SFUSD Round I placement offers are mailed on March 15... ten days from today. They arrive on Saturday and freaked out parents rush home from swim lessons, grocery shopping or a walk to the park with fear and excitement to check the mail.
As I walked back my house a few years ago, there it was. The mail had arrived and there was the letter from SFUSD. I grabbed it, rushed upstairs and opened it privately. We got our third choice school. I cried. Yes - I was supposed to be happy, but I cried because I had imagined what life would be like if we got school #1. I tried to be happy and relieved. So many other people didn't get anything, nothing, nada, zip. And here I was crying over getting my third choice. I spent the rest of the weekend checking-in with friends, neighbors and the preschool community. I checked K Files blog constantly.
As the weeks went by I became more comfortable with the assignment. As the years went by I realized how lucky we were to receive our 3rd choice assignment. But I won't lie, the first couple of nights, in the beginning, I would wake up in the middle of the night and remember my "dream school" and I would feel so sad.
It's hard not to idealize life at one school. Part of having a choice system leads people to feel like they "lost" even when they get a spot at a great school.
I am here to say that believe me, the grass is always greener. As you spend year 1, year 2 at your school and check-in with friends at other schools, you realize that none of the schools are perfect. My friends at my "dream" school? They are bummed they missed out on immersion. They complain about the early start time. Friends with very active PTAs complain about the drama. Friends at their "dream" private complain about tuition and commute.
Parents of Kinders-to-be, hang in there. It will all work out and there are a heck of a lot of great choices. Veterans - Share your stories
And if you are in Bernal, there is a bar [Lucky Horseshoe] has created SFUS-D-Day and special drinks just for you
Good luck!
As I walked back my house a few years ago, there it was. The mail had arrived and there was the letter from SFUSD. I grabbed it, rushed upstairs and opened it privately. We got our third choice school. I cried. Yes - I was supposed to be happy, but I cried because I had imagined what life would be like if we got school #1. I tried to be happy and relieved. So many other people didn't get anything, nothing, nada, zip. And here I was crying over getting my third choice. I spent the rest of the weekend checking-in with friends, neighbors and the preschool community. I checked K Files blog constantly.
As the weeks went by I became more comfortable with the assignment. As the years went by I realized how lucky we were to receive our 3rd choice assignment. But I won't lie, the first couple of nights, in the beginning, I would wake up in the middle of the night and remember my "dream school" and I would feel so sad.
It's hard not to idealize life at one school. Part of having a choice system leads people to feel like they "lost" even when they get a spot at a great school.
I am here to say that believe me, the grass is always greener. As you spend year 1, year 2 at your school and check-in with friends at other schools, you realize that none of the schools are perfect. My friends at my "dream" school? They are bummed they missed out on immersion. They complain about the early start time. Friends with very active PTAs complain about the drama. Friends at their "dream" private complain about tuition and commute.
Parents of Kinders-to-be, hang in there. It will all work out and there are a heck of a lot of great choices. Veterans - Share your stories
And if you are in Bernal, there is a bar [Lucky Horseshoe] has created SFUS-D-Day and special drinks just for you
Good luck!