School issue with Moving to Palm Harbor and my 4 year old (Hampton: how much, preschools)

[NHtoFL]

My 4 year old was all set for Kindergarden (Spell that right? ) this fall in NH. However, she misses the cut off date with Palm Harbor by 20 days.. she was born Sept 20.

She was accepted into the public school here in Hampton Falls, NH ( Which does testing to make sure ), and she passed one of the best preschools in the region.

We know we can put her into Private school to start her K and Palm harbor will take her for 1st grade the next year. As she has done 2 years of preschool, I cannot imagine putting her in for a 3rd year and delaying her adult like by a year at the age of 18/19.

Does anyone know of any acceptions to this Sept 1 rule? She is signed up and accepted for K in NH... any idea if that applies somehow or whom I can speak to down there?

Thanks!

[WinterK]

I used to work with Pinellas County Schools, and I don't believe they make exceptions for this. 20 days is not even close.

Are you aware of all the budget cuts going on in Pinellas County (which includes Palm Harbor)? All of county government, the schools, the fire departments, the cities are getting hit hard. They are laying people off and it's going to get worse. Also, Palm Harbor is not a city, did you know that? All of Pinellas kind of runs together, with one area blending into the next. I'm sorry to sound so negative, but if you have a good situation where you are, stay there! In these economic times, it's too risky to make a move like yours and what's wrong with New Hampshire, anyway?

[NHtoFL]

Cold hurts the body... moving to warmer climates.

[WinterK]

I can understand that, but I think it's still a risk. Florida is not really a paradise in my book, if I had family back north, I'd move in a heartbeat. You can always put on more clothes and light a fire - you can only take so much off, and heaven help you if your A/C breaks down in July/August!

[Ken E]

I have to agree with the above poster.This would not be a real good time to make a move. As far as natural beauty and overall quality of life you wont find anything down here that comes even remotly close to where you are right now.I'll take that little tiny piece of N.H. coastline anyday.

[algia]

I always wonder when I hear cold complaints, since I lived most of my life in a 4 seasons climate with plenty of cold around....are you working outside? how much of the time are you spending out in the cold? the only time we were ever outside was when we were traveling from a place to another by car!!!!!!!!!!!........you will discover soon enough that once you get here, you will be blowing the AC to 74 or lower, and be indoors as most people are here....here it's backwards, the cold is inside....you walk in a store such as Publix and freeze to death and then melt in your way to the car, by the time you loaded up your groceries you are a pool of sweat......then you get in the car and blow the AC again (consuming more gas) to get cold again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the difference in temperatures here are huge....and THAT can also make you sick.

My daughter has a December b-day, when we talked with a school about this they told me flat out they do not make any exceptions. Like someone else mentioned already, schools here are getting hammered with budget cuts and the schools suck here as it is.........New Hampshire will actually give her an opportunity at get some good education and actually graduate, the graduation rate here is a joke....I would never move anywhere if that was the case.....we plan to find a place up north and get out of here exactly because of EDUCATION and how bad it is here.

We are really not trying to be negative here, but realistic...it would suck to make the move and realize that now you're stuck and will be a while before you'd be able to go back!

[debidibly]

As someone born September 21st who started kingergarten at the age of 4 I will tell you to wait the extra year. I was one of the youngest in my class and a late bloomer, physically. While I could easily compete academically and socially it was always obvious that I was younger. I was always a year behind in most things that matter to girls, even driving. It's the silly things that you remember and bother you. Besides, it never hurts to be a little more mature with a little more common sense (hopefully). It's not like your daughter will be 19 when she graduates. She'll be 18 like most students these days.

My son's school had the cut off date of August 1st. He was born in October. They did make exceptions. I chose to hold him back. Glad I did. I know a lot of people do it with boys because they mature differently. But I'm sorry it wasn't done for me. A lot of times it's the social things you remember about school and I always remember feeling like the baby sister.

[algia]

I am born September 10th and went to school at age 6 and 5 days..........school in Europe starts at 6 years old on September 15th and ends mid June.......most kids in my class were a year older, now I am thinking my school colleagues are already 37 and I am like wow!!!! can't believe it!....I remember NOW my mom and dad debating over if they should wait another year or not!.............thinking that my daughter starts VPK this year and is supposed to start Kindergarten (which I don't see the purpose yet) at age 5 is ridiculous to me!!!!!!!!! these are still small children that should be playing outside and have kid related FUN....not be pumped up with school stuff so early on!!!!!!!!!!!!! it makes absolutely no sense to me what so ever......probably the drop out rate is so big here because kids are sick of school by the time they get to 14, 15 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would be too if I started school at age 4!!!!!!!!!!!!! holly c**p! whatever happened to childhood!?????????

[floridabonds]

Typically private schools are easier to get around the "cut-off" date. Some don't even have a date. Compared to where you currently live, public schools in FL are going to be real iffy. Look into private.

[NHtoFL]

Well private schools are on the list. We just need it to be warm and we have friends in this region. Where else would anyone suggest? I am open.