Relocating and Changing Schools
Beginning at a new school – whether you are in preschool or high school – means an introduction to new classmates, the classroom, teachers, educational values, and the overall learning environment.
Relocating to a new city often entails families making tough decisions about the child’s school or potential new school or leaning on the support of their current school.
Choosing to transfer schools is a significant decision that can quickly impact a child negatively and positively, but not all children react the same to these situations.
Once the moving company delivers your belongings, you are in a whole new world and environment.
While making those transitions locally is undoubtedly not as significant as long-distance relocation projects – it can still profoundly change your children and their lease on life.
What is the Right Choice for Your Child?
Education is the center focus of our kids’ lives; they spend every weekday with their friends and classmates, which eventually extends into weekends, Summer, and beyond as children grow and evolve into their own people.
Enlisting the help of local movers and uprooting your kids from an environment they are comfortable in can be a bit of a transition period if you lack the right resources and modes of support.
Every day in Colorado and throughout the rest of the country, children have to leave their houses for a new location, and while including them in the process, allowing them to visit the new place and completing research on the area can help – it doesn’t mean you will ever be ready for the change.
With reputable movers and professional packers in Denver to help relocate, things can feel much more straightforward.
However, you are still approached with the same question: to change schools or to avoid the transfer process? Therein lies the rub!
Evaluating School Districts in Colorado
Changing schools is not necessarily going to be a good or bad thing, and you must make an example of that and display your own experience and hardship with your kids before you require moving services.
However, whether or not you need to transfer schools may depend on your current district, whether or not you are moving outside the boundary, and how far away you will be from your child’s current learning environment.
Inclusive, equitable, and creative education opportunities are one of Colorado’s values, and maintaining schools that offer this kind of support for students and families through Math, English, Science, History, Music, and the Arts – is a challenge both instructors and administration will continue to take on.
There are many valuable districts in Colorado, and taking the time to research online and even through a visit yourself may help you decide and proactively weigh all the pros and cons of your child’s current class versus the possibility of new programs, friends, and teachers.
Older kids generally may have an easier time with this kind of transition, although they may throw even more of a fit than a child in Pre-K!
Regardless of age, although it remains a factor in grief and change, students deserve to have a say in their wants, and working together as a family with your children is the most excellent way to approach the possibility of a new school.
Benefits of a New School
On the first day of entering a new classroom, students are forced to meet their new teacher or teachers and class members, make new friends, navigate different social scenarios, and get to know the schedule.
The first day of anything can instill a lot of fear and anxiety into your child’s mind, and this may deter them from wanting to follow through with the process, especially if they have already been dealing with specialty learning plans, bullying, online school options, etc.
Hiring movers and packing up your belongings can be quite a change, and it is not always a better idea to transfer schools along with it.
Still, education is at the forefront of Colorado values, and adapting to change is something parents cannot always teach their children without this kind of challenge.
While there are plenty of lovely Denver neighborhoods and towns throughout Colorado, the move will stir up enough change in your child’s life, and changing schools may be inevitable, given the current circumstances.
A New Location May Offer a New State of Mind
While gaining moving quotes, consider talking with your child or children to understand their feelings about moving and changing schools.
A new school may be a fresh start for your students, and following through with the process allows your kids to overcome changes they will become accustomed to throughout the rest of their lives.
Children are Resilient with Proper Support
Don’t doubt your children.
While you are busy seeking out moving companies, your child may be researching their new school, and they may even be looking forward to the change.
Learning is not something that everyone does exactly the same.
While all families are different in dealing with things, when your child has the proper support from everyone involved in the relocation project, they will do just fine!
In-Person Learning and Extracurricular Activities
Sometimes, moving schools is an integral part of why you are bringing on movers and packers; families move all the time to get their child to a different school or be closer to the school they want to go to.
Whether you are transferring from online to in-person learning or there is a specific arts or sports program your child hopes to enroll in, this change may produce excellent results for your child’s learning growth.
The Downside of New Schools
Just as there are upsides to everything, a new school is not always something your family wants when relocating locally.
Transferring to a new place in the middle of a school year can cause distress, make it difficult to transition, and exacerbate any pre-existing anxieties or issues that already exist for your student.
When you hire movers, remain focused on your family and your child’s needs.
Consider speaking with your child’s teacher to discuss what will be best for changing schools during the year, if you should wait until after Summer, or if the idea is not good.
Details of the Transfer Process
When you go to transfer schools, it can be a rather lengthy process.
You must first contact your current admissions district and review where your child and family will be moving to, locate the new district and school your child will be attending, re-do the entire admissions process, submit birth certificates, transcripts, immunization records, etc.
If moving is a headache, changing schools can also be a nightmare for students and parents!
