K - 8 School Parents: Leaving before 8th grade?

[Anonymous]

The last pp's story reminds me of what I hear at our K-8 school. A number of kids who are unhappy - and have been for a number of years. I'm really surprised that their parents haven't considered moving them.

Then again, I assume that many feel that moving is too much of an effort and maybe easier to keep them there given the apps, testing, notification, etc.

In either case, it is so important for parents to listen to their child and put them somewhere where they can thrive and not stagnate or barely tolerate.

[Anonymous]

what are the K-8 schools anyway? Sheridan, Norwood, Green acres....is that it?

[Anonymous]

Can't speak for MD but in Alexandria, it's Browne, Burgundy Farm and Alexandria Country Day. Also a number in McLean. There are quite a few altogether, I think.

[Anonymous]

WES is pre-K to 8.

Is Little Langley?

[Anonymous]

St. Pat's

[Anonymous]

I have two sets of friends who attended WES and left early for Landon and Holton-Arms. Same reasons as stated above - the kids "outgrew" the school and needed more that a school going up to 12th grade could provide.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have thoughts or first-hand knowledge of how the school/administration generally receives the news that you are looking to transfer your child early out of a k-8 school? We have children at a K-8 and are considering having DC apply out at 3rd grade. But it really is not a reflection of the school we are currently at, we just want to make the change to single sex at that time.

[Anonymous]

We left our k-8 school early. I agonized over how to tell them. Sadly, when I did tell the administration, they didn't even ask why we were leaving! You would think that leaving in the later years, when it's hard to fill slots for just a year or two and when you are paying full tuition, they would want to know. Or maybe, they do know...

Anyway, when you tell your school, keep it all positive. Keep strong relationships and don't get anyone angry. Sounds like you have the perfect rationale - single sex school. I'd use that.

[Anonymous]

I moved both my kids from their parochial K-8 to independent Catholic single-sex schools after 5th grade. The K-8 school was cooperative and wished us well. We were able to explain each time that we wanted a single-sex environment, so we didn't need to mention that we also wanted smaller class sizes and more challenging academics. But the school staff knows the reputations of other schools and recognized that we were trying to move to a different kind of school, not crossing over to their direct competitors.

My son's 5th-grade teacher, who was vice principal of his old school, actually recommended his new school to us, not knowing that we were already planning to apply there. She seemed proud of the number of boys she has sent there.

If a K-8 school is struggling to keep enrollment up, it may resent families who take their children out, but administrators at any school should understand that families sometimes move their children to schools that look like a better fit. You can let them know, though, that you're grateful for what they've done for your child.

When my daughter left our parochial school this spring, the school didn't ask any questions, but we later received a questionnaire from the Archdiocese that asked our reasons.

[Anonymous]

I don't think I would move a child unless they wanted to move - our dc started at our K-8 in middle school - absolutely loves it, and I'd say about 2/3 of the class have been at the school since K. I'm sure that there are plenty of kids that move on prior to middle school for various reasons (ready to move on or sports would probably be the main reason people leave early), but if your child is happy and thriving, I think you should stay. We moved to our school specifically because of the middle school and the attention each child gets when selecting and applying to high school. If you don't feel there is an advantage to the attention your child will get in middle school, it doesn't really matter - , but at our school at least, HS admittance was our reason for choosing k-8.

[Anonymous]

There are always a number of factors every family needs to look at. Obviously, listen to your child and ensure that they are having their needs met.

As a parent with a teen now, I've learned to never assume anything, including the thought that my child will remain at the same school. You never know what will happen. With us, we were not expecting a move but all of a sudden, our child was telling us he needed more. The school was a perfect fit in LS but not in MS.

Take it year by year. Things may not change for your family, but things could change significantly at the school with changes (or not) in curriculum, administration, teachers, etc. that may need you to rethink your long-term plan.

[Anonymous]

My child is at a K-8 school and if we left early, which I expect we will, I do not expect the school to do anything but wish us good luck. I won't agonize over the decision. That's ridiculous. This is my child's education and they are a business. I don't agonize over choosing Giant over Safeway. I know, I know its not the same but you know what it really is. You make friends at the school but its just like a workplace friendship - once you leave that workplace there is really good chance the friendship dies bc you no longer have that one bond that made you friends. You move on to the next school and make new friends and have good memories of the other place. So goes life...

[Anonymous]

You bring up an important point, 8:18. Schools are like a business - they need to run that way in order to stay afloat. Along with a number of our friends, we also left a K-8 school early and none of us got any kind of thanks for being there, for volunteering, for commitment or for our investment - or a goodbye. Sad, yes - but also reality.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but is there not as much advocacy on the part of the administration if you pull your child early? Do they feel slighted in some way, and therefore do not help you gain admission to your next school of choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but is there not as much advocacy on the part of the administration if you pull your child early? Do they feel slighted in some way, and therefore do not help you gain admission to your next school of choice?

Why would they advocate for you? I don't know if they do or not, but really, what's the incentive for them? It's one thing if you're leaving the area, or your child clearly needs a different environment for either social or academic reasons, but if you're just leaving because you'd rather be at X school, I don't see how you can expect them to do anything more then send transcripts and recommendations. And I don't limit this to K-8 schools, I believe the same if you decide for 9th grade that you want to move your GDS kid to Sidwell for example. If you leave any school early, for any reason that isn't abuntantly clear to the school too, I don't see why you would expect the same level of assistance that you'd get the year of graduation.