Schooling

I think it must be hard on little kids to join in a group that is already friends. I think making the cut after pre-k is the right choice. It will save you a years tuition plus he'll start making those friends in Kindergarten.

It would be a non issue for me, Kindergarten is where the kids start out their school experience. To start at different schools then join in later just seems less easy.

IMO, I would do it now before he makes friends at one place and then has to move to another. I think it would be easier on your son as far as transitions. Also, it will be nice for you to make connections at the school if he starts and stays at one place. Again, just my opinion but why put him through the hard part of transitioning if you don't have to?

<grinning> You don't remember, most likely, because most schools don't keep CLASSES together. Every year, you are in a class with people you don't know.

It honestly makes little difference. The ONLY thing that K kids will have the new 1st graders won't is knowledge of the school grounds and a few people they know... in 1st they'll be in a brand new class as well, with all sorts of kids they've never met before (unless you're in a tiny town or the school keeps the same 20-30 kids together year after year). Even small schools usually have 3-4 classes in each grade... so 2/3's to 3/4s of the kids are "strangers".

To get your son on equal footing as far as the campus goes, you just take them to play on the playground over the summer and arrange a tour with the office. Many schools also do a 'meet your teacher' night for lower grade levels so the kids can both meet the teacher and explore the classroom they're going to be in for that year.

Going to apx 11 schools over prek-12, mostly over the summer sometimes mid year (the most dramatic/ the ONLY times people knew I was new, unless I told them, otw they just assumed I had had a different teacher) I only ever had one bad "transfer". Middleschool. But that's because middleschoolers are awful people as a group. Really, there should be some kind of law prohibiting people all going through puberty from being put in the same space. Middleschool is VICIOUS.

Hello,

I have actually moved both of my kids. My first was moved to a new K because we moved out of state. We moved her again for 1st grade because we didn't like the private school she was in and we moved to a great public school district.

My second daughter was moved after Pre-K because we sent her to a local private school for Pre-K.

Both adusted just fine in each situation. They love where they are now and have made new friends and really don't remember much of pre-K or K at all! If it makes no difference to you and either situation will be easy for you to get him to and from school then I say whichever school you prefer will be fine.

One thing I can say about when my 1st went to K is that she was TOTALY bored for the first half of the school year. She went from one private school in KY to one here in MI and the whole first half of the year they were learning what she had already learned in pre-K! This was the biggest reason we chose to stop paying so much in tuition and just put her in public school.

So, when you go the parent night make sure you try to find out as much about the curriculum as possible. Maybe corner a teacher and try to compare what your son has already learned to what they will be teaching :o)

Another thing I have noticed from one to the next is that you seem to get more info as a new K parent rather than a new 1st grade and up parent. They tend to focus more on helping out the K parents because most of us are doing this school thing for the first time. That's not to say if you ask they won't answer, but it helps to have the info ahead of time so you actually KNOW what to ask.

Whatever you decision, I wish you and your son much luck!

Hi D.,
Boy, your dilema sounds familiar. We were in the EXACT same situation last year with our daughter and like you, we agonized over the decision. After some wise counsel, we decided to make the switch for the kindergarten year. This has gone really well and I know we made the right choice. I would suggest you do the switch for kindergarten. Friendships start to form then and switching schools after kindergarten would be more difficult for your son. Also, if he joins in kindergarten, everyone is coming in together; if he joins in first grade, he will be the "new kid." Kindergarten gives him (and you) a chance to become more familiar with the school, its rules, its layout, the staff, etc. If he joins in first grade, everyone else will already have this familiarity and he will be struggling alone.
Blessings on your decision.
Rachael

I would be more likely to put him in the school where he will end up anyway. But I am considering something like that for my son, too and don't know where I will end up.

If it were me I would put him Kindergarden at the new school. That way he can go to the same school all through elementry, the less change for little kids the better,I think so anyway!

We are military so move around alot.
It really won't make a difference in K or 1st. In fact it won't make a difference until after 3rd. YOu're right the older they are the harder it is to fit in. My kids have had the worst time as a senior and a junior the last two moves. Both my son and daughter were also moved when they were in 7th and did very well.

My husband and I made that decision a while ago to do it in Kindergarten and glad we did. Because the school districts are different unless your staying in the same district and just moving schools it wouldn't matter but if your moving from warren con to utica theres a big difference. WHat she was learning in warren con they where already apast in utica and learning more advnace stuff we ended up having to work with her daily. If your going to do a change i do it in kindergarten and do it before school starts if you can.

I don't think it's going to make a huge difference. However, if I had to choose, I would pull him out after pre-school. A few reasons
He'll be used to the new school and the rules
The friends he makes in K, will be is 1st grade with him
It'll help you financially