Author Topic: Kids Changing Schools  (Read 2683 times)

salmp01

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Kids Changing Schools
« on: November 05, 2015, 09:27:23 AM »
I wanted to post this question to see if anyone had any ideas on this...

I have two small children (2 and 3) and I live in the Minneapolis, MN area.  I really like the area where we live in but the winters can be a bit long.  In the next couple years I'd like to explore the possibility of spending a couple months (Probably January and February) somewhere where it's a bit warmer.  I really like where we live now and want to stay here for a majority of the time but would like to know if it's feasible to move our kids to a different school for a couple months out of the year.  My wife stays home with the kids and I know that if we home schooled them it would be fairly easy to move for a couple months but neither my wife or I are too interested in doing this. 

I work from home and it's easy for me to work from anywhere where there's cell service and an internet connection. 

Does anyone have any experience with moving schools for a couple months each year?  I'd appreciate any thoughts/ideas.

CommonCents

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2015, 09:53:03 AM »
It's likely not a problem to do this until they hit kindergarten or first grade.  At that point, it sounds pretty disruptive.  It's tough to switch schools permanently on kids mid-year.  They may be behind/ahead in various areas, lose momentum, need to get used to a new teacher, and need to make friends with kids who are already settled for the year.  (Frankly it's hard to switch in general, even in the summer.  Switching mid-year just greatly exacerbates the situation.)  I attended 5 schools between 1-12th grades, all switches during the summer. 

I'm not sure how the schools would handle it - you'd probably want to ask them yourself.  I imagine you may have to permanently switch residences each time in order to make it work.

I'd encourage you to think instead about going someplace for the summer rather than the winter.  Move to the warm locale if you want, and then visit the cold locale in the summer.  Or alternatively, just live permanently in the warmer locale.

MerryMcQ

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2015, 09:58:46 AM »
We made 3 mid-year moves when my kids were younger. In each case, it took a good 2 months for them to catch up with the rest of the class (you would think they would be ahead in some areas, but honestly, learning a new teacher's style, new test processes, new classroom rules... it canceled out any advantage they might have had).

Schools teach different items, at different times, using different tools and resources.  The worst was math, as the curriculum, subject matter, method of teaching, etc. was extremely different between school districts (and between states it wasn't even remotely the same). Science and history are both taught at very different times, so one school may be covering early American history but the other is covering world history. My daughter skipped biology topics, but covered earth sciences twice one year.

Honestly, it is a nightmare switching mid-year. Switching twice in a year? Every year? I would predict that kids in that situation would be perpetually behind their peers in learning.

Once the children are in high school and their classes go on a transcript, they would end up with a lot of "incomplete" courses and that would significantly impact college options...

I think the families that do this successfully either homeschool, or enroll their children in an online school (which is just as parental-labor intensive as homeschooling).

AZDude

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2015, 10:26:14 AM »
The best idea if you are going to do this is talk to the teachers at your school and learn the curriculum they will be missing. Take some of the homework and tests, etc... they will miss during the two months and them "homeschool" while you are on vacation. Basically the same deal as if they are injured and have an extended stay at home.

Transferring to a different school for two months is probably not going to work.

MayDay

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2015, 10:50:47 AM »
This is a really bad idea.

I say this as someone who hopes to travel to a warm location for Jan/Feb as soon as possible- and as soon as possible will be the year my youngest graduates from High School.

I don't know where in the cities you are, or what your religious persuasion is, but Hand in Hand Montessori in Roseville might be an option.  It is a 3 day a week school, and you homeschool on the other 2 days.  Since it is homeschool-based I imagine they might be more willing to work with you on homeschool for a month or two in the winter.  It is cheap, as private schools go. 


MayDay

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2015, 10:52:51 AM »
The best idea if you are going to do this is talk to the teachers at your school and learn the curriculum they will be missing. Take some of the homework and tests, etc... they will miss during the two months and them "homeschool" while you are on vacation. Basically the same deal as if they are injured and have an extended stay at home.

Transferring to a different school for two months is probably not going to work.

I would be shocked if a school would agree to this.  Of course you can pull your kid out, and then re-enroll, but I doubt a public school would cooperate with providing curriculum, guarantee placing the kids back in the same class, etc.  But it is probably the best possible option- I just don't think it is very likely to be possible, unless its a private school.  I could be wrong. 

salmp01

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Re: Kids Changing Schools
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2015, 11:08:12 AM »
Appreciate all the responses.  What I'm hearing here is consistent with what I've heard elsewhere! 

Thanks for all your insights!