Tips For Moving During the School Year

The University of British Columbia and the surrounding area is a stunning community that is a delight for families. As a result, it’s not a surprise that the UBC real estate market is flooded year round with households that include school-aged children. Luckily the area includes world class public schools as well as a leading post secondary institution. However a move can be hard on kids when they need to switch schools. As much as parents try not to interrupt their child’s education with a relocation, sometimes it simply cannot be avoided. Here are some tips to help you have a smooth move mid school year.

The first step to moving during the school year is to plan, plan, and plan some more. Having a solid understanding established between yourself, your child’s old school, and their new one is the key to making sure your child doesn’t fall behind or feel undue stress during the transition. Make sure both schools know exactly when your child will be attending, and try to speak to their teachers personally. Teachers at the old school can give you information regarding what they have covered thus far in class, what your child struggles with, and what they excel at. This is all information that will be helpful to your child’s new teacher after the move. Teachers are invested in the children they teach and tend to spend a lot of time with their students, so they are also a great resource for keeping tabs on the emotional and social effect the move has on your child.

Speaking of how your child feels about the move, make sure that they are as up to date on the plan as they are capable. Try to make a schedule that they understand and stick to it. When you are looking at UBC homes for sale, try and show them pictures and ask their opinions. Kids can feel helpless and frightened of the unexpected during a relocation, so try and keep potential surprises to a minimum. If it’s at all possible, a visit to their new home, community and school prior to permanent relocation can be very helpful. If properly arranged, children can even have a chance to meet their new teachers, administrators, and classmates.

Attending a pre-season parent-teacher conferences or any PTA-like function is a great way to meet families and maybe even arrange play dates that can help your child have a friend on their first day. You can also pay attention to potential connections within the community in your new neighbourhood, thought his can be a little more difficult to wrangle before the move takes place. It’s a bit easier if you are looking at UBC condos for sale, since the shared physical space can make meeting neighbours a cinch.

If you have a specific school that you would like your child to attend, be sure that your new home is within that school’s catchment area. This is a detailed geographical territory based on home address that helps to decide which child goes to which public school. You can look up listings based on school catchment area here.

I hope this advice helps you to have a happy move and a great school year!