Two years ago, before my daughter started kindergarten (the first year of public schooling in the U.S., for which you must be at least 5 years old), I applied for a spot for her in several good schools. We were accepted into two of them, and being more or less equal academically, we chose the closest one. She was automatically wait-listed for the other schools.
Today (a quarter into the school year), I got a phone call saying a spot became available for her in our first choice school. Previously, my husband and I agreed that if this happened, we would take it. (Younger siblings are automatically guaranteed a spot in the same school when they start kindergarten.) To secure the spot, she has to start attending the new school within 3 weeks. They won't let us wait until the next semester (even though it's only a month longer). It's kind of sudden. She has a Christmas concert at her current school in December which she will miss, along with several projects and field trips she has been working on. I feel it's unfair to make her give up all those things, but that is the new school's requirement, so I suppose we will all have to get over it.
I'm a little worried about the decision though. What if we don't like the new school? What if it doesn't suit her learning style? What if it doesn't turn out to be as good an experience as her current school? It's not like we can switch back. Once you lose a spot in a charter school, you can't get back in. They fill in your spot from the wait list, which was created before that class even started kindergarten. Some people never get a spot in a school where they were wait-listed, so going back to the end of the line, so to speak, would pretty much mean you're not getting back in. Every other person who was wait-listed would have priority over you. If we don't like the new school, our only options would be to stay there or attend the nearest public school. (I'm not impressed with it.)
Most people who are wait-listed come from a public school, so there's nothing to lose. They can go right back if they don't like it, and that would be unlikely. So my daughter's situation is a little different, since she is going from one top-notch school to another. Which is why I'm second-guessing whether I should move her. We don't have much time to decide. I get one meeting with the staff this week to assess her skill level and make the determination.
What we like about the new school (originally our first choice) was that it had the most rigorous academic program in the area, and they have a zero-tolerance policy on behavior. The truth is, she is not as challenged as she could be at her current school. And what I see in the classroom when I volunteer is a lot of behavior problems that take up a considerable amount of the teacher's time. On the other hand, we have established relationships with much of the staff, students and other parents. I'd hate to give that up and have her always feeling like school was better before she switched. I've heard from families at this new school that are thrilled with it, and others who don't like it much. Pretty much the same things I hear from families here.
Last thing... we have already gone back-to-school shopping this year, and she has lots of nice outfits. But she won't be able to wear any of them at the new school, and we'll have to change her entire wardrobe to accommodate a uniform. I think uniforms are ridiculous in this day and age, but if it means a better education, I suppose even a clown costume would be worth it. Any thoughts?
Today (a quarter into the school year), I got a phone call saying a spot became available for her in our first choice school. Previously, my husband and I agreed that if this happened, we would take it. (Younger siblings are automatically guaranteed a spot in the same school when they start kindergarten.) To secure the spot, she has to start attending the new school within 3 weeks. They won't let us wait until the next semester (even though it's only a month longer). It's kind of sudden. She has a Christmas concert at her current school in December which she will miss, along with several projects and field trips she has been working on. I feel it's unfair to make her give up all those things, but that is the new school's requirement, so I suppose we will all have to get over it.
I'm a little worried about the decision though. What if we don't like the new school? What if it doesn't suit her learning style? What if it doesn't turn out to be as good an experience as her current school? It's not like we can switch back. Once you lose a spot in a charter school, you can't get back in. They fill in your spot from the wait list, which was created before that class even started kindergarten. Some people never get a spot in a school where they were wait-listed, so going back to the end of the line, so to speak, would pretty much mean you're not getting back in. Every other person who was wait-listed would have priority over you. If we don't like the new school, our only options would be to stay there or attend the nearest public school. (I'm not impressed with it.)
Most people who are wait-listed come from a public school, so there's nothing to lose. They can go right back if they don't like it, and that would be unlikely. So my daughter's situation is a little different, since she is going from one top-notch school to another. Which is why I'm second-guessing whether I should move her. We don't have much time to decide. I get one meeting with the staff this week to assess her skill level and make the determination.
What we like about the new school (originally our first choice) was that it had the most rigorous academic program in the area, and they have a zero-tolerance policy on behavior. The truth is, she is not as challenged as she could be at her current school. And what I see in the classroom when I volunteer is a lot of behavior problems that take up a considerable amount of the teacher's time. On the other hand, we have established relationships with much of the staff, students and other parents. I'd hate to give that up and have her always feeling like school was better before she switched. I've heard from families at this new school that are thrilled with it, and others who don't like it much. Pretty much the same things I hear from families here.
Last thing... we have already gone back-to-school shopping this year, and she has lots of nice outfits. But she won't be able to wear any of them at the new school, and we'll have to change her entire wardrobe to accommodate a uniform. I think uniforms are ridiculous in this day and age, but if it means a better education, I suppose even a clown costume would be worth it. Any thoughts?
