Heart Break High

When I was a kid unless your parents wanted to keep you away from the opposite sex as your hormones were setting in you went to the local high school. Full stop. End of story.

Life is MUCH more complicated these days and it leaves me longing for a move to a small town with no options.

We were always of the mind that Kieran would go to Westlake Boys ever since the maths tutor that the school had for a while told us that Kieran really needed to do Cambridge Maths and not waste his time with NCEA. For a short while last year we considered applying for the Governments Private School scholarship until a wise person pointed out that private school would be something of a life style choice. On considering this we realised it was a lifestyle we either wanted or could afford even with the scholarship.

Thinking along those lines we also considered that going to Westlake also has some aspects of this, like Kieran being ready to catch a bus at 7:30am and not being home till 4:30 which is as far as I am concerned less than idea for a growing boy and his family. Especially when we add sports team practices to the mix as well. And lets face it the kid is more than just a maths whizz.

So the local, Massey High, has now been added to the mix and we are about to start the process of open day visits and so forth to see where we think will be best. Massey comes highly recommended by the parents we know who have kids there and also by Mrs Brown who is a former DP/Acting Principal from Whenuapai and someone whose judgement that I value highly. Massey is closer. Massey is more 'our sort of people' and it's also likely to be cheaper.

Westlake has Cambridge, it's all boys, it's academic and sporting achievement record is higher.

Les seems to lean which ever way he's blown depending on the conversation.

I'm leaning towards Massey.

Kieran has his heart set on Westlake.

And meanwhile in the background at least two sets of parents of currently year 7 boys are looking to see which way we ultimately go- we're testing the waters.

I have reasonable faith that where ever he goes Kieran will be fine because he genuinely seems to enjoy school so long as he is being challenged. He has friends going to both- though he thinks he prefers the ones already at or heading to Westlake. But it's five years of his life so we need to be sure we are making the 'right' decision for all the right reasons.

We will most likely apply for an out of zone spot at Westlake and go from there. Is it wrong that I'm quietly hoping that he won't get it and that the choice becomes moot- or that we leave town and don't have either option?

And I thought the two year old was hard work!

♥