Our Hard, Sad School Decision

We have decided to change schools. This is not a light decision for us as we all love our home school and Whitney's teacher.

Whitney is so unhappy at school. The non-compliance continues. We just need to step back and give her a chance to heal these feelings, giving her another setting. We feel a bit like God has been saying, "Thou shalt change schools" for some time to us. First the rezonning, when we fought to stay at our home school that we all love, then the change in teachers last year that was a huge disruption to Whitney's happy and academically productive school life. Now God and Whitney are just putting their feet down and saying to us, "She needs something different." We are listening this time.

There is a school near us that specializes in ESE students. They have 200 ESE students in addition to their "normal" academic track students. This school gives us the opportunity to try different classes for Whitney to find the right fit. We do not have that at our current school. The class she is in is our only choice. Most of those students are on the FCAT track to take the state diploma test in 10th grade. Whitney is not. It is not the right environment for Whit.

The new school has a class that is a tad too low for Whitney, and one that is a tad too high in ability levels. There is no perfect fit, but we can start her in one, and move her. Because of the behavior issues causing her to shut down, we are probably going to start her in the lower class, let her heal mentally, then move her into the higher class. It will be nice to have that option.

The school has other great things for her. They have an indoor pool and she will have pool sessions twice a week. Their physical therapy room is so well equipped. Things we asked for at our current school, and even offered to buy, are normal at this new school. I do have some trepidation. Some of the staff we have met so far do not seem quite as caring as those at our current school. We liked the teacher we met who teaches the lower class we are considering to start Whitney in, so that is a positive.

Its a scary move, and sad, but we think it will be for the best. There were weepy eyes around the table when we made the decision. Whitney is sure loved at our current school.