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  1. #1
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Default Preparing a kid for a new school

    We have the option of keeping older DD at our base school or sending her to a center school. We opted to keep her at the base school this year, but we are strongly considering sending her to the center school next year. We are lucky in that the center school is very close to us, closer than many people's base schools.

    If you know you are changing schools, how do you prep your kids? What would you do? She will be going to 4th grade next year.
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

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    SnuggleBuggles is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    I would probably try and find out where some of her classmates will be spending their summers and get her involved there (pool, camps...). Having a familiar face can go a long way, ime.

    I hope it's a good switch for her.

    Beth

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    Orient her in the new school while it's still in session. Would it be possible for her to buddy with someone for a few hours at the new school so she could get a feel for it? Tour the building. Take her to the playground at the new school in your spare time so she gets familiar with it. Maybe at some point have her generate her own questions about the new school and have her ask a teacher/student/administrator. You can even make it fun and make it like an interview. Any friends/classmates also making the jump to the new school? (BTW, I don't know what a center or a base school is....she says sheepishly.)
    DD1 - 1996
    DD2 - 1999
    DD3 - 2005

    Surfaces are for working, not for storing. - Peter Walsh

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    We're in Northern VA as well and DD1 switched to our center school in third grade (I assume we're talking about the same type of center here). At the time we were worried about the social stress, but we were also concerned about the academic pressures she'd have. And we're not real big on labeling either. But, all that said, it turned out to be one of the best choices we've made. She thrived both socially and academically...partly b/c those two are not mutually exclusive. Play dates started right away...and the things she learned...and the way she LEARNED to LEARN...these are skills she'll have a lifetime. If you want to make her more comfortable, maybe you could ask the school if there are other kids in the center who are in your neighborhood or closeby, and try to set up a play date or two?

    If you want to talk more about it, and find out more specifics (e.g. which school we're at), PM me.
    Mom to

    DD 8/96
    DS 1/00
    DD 12/08

  5. #5
    Globetrotter is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    We are doing this for dd, and the new school allowed her (and her friends, who are also transferring) to come and spend some time in the classroom and have lunch with the kids. That went a long way to relieve their anxiety!

    We are fortunate that her friends are going with her. In your case, can you find out who else is going and try to arrange a playdate.

  6. #6
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Unfortunately, I doubt any other kids will transfer. This is a gifted program and our base school has a self contained gifted classroom. The center program starts in third grade and most kids who are going to transfer to the center, do so in third grade. Last year we (me and older DD) went on a tour/orientation at the center and she was very intimidated. It's a much larger school than our base (neighborhood) school. Coupled with the fact that I was going back to work, we ultimately decided not to move her last year. But it's just not working out and we think/hope the change will help.

    For spring break I put her in a camp at that school (rather a brilliant flash of inspiration on my part I thought LOL !) so after that she is now comfortable with the school and even told us she thought it would be fun to go there. She really doesn't have any friends at our base school and I am hoping that since the center will have twice the number of kids in her grade that there will be more opportunities for friendships.

    We live very close to this school and we know a handful of kids there. She is in some camps this summer that many kids from that school attend, so hopefully she'll know at least a few kids.

    I don't know what a center or a base school is....she says sheepishly
    Sorry for the local lingo. A base school is just your districted, neighborhood school. A center school is a school with a special center, kind of like a magnet school.
    Last edited by egoldber; 04-09-2010 at 06:42 AM. Reason: clarity and spelling!
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  7. #7
    JTsMom is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    I think the camp was a brilliant idea too, and I'd probably start talking about switching ASAP, while she still has those good feelings about it. Do have any curriculum info or anything that you could show her? Maybe get her excited about the academics? If you could find even 1 kid that she could get to know over the summer, just so she has 1 familiar face, that might be one way to make her feel a little more comfortable.
    Lori
    Mom to Jason 05/05
    and Zachary 05/10

  8. #8
    caleymama is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    I don't have any new or different advice - I think you are very much on the right track by doing what you are so far. I just wanted to wish you well. I hope it does turn out to be the school situation she needs to really thrive.

    And by the way, I did a double take reading your OP. If Sarah is going into 4th grade, that means my DD1 is going into 3rd grade next year. OMG! When did they get so old??
    mama to 2 lovely and loving DDs

  9. #9
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    When did they get so old??
    I know! Isn't it crazy!
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  10. #10
    mommy111 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Change can be so anxiety provoking especially when they start getting a little older! I found I could change DD much more easily earlier on than I can now.
    Having said that, I think the anxiety is the worst part of the equation. I think the camp at the new school was a brilliant flash of inspiration. I think any other activities at the center school will also help. I know with my DD, taking her in first to meet the teacher and very involved school principal really, really helped...DD felt like she had someone to go to in times of need. I really think that the fact that she adored the teachers made a huge difference (we're also in China, though, so it made a huge difference that teachers here are very much more overtly affectionate with the kids).
    Which is just my long winded way of saying, can you take Sarah over to meet and bond with the teachers on a 1 on 1 basis? Can you invite her class teacher over (maybe to Sarah's birthday or something?) I think class teachers make or break a child's school experience and I know you've been concerned about her teacher this year and his communication issues (like the whole science fair thing....). I think opening those lines of communication between Sarah and the teacher will really help esp if its done in an outside of classroom non-stressful environment.
    '...everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the Last of the Human Freedoms, the ability to choose one's behavior in any set of circumstances, the Freedom to Choose One's Own Way.' -Viktor Frankle

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