This is just another task that you will have to deal with: going out of your way to retrieve immunization records from a pediatrician your child no longer uses, contacting the school for transcripts, and so on – it is a multi-part process that can be frustrating during the move.
Students Thrive in a Comfortable Learning Environment
You know your child best; therefore, you are their number one advocate.
While it is excellent to request insight from other sources – class members, other parents online, your child, and their school – it is always a good idea to stick with your gut.
If you are enjoying the school your child is currently enrolled in and aren’t excited about switching schools because you are moving 10 minutes away, you don’t have to!
Just as students tend to thrive in an environment they are used to, families tend to gain the most from affordable movers in their area when relocating nearby!
Consider Mental Health Components
School is such a significant part of your child’s life, and as they progress in their time being a student, certain aspects of their mental and emotional side may show.
These can be both positive and not-so-great, but if your child is already suffering and grappling with mental health issues at school or because of school – it may not be the best time to make a significant change in their life and uproot them from fellow students and a place they know so well.
When things begin to affect how your child interacts with school, their new school could cause issues with their current state of mind or emotions, then understanding those possibilities and considering keeping them where they are instead of throwing them into a new environment where they have to relearn how to be a student.
As a family, you have to evaluate and decide on all different aspects of your relocation project from moving company cost, new community, and all the things that inevitably come with transferring to a new house and city.
A Student with an IEP or 504 Plan
The average curriculum is not something that is going to sit well with every student.
State curriculum requires instructors and school officials to provide individualized learning plans and accommodations for students with a mental health, physical, or learning disability diagnosis.
If your child has a 504 or IEP plan in place, then the transfer process is one you would likely want to avoid, and moving schools can be more of a detriment to your child’s learning.
Prior to renting moving trucks or hiring a crew of movers, speak with your child’s current school to review the plan in place or request a meeting with the school psychology team and all supporting characters – ask for their input on the situation before you finalize your decision.
Choosing Your Current School in Denver, CO
Before your furniture movers on moving day, ensure you know all the ins and outs of keeping your child at their current school.
If you are hoping to avoid moving schools, the state of Colorado offers parents the ability to choose, which allows your kids to stay at their school during the rest of the year and throughout the following school year.
Colorado is an open-enrollment state, meaning where your child and family live doesn’t designate the school they have to attend.
Navigating how to do that is tough, but your school administrator should be able to walk you through the process step-by-step to ensure every student gets to exactly where they need to be.
The Elementary, High School, and Middle School Process for Parents and Families
The process remains the same for primary and secondary schools in Denver and the surrounding metro area.
When you prepare to move or change your address, you will need to notify the current school and head to your district’s admissions page to fill out all the necessary address information to confirm updated school boundaries.
From there, if you are being pushed out of the school lines or district territory – you can opt for your child to continue at their school throughout the year, but this is not the choice application.
Most applications open up between December and mid-February, and while it is not a race, you should get yours in as quickly as possible.
The school and district will decide on terms of space, programs available, and special needs.
If you do not immediately get your child back into the school you wanted or they were attending, you may be waitlisted until a spot opens up.
While you are moving, a lot is going on to seek reliable moving and storage companies, locate a job, and get involved with your new community.
At the same time, you spend time with your children, and enrolling them in a new school or program associated with academics can feel like a lot!
Public Schools Vs. Private Schools
Decisions made when you are choosing a school are usually due to the school’s ability to accommodate students, but you can apply at any of the following schools:
- Private schools will sometimes require fees for your student to choose from and may have an entire admissions process upfront; this can vary depending on the school you are interested in for your child.
- Charter schools are not entirely exempt from the same example public schools must follow during the choice process. Still, they are often privately funded and owned, so you must contact your current administration for further resources and information on this matter.
- Innovation schools do not all serve as boundary-operating schools, as they are not required to adhere to district rules and regulations.
- Magnet schools all have a set focus and serve particular students, which means meeting those needs before getting into the school.
- Public schools all have boundaries and allow students to choose their environment.
DTC are Denver movers ready and willing to make this adjustment in your and your children’s lives as easy as possible!
Make Your Move Simple, Even in the Middle of the School Year
Worrying about schooling options is something every parent will do, and making decisions about transferring schools is likely one of your biggest priorities.
Choosing the best movers in Denver allows you to leave all the moving logistics to the professionals so that you can sort out the personal obstacles and changes that are going on in your life.
Transitioning to a New Area with Local Moving Professionals
DTC Movers is a locally operated moving company without boundaries on our services.
Our movers provide free moving estimates for all local moves and free packing supplies to alleviate many typical relocation stressors.
Don’t fret about your move; allow our licensed moving specialists to complete the heavy lifting so that you can deal with life’s more important matters!
