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Finding the perfect house is important when moving, but many parents place more emphasis on finding the right school or daycare. Sure, finding a great home is important, but finding a school or daycare that will be safe and provide an opportunity for their children to thrive should be at the top of your list. Sometimes finding the right school is harder than finding the right home. While visiting a school beforehand can be instrumental in making a selection, it is not always possible if you are moving to the United States.
Fortunately, there are still ways to ensure you make the best decision when choosing a school or daycare for your child. Read on for some tips from MoveMeWithCare.com.
Do Your Research
You can do a lot of research on schools online, which is great for parents who can’t visit schools beforehand. Many parents begin by searching on GreatSchools.org. You can compare rankings for schools in the city in which you are moving.
If you are struggling to find the right school, you may have to widen the search area and commit to a further commute. Note that the rankings can fluctuate frequently, so you should not necessarily eliminate schools solely on that basis. It will, however, get your list started.
From there, take a look at each school’s website. The site should be up-to-date, and, preferably, teachers will have pages or sections within the site to give you a sense of their methodology or approach to students.
Narrow it Down
Your next step is to find community pages or school pages to ask people in the area about the school. Facebook generally has these groups, and you can post a query on that page. Even if you do not post, you can read other people’s posts, including complaints, praises, issues, and resolutions. Note how the school’s administration interacts with the parents and community through the pages.
Now you are ready to make some phone calls. Create a list of questions to ask each school. Take note of the answers, as well as how the staff interacts with you. While a school’s academic performance is important, you also want to find a school that accepts and embraces your child’s personality and interests. For example, if art is important to your child, inquire about the art program. If your child loves playing sports, inquire about that.
Neighborhood Watch
Choosing a safe neighborhood is also important. In most instances, a good school will correlate with a good neighborhood, but that is not always the case. Moving such a long distance will already be stressful on your child, especially a teenager. NetDoctor notes that your child may develop feelings and symptoms of anxiety, depression, or anger because of the move, and as such, he or she may look for ways to rebel or cope with the pain.
In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse states that the risk of drug abuse increases greatly during times of transition, including moving or changing schools, because children face new and challenging social and academic situations. Ensure the neighborhood will not be a place where your child feels tempted by drugs or alcohol.
Prep for Moving Day
Once you’ve selected the right school, you can begin putting your energy toward other projects. This includes getting everything ready for the big move, such as scheduling movers and making sure the utilities at the new place are turned on. You’ll also need to ensure all of the proper paperwork has been completed and filed for your move to the US.
Last but not least, if you intend to care for a loved one who will not join you on the move, set up a way to send money back home to ensure they are cared for. This is true even when your family is abroad. If you have loved ones in India, the Philippines, or the Dominican Republic for example, services like Remitly will allow you to send money at almost no charge, depending on the speed of transfer and the amount. It may also be a good idea to look into calling cards and free methods of keeping in touch with relatives in the Dominican Republic. These last examples may seem very specific, but it’s important to pay attention to every little detail of the move when you’re relocating to another country — for everyone’s peace of mind.
While finding the right school, safe neighborhood, and great home all in the same place seems like a daunting task, it is not an impossible mission. With some research and patience, you can find everything you are looking for and ensure your child is given the chance to thrive and succeed in his or her new school and social structure — even when moving from a different country. Equally as important, you will have peace of mind that your child is safe.
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