Transition to Montclair Elementary from private school
Our son is currently in the first grade at a private school and we are considering transferring him to Montclair Elementary next year for 2nd grade. The main reason we are considering the change is that he is socially not finding his niche at his private school, and perhaps at a larger public school he might find a group with more similar interests. Academically he is doing fine, maybe a little advanced for his grade. Honestly, we don't place much emphasis on academics at this early age, and we are more concerned over his not finding friends and social support at school. What are your experiences with the transfer process from private to public OUSD school during elementary school? Any pointers for parents or the student? How was your child's transition, esp socially? TIA
Parent Replies
Our daughter went from private school to Montclair, starting in first grade. Montclair was fine, but I'm not sure your son will receive much social support. In my view, the kids that did best at MES were those who were naturally outgoing, did well with larger groups, asserted themselves, and liked school but didn't need or want to be academically challenged. Although there were a lot of kids at MES, our daughter didn't have much in common with most of them. In retrospect, I don't think MES was a good fit for our introverted daughter who likes learning things on her own and has never had an easy time making friends. Have you looked at The Academy, Black Pine Circle, GISSV, or Pacific Boy Choir? Various friends of ours with smart, sweet boys have had good experiences at each of those places. Good luck with your search!