So, my heart hurts and my stomach aches. Yesterday Katie began her 2-week intro. program at her new high school.
On paper this school has amazing opportunities for their students. It's a private school, which is a new situation for us. This school receives large scholarships from various corporations which keeps the tuition cost lower than most private schools. In exchange for the majority of your tuition being paid, the student takes part in an Intern program every Friday at the corporation that best fits their skill set. School Mon. - Thurs. Work on Friday. So, when you graduate from high school you already have skills that will set you on a positive path along with being prepared for college - they have a 98% college acceptance rate.
Now, about the other part of school, the socializing. This area has never been easy for Katie, which is heart breaking. She is so sweet, so accepting of everyone yet she's extremely shy which leads to the head being drawn down, shoulders slumped posture - the general vibe of "I just wish the Earth would open up and swallow me" look. It takes a very peppy, happy person to break through her shell and try to create a friendship, which is what Katie wants desperately, yet doesn't know how to do very smoothly.
She's in a school that has four kids from her previous school. Unfortunately a kid that is a massive *ahem* 'jerk' (trying to stay calm here) is one of them. This boy was bullying a sweet friend of Katie's at her old school and Katie stood up for him. Of course the bully wasn't happy and this made for a very difficult 8th grade year. Katie doesn't hold grudges, she just isn't wired that way, so she went up to the group of boys and said "Hello". They ignored her.
She told me she sat alone at lunch. Until... one girl joined her at the table. When I went to pick-up Katie that was who she was waiting with, hopefully her new friend. Please, oh please, dear God let Katie connect with at least one person! I've taken her from the high school where her group of friends, that it took her years to make, are going and placed her in a school with her bully and no friends to support her. The school is better, but at what cost.
I am doubting myself big time here. My mind is so preoccupied with what she might possibly be going through that I'm forgetting to breathe. While making a turn yesterday (that I've made a hundred times) I ran over the curb. Hope my back tires ok.
(Update Post: She Made It Through )
On paper this school has amazing opportunities for their students. It's a private school, which is a new situation for us. This school receives large scholarships from various corporations which keeps the tuition cost lower than most private schools. In exchange for the majority of your tuition being paid, the student takes part in an Intern program every Friday at the corporation that best fits their skill set. School Mon. - Thurs. Work on Friday. So, when you graduate from high school you already have skills that will set you on a positive path along with being prepared for college - they have a 98% college acceptance rate.
Now, about the other part of school, the socializing. This area has never been easy for Katie, which is heart breaking. She is so sweet, so accepting of everyone yet she's extremely shy which leads to the head being drawn down, shoulders slumped posture - the general vibe of "I just wish the Earth would open up and swallow me" look. It takes a very peppy, happy person to break through her shell and try to create a friendship, which is what Katie wants desperately, yet doesn't know how to do very smoothly.
She's in a school that has four kids from her previous school. Unfortunately a kid that is a massive *ahem* 'jerk' (trying to stay calm here) is one of them. This boy was bullying a sweet friend of Katie's at her old school and Katie stood up for him. Of course the bully wasn't happy and this made for a very difficult 8th grade year. Katie doesn't hold grudges, she just isn't wired that way, so she went up to the group of boys and said "Hello". They ignored her.
She told me she sat alone at lunch. Until... one girl joined her at the table. When I went to pick-up Katie that was who she was waiting with, hopefully her new friend. Please, oh please, dear God let Katie connect with at least one person! I've taken her from the high school where her group of friends, that it took her years to make, are going and placed her in a school with her bully and no friends to support her. The school is better, but at what cost.
I am doubting myself big time here. My mind is so preoccupied with what she might possibly be going through that I'm forgetting to breathe. While making a turn yesterday (that I've made a hundred times) I ran over the curb. Hope my back tires ok.
(Update Post: She Made It Through )