Transferring to a New School: Interview With a Fourth Grader

Buying a house in Chicago Heights was an exciting experience for my wife and I.

We've felt the pride of the title "homeowner." We've felt the pain of the dreaded second-year mortgage payment increase. And we've felt the relief of realizing we have neighbors we can brag about.

But the 20-somethings in the Paicely household were not the only ones affected by the move from Broadway Avenue to Saratoga Farms. Our oldest son, Chris, will be transferring to a new school this year. 

He's leaving , where he spent two years getting to know the friends I heard about every day, like Marcus, Isabella and Jonathan.

Yes, Chris will begin the fourth grade at Kennedy School.

But coming from a family that moved just about every year of his life, Chris is used to change. In the following interview he explains how he feels about changing schools and shares some words of advice for other transferring students.

Chicago Height Patch: How do you feel about going to a new school?

Chris: It's awesome! (Stretches out the "some" part of the word)

Patch: What's awesome about it?

Chris: I get to meet new people and get to learn more about science.

Patch: How do you feel about leaving your old school?

Chris: Sad.

Patch: Why?

Chris: Because I miss that school and the teachers were awesome.

Patch: What made them awesome?

Chris: A lot of things. They helped me out. They were very nice, and they taught me a lot of stuff. 

Patch: Like what?

Chris: (pauses) Like a lot of science. Did you know bees have hair to collect pollen? 

Patch: Was that one of the most interesting things you learned? 

Chris: Yes.

Patch: What advice would you give to other students going to a new school?

Chris: Well, be careful what you say because Ms. Turner and Ms. Herlin (Greenbriar teachers) have the ears of a hawk!

Patch: What if they don't have Ms. Turner or Ms. Herlin?

Chris: Well, have fun at that school and learn a lot.

Patch: Are you nervous about going to a new school?

Chris: Not really, because my friend Shiya will always have my back.

Editor's note: Ye'Shiya Mansker is a friend Chris made before the transfer. They found out they will now be attending the same school.

Patch: What about other kids who don't know anybody at their new school? Should they be nervous?

Chris: I'm not sure they would want to be nervous.

Patch: But they might be.

Chris: I'd say "Don't worry, maybe someone will help you out."

Patch: Like who? A student or a teacher?

Chris: A student... or a teacher.

Patch: Ok. That's it.

There you have it. Don't worry. Sage advice from a young veteran in the realm of changing schools. This will be an interesting school year, I think.

Let us know what your kids have to say about going back to school in the comments below!

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