Oh No! It’s Spring and We Need to Change Schools
We know it’s not a happy moment when parents are told that their child needs to look for a different school. And while we always hope that this discussion was prefaced with a lot of effort to meet the child’s needs and to communicate those efforts, sometimes it can feel like a blindside! Especially if this announcement comes toward the end of the school year when schools are closing out their application seasons. But there can be a silver lining! There’s nothing worse than having your child in the WRONG school – and everything to be gained from finding the RIGHT one!
So... if you just came home from that Spring Parent Conference and found that your child’s current school won’t have a place for them next year, don’t panic! Get busy looking at other options. The good news is that after Spring Break, most schools have completed their admissions offers, and in a matter of weeks, they will know exactly how many spots are still available at each age/grade level. On top of that, we have a good number of schools that use “rolling admissions” – those schools are prepared to take new applications at any time of the year, and they are well-positioned to move your child’s application in a timely manner.
This may also be an opportunity for you to explore some schools that have been completely off your radar for some reason or another. There are new schools opening up almost every month in the Greater Houston area. It’s important to open your mind to new possibilities. Have you ever heard of a Micro-school? Ever considered Montessori schools, even for middle and high school? Could your child benefit from a Therapeutic school that might eliminate the need for all of the tutoring and therapy appointments you’ve been running to after school hours?
It may also be a good time to check out the public school in your neighborhood – they may have programs and services that will fit your child’s needs. So if you haven’t visited before, we strongly encourage parents to do so now. Even if they ultimately determine that public school is not the right place, every school visit will arm families with more information with which to ultimately make a placement decision.
We often tell parents, that when a school says “No”, you say “Thank you.” Only time will tell, but from our years of experience, we can assure you that there is never a WRONG time for finding the RIGHT school! Houston School Options is here to help you if you need some guidance.
