. More than 85% of parents/guardians of school-aged children in Somerville send their children to the Somerville Public Schools. You can meet parents/guardians through community email lists, gathering places for families (like churches, children's stores, local parks), or community events (like the city-wide Early Childhood Literacy Fair in November, the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior celebration on MLK Day in January, the city-wide Early Childhood Festival in April or the Community Clean-Up Day in early May).
• Visiting a public school - through the year schools and their respective Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) host open houses and special events where you can meet staff and families already part of that school community. You can also call a school anytime to arrange a tour. Please be aware there may be some limits on school tours in the interest of not disrupting the process of learning and teaching.
• Reading the Guide to the Somerville Public Schools and learning about our instructional resources by exploring the Curriculum section of our website.
• Watching segments of Our Schools, Our City -- a cable television show highlighting the programs, initiatives, services and events at the Somerville Public Schools and in our community.
• Reviewing student achievement and school resource data for each school and the District.
• Visit each school's website. Here you can read school newsletters, watch a video introduction of the school by the Principal, and see samples of student work in classroom websites. Additional information about the City-wide Unidos dual language program can be found by clicking on the East Somerville Community School link.
• Attending a school or District event. Our online calendar provides information about the public activities happening regularly in each school - whether it be an open house, a concert, family math night, or student science fair presentations. You are welcome to attend these events if you are seeking to better understand how our schools will meet the needs of your children, or you as a potential member of our team.