Can you help an Australian moving to CT? Tips needed. (parents, Taekwondo)

[sydneybeach]

Hi, We're a family from Sydney Australia moving to CT.

I'm really keen to hear how things are done in the US. Granted, they won't all be the same but just give me your experiences. THANKS!

I have a 9YO boy who'll have to start school in January 2011 n the US. His Birthday is November 2001. What grade will he be going into? I realize he'll be starting after everyone else.

I have a few questions & maybe you can give him a helping hand to settle in & fit in?! Thanks.

Do most kids of this age bring their lunch from home or do they get it served at school?

Do most kids catch a school bus? Get driven or walk?

Is there a stigma attached to any of these? *I* don't care about it but I know he will! He'll do anything not to stand out!

How do you think an Australian boy will be received at a new school?

In Australia all the kids wear a school uniform. I'm sure in the US 9YO boys wear jeans & t-shirts without much thought. Is that about right? Do kids this age care about brands/clothing labels?

ETA- What sports to the kids do? my son does Taekwondo. Hope to find a good school there as well.

Poor boy, I really feel for him. I know I'd be so nervous starting a new school, let alone in a new country.

OK, Thanks for all your thoughts!!

Any other tips you can give us would be much appreciated.

[chicagojlo]

It all depends entirely on the school you choose.

Some schools don't serve lunch, some don't serve lunch you'd want them to eat.

Some don't have buses, some don't have buses you'd let your kids ride.

Etc etc. You have to check out how it will work at the actual school you will be enroling at.

Taekwondo is a popular sport here. You won't have trouble finding a local martial arts school.

CT has a large number of expats so there's a good chance he won't be the first Australian kid they've come across.

[Hopes]

You should post these questions in the CT forum where more people will be aware of the state laws concerning education and transportation.

In the United States, school bus service varies from area to area. How they get to school will even depend on what school district you chose.

I assure you that ALL public schools throughout the country serve children lunch at school.

Whether most parents prefer send their children with packed lunches from home will depend on the specific school.

[paganmama80]

Originally Posted by sydneybeach

Hi, We're a family from Sydney Australia moving to CT.

I'm really keen to hear how things are done in the US. Granted, they won't all be the same but just give me your experiences. THANKS!

I have a 9YO boy who'll have to start school in January 2011 n the US. His Birthday is November 2001. What grade will he be going into? I realize he'll be starting after everyone else.

I have a few questions & maybe you can give him a helping hand to settle in & fit in?! Thanks.

Do most kids of this age bring their lunch from home or do they get it served at school?

Do most kids catch a school bus? Get driven or walk?

Is there a stigma attached to any of these? *I* don't care about it but I know he will! He'll do anything not to stand out!

How do you think an Australian boy will be received at a new school?

In Australia all the kids wear a school uniform. I'm sure in the US 9YO boys wear jeans & t-shirts without much thought. Is that about right? Do kids this age care about brands/clothing labels?

ETA- What sports to the kids do? my son does Taekwondo. Hope to find a good school there as well.

Poor boy, I really feel for him. I know I'd be so nervous starting a new school, let alone in a new country.

OK, Thanks for all your thoughts!!

Any other tips you can give us would be much appreciated.

Well you could drive him to school when he starts so he's not too overwhelmed. And buy him some clothes....but i'm sure once he makes friends he will tell you what is in style . Since he has an accent a lot of kids will be interested in him i am sure . Don't worry mama he will be okay.

[andthentherewere3]

I think it will be difficult to get accurate responses to your questions in this Parenting forum, because states/schools/customs vary wildly throughout the U.S. But we live in Ct, so I will answer your questions. Good luck!

Originally Posted by sydneybeach

Hi, We're a family from Sydney Australia moving to CT.

I'm really keen to hear how things are done in the US. Granted, they won't all be the same but just give me your experiences. THANKS!

I have a 9YO boy who'll have to start school in January 2011 n the US. His Birthday is November 2001. What grade will he be going into? I realize he'll be starting after everyone else.

Children start their first year of school, kindergarten, between the ages of 4-6. The cut-off date for entering a child in kindergarten is December 31; the child has to be 5 years old by that date. Many parents delay enrolling their 4 year old for a year, because they feel a 4 year old is not prepared. The reasons vary, but are typically the level of maturity a child has, etc. So it's not set in stone what grade your 9 year old will be going into. You should discuss it with the school where you are moving to, and they will look at his schooling history to decide which grade would be best for him.

