Moving is rarely easy but can be an excellent new beginning for many families, including those with school-aged children. Thanks to the internet looking for a great new school is also a lot easier than it used to be, which can help you find everything you need from a school’s test scores to the neighborhoods crime reports. It is important to find the right fit for your child, and it’s a good idea to avoid moving in the middle of the school year as your child education may suffer, and it might be more difficult to them to adapt to a new and different curriculum. This is why we recommend that you move at the end or beginning of the school semesters whenever possible to help your child adapt more easily and makes fitting in with the other kids and making friends much easier.
Finding the Right School
Parents should take a close look at student performances at the schools they’re considering sending their children to. You can find most of this information on the internet as well as state education statistics. You can also find the state education statistics at the United States Department of Education’s Nation’s Report Card, or the education department in your district. Most of these ratings are based on test scores, so they can be used to get an idea of the school’s standing. The more important aspect of finding a great school is finding a great school for your child. The “best” school may not be the best school for your child.
Public or Private School
At a private school, kids can take a little longer to come up to speed in their learning, whereas public schools are typically bound by more stringent benchmarks of achievement and teach kids according to a specific standard on a district-implemented timeframe. Affording private schools can be assisted by school vouchers, which help some students pay for all or some of their tuition costs at qualifying schools. Vouchers are being offered in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Location and Logistics
Convenience is an essential factor in choosing which school to send your child to because it affects daily family life to an alarming extent. Your commute can have an impact on your ability, and you might be pressed for time if you have a long distance to go to get your child to and from school.
Consider the School Community
The school community is something that should be considered as well. Does the school have many parents that show an interest for and are involved in the community? Do the other parents place the same importance on things that are important to you? While this is by no means an absolute factor in deciding which school to send your child to, know that if you choose to send your children to a school where most of the parents have the same values as you, then it will be easier for you to convey those ideas to your children. The move will also provide your children with more student diversity, which can be a very positive thing for them.
Signs to look for
School tours are most often held during the fall or after admissions. It’s important to ask whether or not the visits and tours are open to children. Most of the time younger children are invited to the school after they have applied to it, and there is a special event organized for applicants. At this special event, the school administrators assess the children to see how they get along with other children, how they listen to their teachers, and if they are intent and interested in learning. Yearbooks are also an excellent way to tell whether or not a school is right for your child. Looking through the yearbooks can show you the way the children behave what they are interested in and whether they enjoy the school itself. The morning drop-off is another good way to gauge how well the school is run, which can tell you about the school community. Do administrators welcome the children and do they assist in getting kids from cars to the school? How are the parents interacting with one another?
Talk to your kids about it
Tour a few schools with your children and pay attention to their reactions and interactions. Children should be included in the school vetting process, but don’t rely too much on a younger child’s opinion, the decision about where to go to school is ultimately best left to parents. That decision should not be left to children in middle school and younger as they are too young and inexperienced and will look more into what they like such as what snacks are served at the introduction instead of whether or not the education is of good quality.
How to deal with rejection
Parents must also be ready for the unfortunate situation in which their kids don’t manage to get into some schools. Children know that they are applying to be accepted or rejected from a private school, and that fact, this along with the added stress that comes with changing schools, can be very draining on the children. Another good way to find a great school can be as simple as making sure that whatever school your child goes to is an excellent fit for your child. Engaged and supportive parents can go a long way in helping kids feel right about where they end up. Make sure to tell your child that whether or not they were accepted or not, they are still worthy of love and that you are very proud of them. Encourage them to try again at their next school and make sure to tell them that hard work and perseverance will go a long way in helping them achieve their goals.
