Question of the day...

After our first few nights at the fair (which is going AWESOME!), I will answer the three most commonly asked questions here today:

1) Will there be a dress code? The answer is yes, but not in the plaid skirt and sweater vest variety. Mrs. Nobbe is looking at a strictly enforced common dress code, which will include, but not be limited to (as this is a work in progress at the moment): no holes in pants, pants must be worn around the waist with no undergarments showing, skirt/shorts must reach the tips of the fingers when arms are hanging loosely at the sides (no shrugging shoulders!), no sleeveless shirts or tanktops and any tshirts or logos must be acceptable, meaning no drugs, alcohol or any other objectionable image.

2) Will there be sports? Yes, yes, yes....we are developing a competitive sports program with the goals of the school in mind. We will promote our student athletes as just that, students first and athlete's second.

3) How are parent's convincing their children to switch because my child is hesitant to go? The best answer I can give is this...if you truly feel ISC is the best fit for your child, ask them to give it a shot. Even though I am blogging as the Administrative Assistant for the school, my first contact with ISC was as a parent. And as a parent with children coming to ISC myself (I will have two 7th graders and one 8th grader this fall with two more coming in the future), this was a hard call for us too. There is absolutely no doubt we felt that the curriculum and ISC experience would prepare our kids for the post-secondary educational experience we want for them. There was absolutely no doubt in our minds we were looking for a change for them. With the two that were in sixth grade at the time, it was a no brainer. They really didn't question it much. Of course, they asked about their friends, but we told them that they could still have the same friends. And they asked about sports and yes, they will have the same experiences as they would at any other school.

But the conversation with the older child was different. I waited until it was just the two of us and I told him that I wanted to send him to ISC in the fall. He told me, "I am not going". I explained why and he told me, "I am not going." I won't lie...I got very frustrated with him and finally I told him, "I am putting you in ISC in the fall and if you sit on the curb all day long, fine by me, but you will not be enrolled at your current school next year!" and I ended the conversation. Later, when we both calmed down, I gave a lot of thought as to what I needed to say to him, because I really wanted him to agree with me and for this to be a positive transition for both of us. I felt very strongly about this decision. I wanted him to understand why I was making this decision as his parent and I really wanted him to be on board. So I went into Round 2 knowing that, in the end, this was my decision, but I wanted him to feel like I was taking his feelings into account.

So Round 2 didn't start much different. I told him to tell me why he didn't want to go. Friends topped the list, of course. There were a few others, but all of them had to with social aspects or clubs or sports. None of them had to do with academics. So I told him that I wanted him to be in clubs, which we will have at ISC, and I told him I wanted him to do sports, which we will have at ISC. I also sympathized with him, regarding switching schools, because I did that alot as a child. I went to nine different schools in my youth due to my stepdad's job moving us around. I appreciate and was not discounting what he felt or said, but I needed him to listen to my reasoning's. Our kids are very active in sports and I believe they are important to them and support them. But the chance to study a world-renowned curriculum in a small school setting was huge. The chance to receive the IB diploma was huge. The possibility of leaving high school with up to 2 years college credit....outstanding! But more than anything, the rigor of the program would help his chances on the most scary statistic I had read as a parent: only about 53% of students who start college will finish their Bachelor's Degree in six years. And in every study, they point to poor high school preparation as a leading factor in this statistic. I told him that I wanted him to be the one out of two to succeed and not fail!

So, in the end, we made a pact. He would come and give it a shot and we would agree to talk at the end of the year and if he truly was miserable, we would revisit our decision to send him to ISC. Of course, now that he has toured the building, met the teachers and started making friends, that conversation is a distant memory and he always tells me he is glad HE made the decision to come here :) And, as I sit here writing this, I realize that even though I wanted to scream when he was debating me, those will be very useful skills as he tackles the rigor of the IB program :)

Will that work for everyone? No, because each child and family is different, but that was one view. I had other parents tell me it was one of those moments of "Because I said so" for them. But the majority of the students I am meeting are so pumped and excited to be going. And it is contagious!

We are having another mixer for enrolled and interested students on July 31st. If you are having trouble convincing your student, bring them! Let them see the enthusiasm of the students, faculty and staff...it truly is contagious!