First Day of School

Junior Year

My Shmoop started her junior year of high school today. At public school. For the last two and a half years, she attended a very small Christian school. Eleven students in her entire grade small. That school was a life saver. For me and for her. 

Her middle school years were painful. Every year I thought it would get better, but it continually got worse. Tears before school, tears after school. Her saving grace was the barn where she rode horses. During her 8th grade year, we began looking at different schools for high school. We came across Nashua Christian Academy. At first, she was very against it. She had her heart set on a charter school that was 40 minutes away. She didn’t want to wear a uniform. Then one morning she asked me if she could shadow there for a day. I was ecstatic! This was progress!

It was January, almost halfway through the school year, when we scheduled the shadow day. I dropped her off in the morning. I was anxious all day. I’ll never forget the look on her face when I picked her up at the end of the day. She got in the car, looked at me and said “Can I go there NOW?” That was when I realized how very painful school was for her. So we began the process and before we knew it, she was enrolled and attending a new school. Halfway through 8th grade.

Slowly, we saw a change. Her smile came back. She talked. About her friends, her teachers, her classes. One day she said to me “Mom. I have pals.” I wanted to cry. This small, tight knit community welcomed my girl, made her feel like she belonged, gave her the confidence to be herself and to trust who she was. 

Unfortunately, we got word in February of this year that the school would be closing at the end of the year. This was such a shock for us, and so sad! We did manage to find another school, enrolled her, and felt pretty good about the move. It was a bit further away, but she is driving now, so that made things a little easier.

Then, mid July, she told me she wanted to go to Campbell High School. The public school in town. I was shocked! This is the same school district where she was so miserable. So we made an appointment with the guidance director. And also the principal at the Christian school. And we let her make her own decision. Both schools had pros and cons. Of course I wanted her to stay at the smaller school. I felt she was “safer” there. But she had very convincing arguments, I was quite proud of her. Bigger school, bigger variety of academic choices, closer to home, BAND! And she is a different girl now. Stronger, more confident, more outgoing.

So this morning, she got dressed (not in a uniform), let me take the typical “first day of school” picture, and drove off to her new adventure. I’m sure this will be much like that day she shadowed at NCA, I will be anxious all day. I can’t wait for my Shmoop to get home and tell me all about her day.