I am very sad to say that our neighborhood has been re-zoned to a different elementary school. I completely understand why we have to do this, I really do. But, it is still difficult to tell my children that they will have to leave Columbia where they have been since Kindergarten. They will have to say goodbye to all the friends they’ve made. They will have to say goodbye to all the teachers they’ve come to know and love. They will have to say goodbye to a school that they love. I know that our town is quite small and that while they can still be friends with everyone by having play dates and such, it is just not the same as seeing these people every single day. I truly believe that Rainbow will have amazing teachers just as Columbia does but they are not the teachers that we’ve been building relationships with for 6 years.
When they first started talking about re-zoning again last year I knew that our neighborhood would be on the chopping block. I figured we would go to either Rainbow or West Madison. Turns out I was right. Actually I was right way back when we went through the other re-zoning when the twins were in 1st grade. I said that I was afraid that Madison would re-zone again when the twins would be in 5th grade, making them leave their 6th grade year. Yep, that is what is happening now!
The board and Dr. Fowler has decided on a waiver system for 5th and 6th graders who have been re-zoned to stay at their current school. I am on the fence about this. Of course I would love for them to be able to stay at Columbia with their friends. But, we then have the problem next year of being divided at middle schools. Most of Columbia is zoned for Liberty. We are zoned for Discovery. I think it will be better for the twins to go ahead to Rainbow next year and make some friends before they are dumped into a middle school where they know hardly anyone. I haven’t even told them about the waiver possibility yet. If we did accept the waiver then I would be responsible for transportation to and from school. I could do that, it is possible, but I don’t want to!
So that is where we are now. Everyone I have talked to who goes to Rainbow absolutely loves it. But that is true for ALL of the elementary schools in Madison. At the community meeting before the board voted there were so many people who got up and spoke about how much they loved their school and didn’t want to leave. I have also heard that Rainbow and Columbia were built with the same floor plan. So, at least the twins will know their way around. I am certain it will all work out fine, kids are resilient and make friends easily, all that stuff everyone always tells you. But, I know it’s true especially of my kids.
