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PARENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO:

• Identify the organization of the US school system.• Identify the organization of Prince William County

Schools.• Identify the ages that students start school in

PWCS.• Identify the start, end dates, vacation, and holidays.• Describe similarities and differences between the

US and the schools in your country.

Private Education:

• Not free

• Parents must pay for their children to attend.

• Smaller class sizes

• Can live outside the school area.

Public Education:

• Free

• Property taxes pay for the schools.

• Larger class sizes

• Must live within county or district.

TWO TYPES OF SCHOOLS

Preschool

* Also called nursery schools.

* Children begin between 3 and 4 years old.

* Children learn to listen to the teacher and socialize with other children.

Kindergarten

• Children begin at 5 years old.

• Classes are half or full day

• Are not required to attend by law.

• Children learn how to play together as well as letters and numbers.

PRIMARY GRADES

ELEMEN

TARY

SCHOOLS

• Must attend school when they turn 6.

• School is around 7 hours a day.

• Students stay with the same teacher all day.

• Grades 1 through 5.

In P

rince

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iam

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nty

MIDDLE

SCHOOLS

• All children must attend middle school.

• “junior high school”

• Students have 6, 7, or 8 classes during the day.

• Grades 6, 7, and 8.

In P

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HIGH SCHOOL

• All students must attend high school until they are 16 years old (10th grade).

• Students should stay in high school until they are 18 years old (12th grade).

• School prepares students for vocational or trade school as well as college and the military.

• College or university

• Costs money

• Financial aid available

• Join the military

• Learn a trade

• Join the workforce

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL…

school year

vacation

public school

tuition

property taxes

private school

school district

attend school

Preschool

Kindergarten

grades

elementary school

middle school

high school

VOCABULARY ACTIVITY #1

drop out

graduate

diploma

community college

university

VOCABULARY ACTIVITY #1 CONTINUED…

COMPREHENSION CHECK: TRUE OR FALSE ?1.The school year in the United States

starts in late August or early September and ends in early June.

2.Summer vacations are usually about three months long.

3.Property taxes help pay for public schools in the United States.

4.All children go to preschool in the United States.

5.All children who are 5 years old go to kindergarten in the United States.

TRUE OR FALSE… ?

6.All children go to first grade in the United States.

7.Elementary schools usually have kindergartens and grades 1 to 12.

8.Children in the United States go to public school on Saturday.

9.In middle school, children usually have only one classroom teacher.

10. High schools usually have grades 9 to 12.

TRUE OR FALSE…?

11. Children always graduate from high school.

12. All children in the United States must go to school from ages 6 to age 16.

13. It is not important for children to attend school every day.

14. Community colleges and universities are free in the United States.