Help your child say
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Leaving a school and classmates is hard at any age . Thanks to the internet older students have ways of making sure they can stay in touch , but departing can still be difficult . All ages may fear the unknown of the new school . The more informed you are before you leave the less fear your child will have . It ’ s easier jumping if you know where you will land .
Contacting a School Liaison Officer ( SLO ) and getting informed as much as possible about your new location will make departing the current school easier .
Let the teacher know the impending move is hard . Teachers near military installations often have children coming and going and many have come up with special ways to mark the move . The earlier you let the teacher know you are moving the better support the teacher can be . A digital learning platform calls for some creativity in farewells .
� Make a video of your child at the school talking about the school . If still in digital platform learning , do a zoom video with their teachers , and friends . “ Interview ” staff and friends . It will be a nice memory for later and bring a smile to their face .
� Have your child write a thank you letter to his / her teacher .
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Create a scrapbook of their time at the school . Include a class photo . Write one comment or memory about each member of the class . If you do this with every move , kids will come to realize wherever they go , they will make good memories and thus more readily anticipate new ones .
If your child is physically attending a school , for some , marking the last day with something special like a class snack may be helpful , but for others it may be overwhelming . Consideryour child ’ s personality when deciding how that last day should go . Some parents check their child out just a few moments early so they aren ’ t in the “ dismissal tornado ” when their emotions are high . If your child is in a digital learning platform , you can still mark their last day . Remind the teacher that prior to sign off , recognition of those students not returning is appreciated . Record the last goodbyes at sign off !
Stay connected . If you are moving mid-year , sending a letter or email to the class telling about the new school can be helpful .
Students go through a bit of a grieving process when they leave the familiar even if what is familiar has already changed quite a bit this year . Expect to hear comparisons to the “ old school ” quite a bit initially . It ’ s their way of hanging on or grieving the loss . Be patient , eventually the new school will be their “ familiar ”.