<p>We are moving there in a month, our child is starting 12th grade there and we're worried about it being a difficult transition. He is coming from a large (2000 student) high school in the Midwest, where all his friends since childhood are. We feel really bad about moving him at this critical time, but we had to move for a job, and finally finished house hunting. He is generally sociable but tends a little bit on the nerdy/earnest side rather than trying to act cool or anything like that. He doesn't do any sort of partying. He is putting on a good face but I know he is nervous. Any advice or reassurance about the school and the kids there? Will he feel alienated? Do people have very solid groups there, or is it big enough that he won't really be noticed and can maybe find some people to hang out with?</p>
<p>If you have not yet done this, make an appointment to visit your child’s assigned guidance counselor this summer. Both you and your student need to meet with his counselor. There are some hoops that students are required to jump through to graduate from any Howard County public high school. Kids who have been in HoCo public schools since sixth grade will have met these requirements already. Transferring students also must meet the graduation requirements, (For example, all students must have done X hours of community service. My kids met that requirement through middle school sponsored service projects.)</p>
<p>And welcome to HoCo!</p>