Teenagers can throw you for a loop sometimes. OK, all the time.
I have two daughters at home, 13 and 17, who take great pleasure in surprising me daily. Sometimes it’s the little things, like wanting to wear 6-inch platform heels when I know that one little twist of the ankle could end their Irish dance dreams for the year. Other times it’s more dangerous, like wanting to drive to downtown Columbus on a Saturday night with their friends for Gallery Hop or to a concert for a band I’ve never heard of.
But nothing prepared me for the day Courtney declared she wanted to switch from her Catholic high school to Dublin Coffman High School for her junior year. She had just completed her final exams as a sophomore at Bishop Watterson High School. She had a great group of friends, had been elected to student council and had enjoyed some interesting classes such as Italian and graphic design. I was so shocked. “I thought you were happy,” I exclaimed.
Courtney assured me she was happy and was glad she had attended Watterson for two years, but she was ready for something new. She was tired of the long commute, the uniform and the lack of flexibility in her schedule. My little girl was ready to spread her wings.
As much as Courtney loved the camaraderie and Catholic community at Watterson, she wanted to take a greater variety of classes and have more time to focus on her artistic pursuits, such as Irish dance, theater, piano, guitar and drawing.
This meant leaving a school where she knew almost everyone and entering a school of 1,877 students where she knew hardly anyone. “You could send me to any classroom at Watterson and I could practically tell you the name, age and favorite food of most people in the room,” Courtney says. “At Coffman I can still search the hallways between classes and not even recognize a face, but I meet someone new every day.”
One of the wonderful things about living in Dublin is that we have so many great school options. In our neighborhood alone, we have children who attend many different parochial schools, a variety of private institutions and an assortment of public schools. Dublin City Schools has 12 elementary, four middle and three high schools, with each neighborhood assigned to particular buildings. Sometimes students may want to attend a different school, and they can open enroll when space is available.
My neighbor Laura King went to Karrer Middle School, after which half of the students proceed to Coffman and half go on to Jerome, depending on where they are districted. Laura opted to attend Jerome instead of Coffman because she had heard great things about the choir and the theater program, and several of her acting and singing friends were heading there. Laura’s parents, Heidi and Mark King, weren’t sure if that was the right decision at first. “Laura could have walked to Coffman, but she felt strongly about her decision and, in the end, we wanted her to be comfortable and happy,” says Heidi.
Dublin resident Carol Clinton has three kids who attended three different high schools. Evelyn went to the Metro School, Owen went to Bishop Watterson and Maeve is a freshman at Dublin Coffman who is also homeschooled part-time.
“My children are always surprising me with the paths they want to follow,” says Carol. “Evelyn shocked us by finishing high school in three years and wanting to do a gap year program before college. She built roads in Ecuador and helped re-write a new Constitution in Kenya before studying at Smith College. Just ask around and find the school that will help your children reach their full potential.”
Most people anticipate they will tour a variety of colleges and universities before making that leap, but it’s becoming popular to consider alternative learning situations for younger students as well. Not everyone learns the same way – or at the same speed – so consider visiting multiple schools and investigating curriculums that best suit your needs. Talk to teachers, counselors and parents, and ask a lot of questions. We had Courtney construct a pros and cons chart before switching schools, and it helped to see her priorities on paper.
Anytime you make a change, you should also expect a few bumps along the way. Courtney had minor struggles with transferring course credits and finding the right classes and clubs to join. The students and administrators at both schools were very helpful, though, and after a few months, she had found her niche at Coffman in the IB Art program, Interact service club and National Honor Society, and designing costumes for theater productions.
“Don’t ever be afraid to make a change,” Courtney says.
