Experiences Transfering Schools Mid-year (Star: preschool, camps, versus)

[NedB]

For those of you who have moved with children during the school year, what have your experiences been as far as your kids' transition to a new school system, emotionally and academically, more than half way through the school year?

I had hoped to move during Christmas/Winter break or during the summer, but it looks like it might have to be a February/March move.

[Dire Wolf]

I went through a situation growing up in the 70s where we moved (within the same town) over a summer. I was on track to go to a centrally located GT school, but they only took a certain number from each of the other schools. Moving delayed going to the GT school and I had to start at the other school. I was finally able to change to the GT school after one quarter.

At the initial new school, starting at the beginning of the year, I didn't really like the school and didn't make a lot of friends. In fact, I never even told anyone I was changing schools till my last day.

Starting mid-year was a little weird, too. But in a different way than just going to a new school anyway. I lucked out and made friends faster at this new school, so ultimately it was much better for me. But as it was a GT school, they were much further along in certain subjects. It was challenging trying to catch up in math I remember.

I could have just as easily gone from a situation I loved to one I hated. I don't think there is going to be one size fits all. But I would think the later in the school year, the more challenging it will be.

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by NedB

For those of you who have moved with children during the school year, what have your experiences been as far as your kids' transition to a new school system, emotionally and academically, more than half way through the school year?

I had hoped to move during Christmas/Winter break or during the summer, but it looks like it might have to be a February/March move.

I was worried about the same thing, but several people I respected and had experience with it, told me it probably is the best way to do it. They turned out to be right.

The kids get to jump right in, less time spent stressing and worring. Believe me, the schools around here are used to kids starting at 'off times'.....it will work out.

[raleighjayne]

I moved a fair amount as a kid and the hardest transition was the one that happened in the middle of the year. It was also hard because it was in high school. My two hardest moves were middle school and high school due to big differences in electives offered and the different requirements of the school systems.

What age is your child/children? We moved in the middle of my sophomore year in HS, in February to be exact. For most of my classes, I was ahead of where the new school was so that wasn't a problem. But, I had to take the Constitution test again because although I had taken it the year before in Iowa they wouldn't accept the results in Illinois. Not having studied the Constitution for a year, I had to study up a bit before I took the test again. Kind of a pain but nothing major. My new school had US History in Jr Yr instead of soph so they let me finish out the year with the Juniors. Only problem was that I had a conflict with the time of the Honors class so I was put in with the 'lowest' class. I had a great teacher who gave me what I needed and although it was far from an ideal situation academically, I learned a lot during the experience.

Electives were a big deal in the middle school move. I went from being able to take foreign language, drama and orchestra to just orchestra. That really stunk at the time.

It was definitely harder to jump in during the middle of the school year, but it wasn't that much harder than moving in the first place. One thing that will make it easier on your kids is all the shuffling around that Wake County does with assigning students. Whenever I moved to a new town, I was always the 'newcomer'. All the other kids had been together forever, many of them since preschool. It was hard to jump in. But here, your kid will not be the only 'new kid' in school. We're growing, so there will obviously be other kids new to Wake County, but there are so many assignment changes with existing students that kids being new to a school isn't the novelty that it often is in other places. Most of the elem schools are also quite large compared to what I went to so a new kid isn't going to stick out as much.

It'll be ok. :-)

[Priorityonecb]

Something to consider...the high schools here in Johnston County do things very differently than where "we came from". They do four classes from Sept-Dec and then they are done with those classes for the year. They start a fresh set in January when they return from Christmas vacation. So, if the school you are coming from does full year teaching, it would be hard to jump in mid year here. I hope that makes sense! I'm not sure how Wake does it.

[raleighjayne]

Is that called Block scheduling? They do that in wake too. I didn't think about that aspect of a high school move. That would definitely stink coming in the middle of the year.

[NedB]

That's actually one of the things muddying this whole thing. With the year-round tracks, I'm just not sure where he will land in this transition if we move in Feb/March versus December or June. December or June could even potentially be a worse time than December/June depending on what track he lands on if we end up in a year-round school. My son is only in first grade and my daughter is in preschool so..., they should be able to rebound academically from the transition, right?

[MAtoNC!]

My daughter is in first grade on Track 1. She started four weeks late. We just met with her teacher during parent-teacher conference. She caught right up. I was told that WCPSS is not too concerned with make up work until 3rd grade. They also have track out camps at the school for the kids that need extra help. It's for one week during the three week track out.