Yes, it’s January, but did you know open enrollment, applications for private schools and kindergarten registration generally take place between February and April?
The decision on how and where to school our kids can seem overwhelming. Not to worry! Morganton Moms has your back. Over the next few weeks we are going to talk all things education in our area. We will hear from moms across Morganton/Burke County who are choosing from all the available options including; homeschool, public school, private school, and charter school.
There isn’t one right educational choice for everyone. That’s why we have options and why Morganton Moms is committed to sharing what we have available in Burke County to aid you in making an informed decision.
The best choice is the school/schooling option that fits your family and individual child.
Admittedly my husband and I wrestled for months, really years, about where our oldest child should go to school. The process felt downright stressful at times. Honestly I probably made it unnecessarily stressful because that’s the way I roll, but it led me to a couple of realizations I want to share with you as we begin this series.
Each child is an individual and their personal needs are important to assess while making this choice for them.
The obvious or easiest choice is not always the right choice. Our daughter attended Burke Mobile preschool’s Betsie Bus (more to come on this preschool option) at our local elementary school. The local public school was 5 minutes away, but it didn’t seem to be the best fit for our daughter. During the preschool years I would grill moms with older kids about our public school system and educational alternatives only to turn away from the conversation because I was overwhelmed.
Before we knew it our daughter turned five and we had to get serious about making a choice. I knew my daughter needed a teacher that wasn’t me. That meant homeschooling was out which genuinely made me sad, but was for our best- both in regards to her education and our family dynamics. Ultimately we landed on our local charter school which has proved to be the best choice for us.
The choice you make one year might be different from the choice you make the next year.
Don’t be afraid to make a different choice or reassess a past choice when it comes to your child’s education. The choice you make for kindergarten is not the choice you have to stick with for the next twelve years. Hold your ideals loosely and be willing to change if it makes sense for your child. Our daughter is now a first grader and we are confident we’ve made the most advantageous choice for her for right now. However, every year we step back and assess what is working and what isn’t for her and our entire family.
We remain open to other schooling options for our other kids. This might mean adjusting to meet their individual needs or focusing on the option that makes the most sense for our family. There isn’t a perfect school out there. Stay open to possibilities and take time to make that selection in the most educated (pun TOTALLY intended) way possible!
If you are new to area and looking to find the best educational option for your student please join us for this series. Many of you are in the thick of choosing a school/schooling option for your rising kindergartener stay tuned for information on particular schools, registration and open enrollment dates across our community for the 2019-2020 school year.