briansmama Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Can you tell me how it went? Especially if you pulled your child out mid-year, can you tell me if the teacher/principal was upset? My boys wanted to go to school so we enrolled them this year (after the school year started). My oldest really wanted to go to school with his sports/neighborhood friends so we let him go for the first time (he's 10). My youngest wanted to go too because he thought it was going to be a fun way to see lots of other kids...but he is unhappy there. I volunteer weekly in his class and while I really like his teacher, the environment is just not the right fit for him (or me). It is very difficult to focus and the kids don't get enough time to actually sink into their work. There is a bell that sounds more like a horn going off every 10 minutes and his class of first graders seem to drop what they are working on a move on to the next "station" pretty much every time that horn goes off. Can you tell me how it went when you decided to pull your dc out? We will still have one at the school so I'd like to keep the peace as much as possible, but while I'm truly sorry for wasting their time enrolling my ds and causing the teacher to have to take time to prepare for him, I am not willing to let him endure this for the rest of the year. I'm concerned he's developing bad learning habits (lack of focus for one) in the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 I withdrew DD in October of her 6th grade and DS in January of his 5th grade year. Both times, it was no issue. I was friendly and non-confrontational, but matter-of-fact. A few days before withdrawing, I wrote personal notes to my kids' teachers, thanking them for their work and announcing that I would be withdrawing my student to homeschool. Not something that is required, but I felt it a gesture of common courtesy to give them a heads-up and an explanation - after all, we did not have issues with the teachers. On the day, I went to the principal's office to fill out the withdrawal form, the kids got a paper to have signed off by each of their subject teachers to verify that they had no outstanding fees or borrowed books, and that was it. The next day they stayed home. Painless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 I withdrew mine mid year. We had moved to the state mid year as well. We gave the school 8 weeks to try to even remotely assess our children, get them plugged in and participating. I was there nearly daily volunteering, meeting with the school counselor, principal, etc. I finally told them we felt it wasn't working. The principal begged us to keep plugging that they needed more involved families such as us, blah blah blah. We pulled them any way. When I picked up their records, all our issues had been removed from records and shows to this day four happily adapted kids with all A's (no way they had those grades btw!) pulled due to parents wishing to homeschool only. No mention of the struggles they all had to thrive in the classroom, the lack of accommodations, nor my concerns, etc. Do what you need to do. Don't look back or worry what they think, etc. It was very easy to do. Easiest thing I've ever done at a PS :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Lots of kids move mid-year and transfer schools. It really isn't anything different. Let the teacher know, be polite, and give the kids enough time to say "goodbye"-but it really is no big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 I emailed the teacher to let her know what was going on, explain my appreciation of her hard work, etc. It really wasn't a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I pulled my son out of 1st grade mid-year. The teacher and principal were worse than anything I could have imagined and were not responsive to previous attempts to talk with them. Therefore I didn't give any explanation or warning because I knew the teacher would try to do something to my son in retaliation. I also joined HSLDA in case the school gave me any trouble (which they didn't). If you have a good relationship with your school and normal people who are your teachers and administrators, then I am sure you could tell something to the effect that you are withdrawing your child based on certain needs he has, rather than focusing any blame on the school. Of course they may still feel bad, but if you are pleasant and kind, your relationship will likely be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarynB Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Don't feel bad. You have not "wasted" their time. The school has benefited from having your son enrolled, even if it ends up being only temporary. When I notified my son's teacher that we were withdrawing him to homeschool, I gave her two days' notice, in person, and also thanked her for her work. It was a few weeks into the school year and DS wanted a couple of days to say his goodbyes. His teacher told me she knew what type of education my son needed, and that he wouldn't find it in public school. She also told me her own grandchildren were being homeschooled and she had a favorable opinion about it. She seemed sad to see DS leave, mostly because he was one of the few well-behaved and compliant students in her classroom. I tried to schedule an appointment to speak with the principal as well - the only way parents got to talk to him was by appointment - but his secretary politely declined and told me it wasn't necessary. I think the principal was just too chicken to face me, after he failed to keep his earlier promises about changes involving my DS. :lol: Therefore he got a notification letter delivered by certified mail to prove delivery, in case he tried to start any nonsense about truancy. There were no issues. Overall, the withdrawal process went very smoothly and my only regret was not doing it sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I took my ds out of 4th grade last February. I was stressed about it, but it was no big deal. Turned in withdraw form to the school, turned in intent to homeschool to the district office. Everyone was nice, and had no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 We pulled DS in mid-January. He was halfway through an out-of-school suspension when we made the decision to homeschool. I had no problem with the suspension but vehemently disagreed with further disciplinary measures the school "recommended". We were dealing with a principal new to the junior high and she decided to use my son as an example of their "zero tolerance" policy. We joined THSC in case we needed legal support, and that same day mailed the principal a certified letter notifying her of his immediate withdrawal with intent to provide private education. I did email her a PDF of the letter only because I was tired of the arguments and didn't want to talk with her any further. They called me in response but I refused to answer the calls and demanded all contact be in writing. The week after they received the certified letter I received a few emails and calls from someone at the school stating that I had to come in and fill out withdrawal paperwork. I responded that I did not per legal statute # whatever and attached a PDF of an assurance letter, followed by a hard copy sent certified mail. We didn't hear anything else from them until late in the school year when the jr high principal's boss called us trying to get us to re-enroll DS for high school that fall. We evaluated all the options and politely declined. Nothing had actually changed and the disciplinary action would stand, and we still disagreed with their decisions. We've had no further contact with our ISD since then. So for us it was only mildly dramatic, and that was really more due to the circumstances than the withdrawal itself, but it was done knowing that we have no other option than to homeschool through graduation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I pulled ds out of 6th grade in September, about a month into the school year. I wrote a withdrawal letter (required in our state) and dropped it off in the office at the end of the school day on a Friday. I then collected my ds and went to his homeroom and another classroom to pick up all of his supplies/belongings. The only person we actually talked to was his home room teacher who was very sweet and seemed hurt. I gave a very brief explanation (less than 1 min) and said thank you and good bye. I mailed another copy of the letter to the superintendent's office to have on file. The principal called a couple of times, but I screened the calls and did not return them. It was not necessary for me to explain our decision to her. She was a big part of the reason we began homeschooling. I did not want the stress of dealing with her then. Now, if I saw her I would thank her. She helped me make the single best parenting decision I ever made. Don't feel guilty and realize you don't owe anyone. You are making a decision based on what is right for your child. Explain as little as possible, be kind and polite and leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I wouldn't be the least bit concerned about hurting the feelings of any staff at the school. The teacher prepares for a class, not for individual kids, anyway. I registered/withdrew my youngest dd in elementary school nearly every school year. Pulling her out was just no big deal for me. The last time my son went to school, he was in the 4th grade. I registered him after school started and he lasted 11 school days and I pulled him out. It was definitely not a good place for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briansmama Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 Thank you all for your help! It is so nice to come here to ask for advice. You've all made me feel much more comfortable letting the school know we are withdrawing our ds. The teacher responded quickly and was very kind. She did ask that we drop in to let the students say goodbye and she said he is welcome back to her class anytime. I really like her. The environment just wasn't right for ds. A big thank you to you all! We are so relieved to be homeschooling him again, starting today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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