We are thinking about putting our two children ages 18 and 14 back in public school. We have homeschooled for over ten years. The school we toured is not our district. Papers would need to be filed, the district must okay them. Since it is after the deadline, they may not. Our dd is 18, has health problems and a service dog. This school we toured is being beyond nice. Almost bending over backwards for us. I know most of this is the law but they are being really nice about it. Not used to this at all! Does anyone have any advice for me?
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
Iowa has Open Enrollment where you can choose the school district your child attends. We Open Enroll our kids to a neighboring district that is actually closer to our house. Since it has been a number of years since this was first started the home districts have been better about approving applications, but being past the deadline for filing is a valid reason for them to deny your request. I would suggest that you send a statement along saying that since your Dd has a service dog you feel that attending the new district would be in her best interest. Make sure you do not say anything negative about your current district. They may be happy that they won't be the district dealing with the things that go along with having a service dog in their school.
Sounds great! I like using the term 'in her best interest'. If they deney us, then I will send another letter stating the reasons we will not return to that school district. I will find out what tutition is too. Some schools here had at one time $1 per semester.
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
Public school is very hard, not academically, but emotionally. You said that you have home schooled for 10 years, your dd is 18 and nearly out of school. Are you positive you want her to make this step?
No we are not postive. We want to move closer to a good college and enroll them. So far that hasn't happened. The more I think about dd in public school I get nervous. She has the food allergies, fibro and JRA. I don't know. We will talk to the doctors on Wednesday and see what they think.
Our family is ...... lets say the local community shunned us when we started homeschooling and it has been all downhill from there. Past time to move! I wish God would show us what He wants us to do. I am burned out with the shunning, tired of watching what has been done to my kids. I don't feel I am doing a great job with homeschooling either. Time for a change.
My ds has never been in public school. That would be a huge shock to him too. I don't know what to do.
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
Home schooling is not always easy I understand, I have done it myself. At the age of 14 and 18 they are old enough to direct some of the home schooling them selves, and as I am sure you already know, at their age home schooling is only about 3 hours a day.
When I home schooled, every year we would try to do home school in a different way, so that would stir things up a bit each year.
We also would have a game day where we played games for each subject, for example spelling we would play Boggle, for algebra we would play math scrabble. I believe we had a game for each subject.
I know how you feel when you say you are being shunned. It hurts deep down. My church shunned my husband and I, we finally left and went to a different church, but at times the pain still lingers.
Public school can be very hurtful emotionally especially for someone who may have certain needs or to someone who has never been to public school. I realize you feel burned out by all the nonsense and it surprises me that your community has made it their business on whether you home school your children. Try to make your home a little piece of heaven on earth for your sake and your families sake. No matter what trouble there is outside, inside will feel wonderful.
What is the reason you are considering it in the first place? Is if because you don't feel like you are doing a good job? Do your son & daughter want to try it? If you do try it & they don't like it, are you not able to just pull them back out of public school & do the homeschool again?
Why are we thinking about this? We need a change. The kids are bored.
The kids aren't 100% for it or against it. Yes, in Nebraska I could file the paperwork, wait 30 days and hs them again. I doubt I would need to wait the 30 days with the school district we are looking at. They really think about the kids first.
Maybe I am burned out do to not having a hs group, dh being off work for six months, money problems, lifestyle changes with dd recieving her service dog, too many changes in one year!
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
Ok, in that case, taking a chance on doing it will not be too costly (emotionally/financially, etc.) & could provide just the relief/break/encouragement you need. And both you and the kids could be reassured by the fact that you can go right back to homeschooling if it doesn't work out.
