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0119 January
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switching
school
s one mom?s story by susan johnson d eciding things for our kids without their consent is called parenting. as parents, the decision to shifting our child
?s school can be one of the toughest challenges that we face in life. often times, changing schools can disrupt so many areas of children?s little lives that they might feel as if they are being held back. not only does the child find the situation difficult, but it can be traumatic for the parents as well. what kind of situations lead the parents to land the decision of making their child switch schools? and, how do parents know that it is the right time to make the shift? local mom, kimberley dawsey, understands the struggle and the triumph well. when amber was born 12 years ago, kimberley wanted her daughter to go to her alma mater and graduate as a ?lifer? from the same institution. as decided, amber was enrolled there in kindergarten and the dawseys were extremely happy to see their daughter progress. being run by amazing people who were once kimberley?s teachers made the couple feel all the more comfortable and happy about where the school was heading with their leadership. a few years down the lane, when amber was in fourth grade, all the teachers and staff members whom the dawseys had come to love were being replaced by new staff. eventually, the school changed ownership, and issues
began popping up. ?we stayed, again more for my sentimentality than for anything else,? confesses kimberley. ?we gave them a good shot for two years to show us what they could do for my child, and in my opinion, they failed. from a lack of strong leadership and disorganization to an over chaotic feel and lack of communication with parents, and almost no ?fun? aspect to the school, by the end of the sixth- grade year, i knew we had to find amber a new school.? what are the reasons to switch your child?s school? according to donna fargason, child psychiatrist, here are some reasons parents encounter which often leads them to making the hard decision of switching their child?s school. 1. life situations which alter a family?s financial climate call for a school change. 2. the need for a more stimulating/ more relaxed environment that aligns with the child?s academic abilities. 3. school personalities that make the child feel like an outcast. 4. the need for speciality schools for child-specific issues. 5. bullying and friend issues. when is it the right time to make the switch? there are several factors that contribute to knowing the right time to switch your child?s school. as parents, practical decisions are to be made after assessing a combination of factors pertaining to your children like financial climate, emotional stress, social issues, and academic excellence. ?as far as financial issues are considered, decisions can be made quicker than when the issues are emotional, social, or academic,? says donna fargason. academic issues can be handled with a change that can wait until the start of a new year as it allows for a smoother transition. on the other hand, emotional and social issues that happen in between a school year can cause absolute 4 6 b r p a r e n t s . c o m | j a n u a r y 2 0 1 9
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