If your kids changed schools mid-elementary school

[Anonymous]

How did it go? Kids currently go to FCPS but we are changing them next year to a parochial school. They will be going into 2nd and 4th grades.

If you did this with your kids - how did the transition go? Did they remain friends with their neighborhood friends who still went to the local public school?

[Anonymous]

We moved from one FCPS school to another, because my daughter was at the school where I taught and then I moved to one much closer to home, not our base school, but very close. She didn’t really keep up with old friends, I think because of being only going into fourth grade and the first school was a good distance away. She quickly made friends at the new school, but the first few weeks were tough, for both of us. It was the right decision for us, because she went to the neighborhood secondary school, and the first school saved me a bundle on not needing child care before and after. If you stay in the same neighborhood, some friendships should keep up. Changing schools is a loss of a type for kids, so prepare for that.

[Anonymous]

We changed going into third. Still close to three best friends from first school, one shares a big extracurricular. One we make sure to get sleepovers on the calendar. One happens to live close so we can still do neighborhood things. It definitely takes some commitment on the parents’ part to keep it going but it’s been important to the kids, and I like the families/kids very much so I’m happy to do it.

[Anonymous]

We changed going into 4th and it was a nightmare. Spent two years miserable at the private school and now we are back at public and she picked right back up with her friends that she left two years prior.

[Anonymous]

My has changed schools and didn’t keep up with old friends except for one whose family we are close with. There is only so much time, and she wants to socialize with the people she sees every day, which is fine. I think as parents we worry a lot, but the kids don’t overthink it.

[Anonymous]

Why are you leaving the public school? If you went to keep neighborhood friends, I’d be really careful how you are talking about it.

[Anonymous]

We moved from a very progressive public school to an evangelical Christian school during Covid, then back again to progressive school. Kids were in 2nd and 4th when they went to private school. I was worried about the transition, but they were completely fine. There were things we ended up liking about both places and the kids were less fazed by the changes than DH and I were. One stayed good friends with a friend from her private school. I think if your kids have a tight knit band of neighborhood kids, that part will be the hardest.

[Anonymous]

It happened to me.

Switched from a public (elsewhere) where I was bored (and not really being taught much) to a much more academic private. It was a god-send to switch schools, if one considers everything. The other kids all had known each other and that school’s routine since 1st grade, so there was a bit of social adjustment (some, not too much).

[Anonymous]

As a kid, I switched schools in 2nd grade and in 5th grade because we moved a lot owing to my parents' jobs; it was fine for me. I liked each school better, especially the 5th grade move. One thing that helped was all the schools were pretty similar (private Catholic parochial) However, I know it would be a disaster for my son to switch at that age, because he's shy and prone to anxiety. So basically, A LOT depends on your kids and their personalities as well as how welcoming the schools are.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the replies. I am nervous about starting over in a new school but definitely think it will be for the best for our kids. I figure its better to do it now than wait later in elementary or middle school.

[Anonymous]

We moved 45 minutes away due to a divorce. They did fine. Took the older one longer to make friends since he's quieter, but found his tribe eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the replies. I am nervous about starting over in a new school but definitely think it will be for the best for our kids. I figure its better to do it now than wait later in elementary or middle school.

In many ways, changing at an earlier grade is easier, because the social environment is more fluid…

[Anonymous]

I changed schools in first, fourth, and fifth grades growing up (as in, the summers before each of those grades). Two of the moves/changes were easy and one was INCREDIBLY hard. When I look back and think about moving my own kids, I can’t really pinpoint what makes the difference.