When something new and BIG is happening in my life, I can think of nothing else. When my DH came home and told me we had soft orders for Fort Knox, I was thrilled. It's about three hours from family, and we've been praying for a PCS there for a LONG time. It struck me, though, that we would be moving right around the beginning of the kids' school year, and that if we are stuck on a waitlist for housing, we will be switching them from one school to another within a matter of months. I really don't want to do that, and we can't afford to live off post in KY because our BAH is WAY lower there than here in GA. There is no wait for housing if we want to go to the older, renovated housing, but I'm bent on trying to get into the newer housing. My boys NEED a fenced-in back yard to play in. They haven't had that since they were too young to enjoy it, and the move is going to be hard enough for them without that perk. Knox doesn't offer temporary lodging, and if we were to stay in even the cheapest motel, we'd run out of money pretty fast. I've never signed a short-term lease for an apartment, but I imagine it's expensive, and it just seems like so much hassle and expense to move our things and then just move them again! (We were planning on doing a DITY.)
My question, for those who have experienced a similar situation, is this: If we are on a waitlist for a particular neighborhood on post, is there any way we can enroll our kids in the school they will be eligible for once we move? What did YOU do for your family and kids while waiting for housing?
Thanks!
Amanda
If you enroll them into one school (say for wherever you're staying) they're grandfathered in for the whole year so you wouldn't have to switch the school if you didn't want to.
I've never dealt with this situation so I don't have any real answers.
Depends on the school system and I don't know for there. HERE, you wouldn't be able to. It would be based on where you were residing. If you ended up in an apartment that is not in the schools zone you could not go there.
Again - it depends on the system as everyone seems to be different. Call the school and see what they say...
MJSumrall, I have loads of admiration for mothers who homeschool. I know several whose creativity and devotion to their childrens' education just blow me away! I just don't think I have the patience for it! If my kids were to complain as much about all of their work as they do just about their homework, I'd be in a straitjacket after a week! :)
SierraLynn, I did look at some houses online... we were told Radcliffe is a bad area, so I looked at a lot in Elizabethtown and Vine Grove. After doing the math, though, my DH and I realized that our decrease in BAH and increase in rent were going to be too great a financial strain on our family. I was really surprised how big a difference in BAH we will be getting when we move! :( I'm just grateful to be eligible for the newer housing this time around.
Jas, thank you for suggesting I call the schools. I was waiting on an answer back from housing, but the direct way proved much faster! For anyone else who is interested to know, Fort Knox DOES allow children to register and attend school on post. They go to the school they will belong to when they move. I think we're going to try to find an apartment that leases monthly and just commute to work and school until we move on post. I feel so relieved to have a plan! Thank you, ladies! Maybe I can sleep tonight!
I had the same concerns. Living somewhere for a few months before housing is available. The kids would go to one school, then have to switch to base. So I decided to just stay residing out in town so the kids didn't have to switch. I totally understand why it is frustrating.
That's the exact reason I started homeschooling in the first place --no worries about switching schools every couple of years or trying to line everything up just right with the school calendars that vary from state to state.
Quoting MJSumrall:Have you considered homeschooling so that you won't have to deal with this situation ever? It's more affordable than people realize.
Army Wives...I love to hate it!!
- Demanda83
on May. 22, 2012 at 1:44 PM