I'm getting ready to put together a letter to the principal of DD's school notifying them of my intent to withdraw her at the end of next week. When is the best time to send that to them? What is the best way to go about this? We are supposed to have parent/teacher conferences next Thurs night and I was thinking Friday would be her last day, but does that make sense? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If you've done this before.....anything you wish you had done differently, or something you're glad you did? THANKS so much! You all have been so helpful getting me started on this journey! I cannot even express how excited I am right now!
I would hand deliver the letter at the end of her last day. I would not take a chance on the teacher or anyone else asking your daugther a lot of questions or telling her what all she was going to miss by being homeschooled. I took mine out of public school right before the year started so they were not in school yet that year and we didn't have that issue, but a family I know went through it when they let the school know they planned to take their kids out after a holiday. Lots of hurt feelings when it was all over. I would also keep the letter very short and simple. Beth
I sent mine the first day I had my children home. I did not want to risk the letter arriving before I pulled the children. I figure that the postmark date covers me from anything they might try to pull regarding truancy. But reality is, the letter, when mailed locally, only takes a day to get there and no school files truancy in that time. Then once you start homeschooling, they leave you alone.
From what I understand there really isn't even anything required to the school. I have to send my CPI form to the district and the AEA, but that's all. Seems like I would want to tell the school what's up though. Would you go to conferences and act like everything is normal? When do you tell the child? She was part of the decision making process, but doesn't know that we have decided to do it. I'm fearful of her using the information to act up ("I don't have to do that, I'm' going to be homeschooled anyway" kind of stuff), but want her to have ample time to say goodbye to her friends, etc. What about her stuff?? She does have personal things in her desk, etc....stuff the teacher wouldn't let her bring home normally (her pencil box, etc.).
I pulled my son before the start of the next school year, we just called the office of his building and informed them that he wouldn't be returning (which we didn't have to do) and then turned in our affidavit to the superintendants office. In the case of pulling them mid year... I think I would pull her on Thrusday. Let that be her last day, when you go to the conference you can empty her desk then. I'm guessing the conference is the end of the marking period type thing right?
I like the idea of Thursday being her last day, and cleaning out her desk at that time. Maybe you could do something special with her on Friday, then start fresh with homeschooling on Monday.
I wouldn't even start on Monday... take some time to deschool Have some movie days, some trips to where ever you can go this time of year (here we have no museums so our get aways usually consist of various Walmarts, Targets and malls.. even if we buy nothing!), visit the library and let her pick any books she wants on any topic and if she reads them great if not no big deal.
I'm not sure my curriculum will get here in time anyway, so we may have a week or so of "play" time anyway
