From Homeschooling to Public School: A Success Story

This is my daughter, Grace. This kid… let me tell you about how she CRUSHED it in her first year in public school…

Grace has been homeschooled since Kindergarten, using Schoolio for her academics of course!?

This year, she transitioned into public school for 7th grade.?

Public school wasn’t our initial intention for this year, so she ended up starting mid-year, which is hard. It’s not easy to be the new kid arriving part way through the year. In addition, within two weeks of starting, her teacher went out on medical leave and her class had a series of subs.?

It was a busy classroom. 32 kids, only 8 girls, and several unique needs.?

New people. New routines. New world.

How Did She Do?

She finished yesterday, and here’s a recap:

?? Won 1st place in a school-wide art contest (peer voting).

?? Won 2nd place in the grade 7/8 stock market simulation contest for the year (thank you Schoolio Financial Literacy!).

?? Won 1st place in the intermediate music competition.

?? Straight A’s (except for French, which was a B+ despite having never taken it before when her peers started in 1st grade).

But there’s so much more to success than academics and accolades…

?? She self-advocated in a busy classroom for her needs, even when it was hard.

?? She worked her butt off and independently studied for tests, worked on projects, and brought things home when needed.

?? She communicated and set boundaries despite being naturally shy.

?? She sought help when she needed it from both school staff and her parents.

?? She maintained her integrity and did not waver in the face of peer pressure or the treatment she is deserving of. She even said to me that she wished I could come to her school and teach her classmates all the Schoolio Social-Emotional Learning I’ve taught her!?

?? She ran TWO petitions in an effort to improve the school environment. Despite being new, she immediately got involved and activated in the community.?

Y’all, she is a FORCE. I met with her teachers and the principal this week and they said not only is she one of the strongest academically, she’s also the most mature in the class.??

THIS is homeschooling my friends. This is the result. Are they academically on-par with other kids their age? For sure. Is that even the most important thing? No! She’s well-adjusted, she knows who she is and what she stands for. She’s independent and hardworking. And she has a strong family foundation to help her when things are tough.?

The transition wasn’t always smooth. She had struggles. But she persevered and handled everything so well.?

If this is what a “weird“, “unsocialized“, and “uneducated” homeschooler looks like, then I’m #TeamWeird all day long.

I couldn’t be prouder of my girl. ?? I hope that you are all experiencing success, and I want you to know that even though you worry all the time about whether or not you’re doing “enough” (I worried too!), I promise you that you are.?

Congratulations to every homeschooling parent out there. The gift of the homeschooling experience is worth so much more than just the academics you cover every day. You’re doing amazing.