How to Keep Your Student Engaged in School During a Move

August 30, 2023

3 min to read

A young student in light blue denimn overalls talking to her parents about moving.

A move from one apartment, house, town, city, state, or country to another always comes with its own set of unique challenges, even when it’s the best thing for everyone involved. The norms are changing, the environment is shifting, and it can feel like things are being turned upside down, especially for young children and teens who may feel they have little control over the situation.

Even through the most challenging parts of a move, you want your students to stay interested in learning and engaged in school. Moving in the middle of the school year brings even more challenges, so how can you take positive steps toward ongoing learning before, during, and after your family’s move to a new home?

Tips for Almost any Parent Moving out of State During the School Year

Every child handles change differently, but certain factors can play a role in almost any student’s life to make moving in the middle of a school year a more positive, productive experience in and out of the classroom. You can help ease this transition and keep their eyes on the prize by:

Telling them early.

It’s never a good idea to hide a move up to the very last minute with a child of any age. You may feel like holding off on the news is the best way to keep them calm, especially if they are already dealing with school-related stress, but doing so could also backfire. They’re likely to sense something changing, and when you do finally tell them, they won’t have time to process the change and move forward positively.

Letting them help make choices.

Try involving your kids in this life change. Ask them to communicate their preferences for a future home, neighborhood, or school. Let them choose their new room, a paint color on the wall, or where the first family outing will take place. It doesn’t mean they have to call all the shots, but it does help them feel like they contributed to the required give and take.

Allowing space for their emotions.

Building emotional intelligence and learning to navigate their emotions are just a couple of the many critical skills your student will need to master. A big life change like moving out of state during the school year could create some of these complicated emotions, so give them an opportunity to explore their feelings and help them learn how best to express those thoughts.

Enroll in Virtual School to Keep Your Student Learning While Moving in the Middle of the School Year

Have you considered whether your child would be a good fit for online learning? If you’ve wondered how to move schools mid-year without disrupting your student’s learning, you may have just found your answer. One of the best ways to keep your student engaged in school throughout the planning, execution, and adjustment steps of a moving process is to enroll them in a virtual school. Doing so will help keep them from missing a beat no matter where the move takes you or how far point A is from point B.

When they’re engaged in virtual education, your child can continue learning and stay on course in their studies even as their physical surroundings change. Learn more by to keep students engaged in school throughout every stage of your upcoming move.