Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy pros/cons of moving schools during the year

Just looking for some ideas on this one. We are moving to a new house very close to the old one but in a different elementary zone for DD7 (3rd grade). Both schools are excellent. We could stay at the current school but DH feels strongly about meeting kids in the neighborhood.

I feel less stressed about continuing at the school we know because I know the teachers/principal, etc. since my older DD was at that school. Older DD loves the teacher DD7 got for this year and GT teacher is awesome. We know people who have gone to the new school as well but nothing specific about teachers or curriculum or general feel of the school. It seems like my kids end up making their best buddies in another neighborhood anyways. (Note: usually more than one neighborhood is in the same elementary around here). These are all very subjective reasons.

I just wondering if anyone could contribute other thoughts to my inner debate since I find the chances of DD7 finding a best buddy right next door very low. Her best buddy is in the new neighborhood but goes to a spanish immersion program somewhere else anyways ...

Just another note, this is DD7 first year at PS as she was at private before. She will be the youngest most likely as she was early entry for K and her bday is no where near the cutoff date....

Thanks for thoughts, everyone usually has good input.

If your gut is staying you to stick with your current school, I'd stay there. You'll give yourself time to learn about the new school as you meet parents in your new neighborhood.

FWIW, my kids have never gone to our neighborhood school, and they are friends with all the neighborhood kids and play together after school and on weekends all the time. I am guessing that simply by moving in, any kids who are in your new immediate neighborhood are going to be extremely excited and curious to meet your kids, so finding friends in the new neighborhood won't be a problem.

polarbear

Thanks! I'm sure the kids will find friends so I'm not as concerned with that as DH. He's worried about her being the new kid, etc. I just hesitate to move her from a teacher I like so far and then have her bond with a new friend that will need a car ride to get to the house anyway.

I guess once we get moved I need to do some research on whether the GT clustered classes are full at the new school, etc. I don't want to move her to a situation where she isn't in class with the others getting pulled out vs being with a clustered group if we left her alone.

We will likely move her next year so DH is thinking might as well move her now or after xmas. I'm thinking the devil you know. It's more about the specific teacher to me than the school. Her current teacher will really help on writing I think. I like what she said at parent night wrt structured paragraphs, etc. I was not impressed with older DDs writing instruction from the same school. Again it's all about the teacher. Not so worried about Math since we can work that at home and we are plenty mathy .

I'd love to hear experiences positive or negative of people who have moved mid-year with 3-4th graders....

I only have experience moving my kid our of our local district mid-year due to bad school fit in 2nd grade, so this is not directly on point. In my not so humble opinion, though, it makes little sense to move a GT kid when they are in a good fit situation. It is so hard to predict whether any school situation will work well for GT kids, so I'd stick with the school you know and like. (And if were me, I probably wouldn't plan on changing schools next year either, and keep the new school as the backup plan. But that's just me.)

My kiddo has lots of friends in the neighborhood, of all different ages (so they wouldn't have been in his class even if he did go to the local school).

I would say there might be some benefit to going to a school mid-year if the next year is a big transition year (e.g., if your kiddo will be going to a new middle school next year, then it might make sense to meet some of the kids she would be going there with if they will be different from the kids in her current school).

I agree... stay with the school you know if you're happy with it.

It's funny because our street is full of kids... who go to different schools: a Catholic school up the street, a Francophone school a bus ride away, our local FI/Montessori school, and so on. Also several former classmates of my kids go to private schools (for various reasons including religion, specialized curriculum and parental accessibility). It kind of seems to be the norm here... that catchment/location means less than suitability.

As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Sounds like you have a nice situation with the current school; I'd be inclined to keep her there for the year.

Thanks for validating my gut feeling everyone. I'm leaning toward exactly what kcab suggests which is my gut feeling as well. DH may be disappointed. In all both schools would likely be fine. DD has now decided she doesn't want to switch and I doubt DH could talk her around. I'm worried switching mid-year would put her in a potentially large class or not clustered with GT kids w the best fit. I just want to see if she makes friends once we get settled in at the new house. It seems with other activities (sports, piano, gymnastics) they find friends all over.