I have a few questions & maybe you can give him a helping hand to settle in & fit in?! Thanks.

Do most kids of this age bring their lunch from home or do they get it served at school? Either. You have the choice to buy or BYO.

Do most kids catch a school bus? Get driven or walk? It depends on how close you are to the school, and the school system. Some schools don't pick up students within a mile or two of the school, others will do so even right in front of the school.

Is there a stigma attached to any of these? *I* don't care about it but I know he will! He'll do anything not to stand out! Generally at that age there would be no stigma for walking/taking the bus. Once they hit high school though, some kids are *embarrassed* to ride the bus instead of driving a car.

How do you think an Australian boy will be received at a new school? The kids will love his accent, he should have no trouble fitting in.

In Australia all the kids wear a school uniform. I'm sure in the US 9YO boys wear jeans & t-shirts without much thought. Is that about right? Do kids this age care about brands/clothing labels? Most public schools don't have a uniform, although some have dress codes. You would have to check with the school, they will give you or refer you to a handbook. Some boys do care what they wear, others don't, it all depends on your son. My oldest never cared at that age. Trends will vary, but often kids who play sports prefer to wear Abercrombie, just to give you an example. But it could be something entirely different where you move. Once your son has been in school a few weeks and makes some friends, he will learn the style he prefers.

ETA- What sports to the kids do? my son does Taekwondo. Hope to find a good school there as well. Taekwondo is very popular in Ct. Soccer/football/baseball/lacrosse/basketball/other sports are also popular.

Poor boy, I really feel for him. I know I'd be so nervous starting a new school, let alone in a new country.

OK, Thanks for all your thoughts!!

Any other tips you can give us would be much appreciated.

[flyonpa]

Your son @ 9 will be in 3 or 4th grade, Due to the school schedules AU vs US, he will either be 1/2 year ahead or 1/2 year behind his peers. (They mostly likly will want him be ahead of his peers and the may give him some additional work at a higher level.)
Depends on the school and its lunch/Bfast pgm. Some are better then others. ES its about 50/50 Buy vs Bring,
Bus: Depends on school dist, (9yo like to take the bus to hangout with there friends, little indpenence). If you are within 1 or 2 (car) miles of school he might be a walker, Depending on start/end times they may have a before/after school drop-off care (few extra $'s) you would drive then.
His classmates will love his ozzy accent.
Most school don't have uniforms but do have dress code, Jean, & T or Pull over shirts are fine.
Lot of kids do soccer, and US football. Lacrosse is growing, Baseball/basketball. There are lots of Taekwondo studio's around.
Nervous: Yes its a change, Most school set up new kids with a 'buddy' to show them around the school, have lunch with him. If you can find out who his teacher is, Go out to the school website and look at some picture from the school/class. He might have him work up a power point (yes 9yo do power points) of what its like to live in AU, Pictures of his old school, thing round Sydney, etc.

[chicagojlo]

Originally Posted by Hopes

You should post these questions in the CT forum where more people will be aware of the state laws concerning education and transportation.

In the United States, school bus service varies from area to area. How they get to school will even depend on what school district you chose.

I assure you that ALL public schools throughout the country serve children lunch at school.

Whether most parents prefer send their children with packed lunches from home will depend on the specific school.

The public elementary school my daughter attends doesn't serve lunch. Again - it varies by school and district.

[DewDropInn]

Once he opens his mouth and kids hear him talk he'll be the coolest kid in the school. Unfortunately, not a lot of kids will know about OZ. He should be prepared for some "Do you have a pet kangaroo?" questions.

[chicagojlo]

And a lot of people will think he (and you) are British. Get used to it!

(I'm from the north of England and most people think I'm Australian - go figure!)

[FinsterRufus]

Welcome to the US, fellow Aussie.

My kid is not school age yet, but I think it's great you are seeking advice from American parents - I'm still trying to figure out the school system and I've been here 16 years.

Seriously though, there are some major differences, the biggest I can see being the cost of tertiary education in this country. If he's planning on going to college here, it's a good idea to start preparing now.

Also, as far as kids go, the health-care system is completely different, if you aren't receiving medical benefits through employment there's a whole other world of expensive medical insurance to navigate.

Probably not telling you anything you don't know already - so enjoy it here and good luck!