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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are at a public that we have been at for years and have worked hard on, along with our neighbors.  We've grown close to other families, served on committees, hung out on the weekends, etc.  It's a great school in many ways, with many great families, but we are now thinking of moving to private.  Our child was accepted to first choice school which offers a different approach not available at our public, and which we think will be a good fit for child.

My question is: when and how do you tell other public school families that you're leaving the school?  Is right away best, end of the school year, etc?  W/o outing ourselves, I think that a few families will be surprised, disappointed, maybe even angry at first.  I'd love to tell them in person,

but it seems that may be impractical (assuming words spread before we can speak with everyone we'd like to tell in person).  Hoping for some folks who have BTDT.[/quote]

You should invite everyone over and have drinks and snacks. Prepare a slide show of DCs years at the public school and with friends. At the end of the slide show, have a talk prepared to let everyone know and thank them for supporting DC. That way people can comfort each other, deal with the shock. Offer to speak privately with anyone who needs time to digest and accept the decision to change schools. The children should be told by the parents as they see fit. It would be nice to create some gift bags with photos of DC and some treats for the kids. It would be best to do it on a Friday or Saturday, so the families can have some time to accept the reality of life without DC. In the last few weeks of school, be proud but not smug, empathetic but not apologetic. People will envy you in more ways than ever. Quietly bask in the afterglow.[/quote]

OP here.  While I was annoyed when I first read this, I have to grudgingly admit that it's actually pretty good.  :)

I understand why my OP would seem like naval-gazing and self-centeredness in the extreme--like we're expecting the school community to be reeling from one measly family leaving.  So no, as I said in an earlier follow-up, it's really only a few families that will care.  However, w/o revealing too much--this is a public school that is probably unlike many that folks in the private forum have any experience with.  And we've worked hard behind the scenes, led tours for interested families, have advocated for more resources, etc.  Because we've been so public-facing re: the school, I don't want it to reflect badly on the school now that we're leaving, since again, it's not that we're dissatisfied with the public; we just think the private's curriculum would be a good fit for our kid.

And as for trying to manage everyone's reactions, I'll have to let go of that and accept that some people will be pissed and some will be surprised, and most won't care that much.  And, importantly, we can still advocate for the school as members of the community even if we don't have a kid who attends next year.

Thanks to all the helpful PPs--and the funny ones![/quote]

PP here. Thanks for having a sense of humor. You'll be ok, good luck at the new school. You will be missed.[/quote]

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