URGENT school issue-should he switch schools??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is 14. He definitely has a say. Has he visited or shadowed at the new school? Do you feel they will accommodate his needs? 6 is very small. I would change.

he has not shadowed. I guess that is the next step.

I wouldn't bother with shadowing. I would just switch him, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is 14. He definitely has a say. Has he visited or shadowed at the new school? Do you feel they will accommodate his needs? 6 is very small. I would change.

he has not shadowed. I guess that is the next step.

I wouldn't bother with shadowing. I would just switch him, fwiw.

+1. Switch to the bigger private. I am assuming you are in an area where the local public is just not an option. My dc was in a class with 6 kids (private) for 2nd and 3rd grade (it was fine but after that he needed to branch out). I can't imagine for 9th and when you don't like the other kids). Give him the opportunity to start fresh. Good luck to him next year!

[Anonymous]

OP here and I am reading the contract. I don't think we can get a refund. Now what?
I am waiting to hear back from the school?

[Anonymous]

I guess the question is: how much would it cost you to switch and can you afford it?

I will say that if i could possibly afford to make the switch, I would do so, contract or no. I think that situation sounds lousy.

[Anonymous]

My kids went from a tiny school (40 in the whole school) to a large elementary (900 kids total). They are younger-one is 6th grade, so I know a little different, but my kids say their new school is so much fun as they have so many friends. The small school did teach them a lot of social skills I think-they all had to get on and play together as there was no choice! Everyone was in the play, on the sports teams, nobody left out for the most part at recess. They now know how to fit in with all types of kids. However, as I said, they are so much happier now with the larger choice and have really found their groups and are enjoying all the noise and activity of a large school.
So I am definitely in the move him camp-I hope it goes well!
Oh and I had experience a few years back with a private school that I moved the older one from-I managed to negotiate only 50% back from the contract. That was a messy situation but I moved that child because of social reasons too. It turned out there were only going to be 6 kids in his class and the other 5 were girls. I wished I had known that before signing the contract... We move a lot (husband's job) so have had a few school changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Studies show that <15 per class room is not ideal. If you told me the school was bigger I would say he needed to work harder on finding friends.

WOW, I thought the small class sizes were really great. I guess not.
In what way is it not ideal? Socially or academically?

Academically, it is a bit too small for some kinds of projects - can't do two groups of four.

Socially I would bet is claustrophobic. And, with fifteen there should be SOMEONE you can handle. Six is just small enough for a clique and an outcast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and I am reading the contract. I don't think we can get a refund. Now what?
I am waiting to hear back from the school?

You have to decide what you can afford, and what's best for your kid, and also talk to the school. They clearly aren't meeting your child's needs and that should matter to them.

[Anonymous]

PP you are correct.

[Anonymous]

The school said no refund. Now I don't know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Is public with an IEP an option?

[Anonymous]

How much have you paid so far? The whole year? Can you at least just pay partial year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much have you paid so far? The whole year? Can you at least just pay partial year?

The entire year. But it's only $12 000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school said no refund. Now I don't know what to do.

I don't think it matters at this point. I don't know what the public school situation is for you, but I'd rescue your poor kid ASAP. He's alone on his own island in that place where the 5 other kids are friends and he sticks out. Give him a chance, no matter the cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school said no refund. Now I don't know what to do.

I don't think it matters at this point. I don't know what the public school situation is for you, but I'd rescue your poor kid ASAP. He's alone on his own island in that place where the 5 other kids are friends and he sticks out. Give him a chance, no matter the cost.

You know what. You are RIGHT. I know. Just coming to terms with it.
There may be a possibility of sending him to another campus that this school has. It is still small classes but at least they are different kids than the current ones, maybe he would click with them???
No idea what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school said no refund. Now I don't know what to do.

I don't think it matters at this point. I don't know what the public school situation is for you, but I'd rescue your poor kid ASAP. He's alone on his own island in that place where the 5 other kids are friends and he sticks out. Give him a chance, no matter the cost.

You know what. You are RIGHT. I know. Just coming to terms with it.
There may be a possibility of sending him to another campus that this school has. It is still small classes but at least they are different kids than the current ones, maybe he would click with them???
No idea what to do.

The bolded statement is untrue. You do know what to do, you just don't want to pay for it. In some ways, that's understandable but, for the love of God, please just chalk it up to money lost and move forward. Your son isn't going to do well in super-small classes. He needs to be in a larger setting where there are a fair amount of other quirky kids with whom he can strike up friendships. He has three years left of his so-called childhood. Don't screw it up!