I understand your frustrations with having to go to "uniforms" with such short notice and trying to find the right items. However, I am a huge fan of uniforms. My daughter, (who is also going into 4th) is attending a private school for her 2nd year. The only decision she has to make is what color shirt she wants to wear, red or blue polos or white dress shirt. All girls K-5 have to wear plaid jumpers that fall below their knees, 6-12 can wear plaid or navy below the knee skirts or the jumper. The boys can wear either khaki or navy pants with the same choice of shirts. When she was in public school, there would be arguments over what to wear on what particular day. Now the only day that she has to wear a specific shirt is Wednesday, and that is full dress day for the whole school. They have to wear white blouses/shirts, ties, sweaters, and the plaid jumper/skirt with navy socks.

As for learning, my daughter has learned more and is ahead of the students in public schools. Not only do they learn the traditional subjects, but they also learn respect and manners. They also teach Spanish starting in kindergarten. Her homework last year was normally a worksheet reinforcing what they learned in a particular subject, and they never had homework on Wednesdays and rarely on the weekend, besides reading.