Me from my high school days. Found this one tagged as me on Facebook!
This decision happened really fast (so many of our important family decisions have — the decision to buy our first house, to move back from California) and they all work out great. I’m telling myself that means it was a fabulous decision.
She brought it up. She wants the experience. I hope she doesn’t think it’s like what she sees on iCarly (fun! fun!) and the early seasons of Buffy (we don’t go to class, we live in the library!), sans demons and vampires.
And the truth is, her dad and I think she should have that experience. She sings, plays piano and violin, loves performing, and in the school system she’ll get to try out and go further with all those things. (We’re making her keep up with the Latin, though. I figure we’re doing her a favor in that she can gripe with her friends about how crazy her parents are. Bonding, doncha know).
And, yeah, it’ll be easier on both me and her sister. Catherine’s academic load is such now that it’s a full time job “doing school” with her. At Isabella’s age, it’s not yet, but Isabella needs some extra attention in reading, particularly in reading, and so it’s been hard on me doing the full time teacher thing and the full time writer thing and keeping the house spotless and all the clothes ironed and meals cooked (Oh, wait. I don’t actually do all of that house-related stuff). At any rate, it’s been hard. I absolutely 100% believe in homeschooling … but it was never about avoiding public school, so much as it was about the focus on our kids and their needs. And now, this new adventure is one of her needs. (And if it doesn’t work out — which I really don’t anticipate — we can pull her out).
The school is brand spanking new and just a block away. She can walk with her friends and be just as awed by the new building as they will be. We walked through the construction site the other day (it’s almost done) and It Is Freaking Awesome. I want to go back to school just to do elementary school there!
But, of course, it is public school, and this is my first experience putting my kids in public school. So tell me it’s gonna be great. Or share your horror stories.
I don’t actually have many horror stories. My experience was definitely more iCarly (fun! fun!). No kids being slammed against lockers and stuff like that. But there was still an undercurrent. In junior high, some kids were knifed in the bathroom (in junior freaking high!), but no one ever extorted my lunch money or blackmailed me to do their homework for them. About the worst I can say is that the busses needed shock absorbers and I usually felt ill by the time we arrived. And waiting in the rain…
So there you go. Tell me it’s gonna be great. Or tell me a horror story. I’d love to hear them!
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I did the small charter school route when my boys were smaller. When the oldest hit high school age he really wanted to go to the bigger public high school and I went along with that. The younger one decided to follow the same year so I all of a sudden wasn’t at a school all day helping out where there wasn’t enough money for the extras and my boys didn’t “need” me as much any more. There were good times and times I was sorely tempted to yank them back out of there but they both benefited from having to adjust to bigger classes and learning how to deal with people that you just don’t like but have to get along with. They both graduated with honors even the oldest who had a severe speech problem when he was younger and I was told he would never amount to much academically.
I think if she wants to do it, then that’s going to make a huge difference in her experience because it won’t be compulsory. Also, no decision has to be forever, like you said, so really no harm no foul as far as I can see!
I haven’t sent my kids to school, but I remember elementary school mostly in a positive way
It’s cool that she can walk there with her friends too. Good luck to her and to you!
It’s going to be awesome!!!
You had me “keeping the house spotless.”
All the best to Catherine…she’s gonna ROCK the fifth grade!
Love,
Uncle Stevie
You know me so well
Smooch!
It’s so weird how our lives converge sometimes…my daughter is also heading back into traditional school this year, though it’s a small private school. Homeschooling was amazing and wonderful and I’m going to miss it like crazy, but DDA wanted the “high school” experience. She did public school K-5. By the time my kid reaches college, she will have had every possible school experience…private school for pre-K, public K-5, homeschool 6-8 and now Catholic school 9-12. She should end up ready for anything.
I was going to email you. I saw something flash across twitter that made me think she was doing the public school thing, too. (Actually, that was before we decided, so there would have been no “too”). But yes, it does sound like we’re in sync! And, double-yes, your girl is going to be so prepared!!
One thing to brace for: group assignments. I don’t know why teachers think these are a good idea, because coordinating schedules is a nightmare and there’s always one kid who wants to run with it, one kid who barely participates, and one who actually does all the work. They are not frequent, thank goodness, but every now and then a teacher seems to do the group project thing.
WOW, C looks so much like you at that age! I think it’s a great idea, especially with the school so close. I think it will be a great experience for her
I *almost* said that, but then wasn’t sure. Her whole life everyone’s said she looks like Don, and then when I found that pic, I thought…omg, she’s turning into me!
OMG, Julie–I thought that pic WAS of you, LOL!
I had the same thought about C looking like you at that age!
Great picture! Love it! I think it will be great for her. There will be ups and downs, hoping for more ups. Sounds like a great time for her to start, though, with the school being new to everyone. Even with the downs, though, she might have experiences that she wouldn’t trade for anything.
Agreed Sherri. I am still friends with many of my high school friends. I wish I could go back and relive just one day, seeing some of my teachers and friends who I have lost touch with.
Yes, and honestly, that’s one of the big factors. I have so many close friends who I met in high school, and I’m excited she’ll have that experience.
I went to public school, as did my DH, as did our son. I have no complaints. Of course there were a few bumps along the way, but that’s life–always gonna be a few bumps. I have no doubt that Catherine will thrive and do fabulously well, Julie. xox
Thanks, Jacquie!!! Hopefully the bumps will be speed bumps and not giant rocky mountains!
I’m so glad, too!!!!!
Hopefully that won’t be C’s experience. At some point we’d like to put Isabella in, too, but I fear the learning issue things. I’m so glad that it clicked for your daughter. That’s what I’m waiting for with Isabella. It’s like I can see the clockwork going in her head (and she is making progress) but all the cogs haven’t quite fallen into place.
The just-by-age thing doesn’t sound like something I’d like (though for the most part that’s what’s done here. C is 5th grade b/c she’s 10. I think she’d do fine in 6th, though, but it’s a non-issue. And since it’s a different school, I’m not even going to push it.) I’m so glad it works out for you and your daughter!
Well….I actually had an average schooling as a kid in public schools. I did have some bullies but I also had a lot of fun and did really well. I graduated on the Honor Roll with an invite to Who’s Who.
My daughter on the other hand, had a horrible time. The Headstart was fabulous, but then her kindergarden year was HORRIBLE. We were living in S Florida, and she was the ONLY white kid in her class AND year. And there was a boy there who hated white kids and tried killing her. No kidding. He told the teacher one day he hated white people and he was going to go slap her. The teacher said you slap her she has the right to slap back and you will be suspended. This is a kindergardener!!! Needless to say he hit my daughter hit back and he was suspended. I moved not long after that back to the Daytona area.
There she started 1st grade. Now I knew by then my daughter was dyslexic. I went daily to see the teacher and her work and was daily angered by the teacher marking work wrong for being backwards. I spoke to the principle and vice-principle of the school to no avail. They failed her. And it angers me because her work was right. Just backwards!
We moved to England the next school year and I was prepared to fight!
In England they keep children of the same age together no matter what grade limit they achieve. They just seperate them by the levels. The teachers have been FABULOUS. They put her with a specialist teacher, one on one, doing something they call toe-by-toe here. She struggled the first couple of years but then last summer everything clicked. And she does not stop reading now! She has moved to the upper levels in history and art which is good to fulfill her goal to be an archaeologist. She is 13 and is doing awesome in her school and I cannot be more proud of her nor more thankful that we moved.
Now had she gone to the schools I had gone to when I was a kid things may have been different. But I am ever so glad she has teachers here who listen.