Parental Choices

"Keep the offer open, and we may eventually take you up on it. Mean while I'll have to talk to Harry on the boarding versus day student question. One factor may be the weapon policy. Harry practices Martial arts, weapons are part of it. There's also the factor that the terrorist bastard that killed his parents is out there somewhere and will probably come after Harry again someday. Indonesia isn't always the safest place to live, Harry has carried a weapon for his own protection most of the last two years. I don't like the idea of Harry being anywhere weaponless, but I realize compromises are required.

"What can you tell me about life of a boarding student?" Sirius asked.

"Our dorms are organized so two students of the same year share a room and every two rooms share a basic bathroom. Breakfast is served from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Lunch is 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Dinner is 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. There is a floor supervisor /parent on each floor that looks after about forty students. Each floor has a kitchen and a common room surrounded by bedroom suites. The kids have weekly room inspection, we have help that comes in does a cleaning but they don't do pickup and the kids laundry gets done but only if it's in the hampers."

"It encourages responsibility. Healthy snacks are available in the floor kitchen pretty much all the time and if we have students that want to cook they're encouraged to use the kitchen and clean up after themselves. There's a curfew to be in the dorm by nine, lights out is 10:00 p.m. Of course lights out is usually negotiable by a half an hour but kids need rest so we try to get the kids to keep regular hours.

"We have an infirmary for boarding students that get sick but since many of our boarders actually have family in the area many parents pull their children home when they're sick. Many of them also go home for the weekends. Unlike many boarding schools we try to allow our parents lots of access, we believe it makes for healthier and happier kids to encourage parental involvement. We only have a couple of kids whose parents prefer to not be involved , those are the kids I see the most of usually.

"Our boarding students are encouraged to have personal computers, but TV's and game systems are discouraged. Cell phones are allowed but must be turned off during class. Most boarders have their uniforms, one or two more formal ensembles, and then usually a week's worth of casual wear. Many of them bring a small personal library, twenty-five to fifty books and maybe a dozen personal items. The dorm rooms aren't huge but they are comfortable. The common rooms on each floor are stocked with board games and cards, but most of the kids here, once they hit fifth grade tend to be focused enough that unstructured play is no longer a big part of their lives.

"I'm not sure whether I would recommend Harry be a day or a boarding student. He is younger than the other fifth graders, but in many ways he's as or more mature than most of them. I suppose I would ask you how much unstructured time does Harry usually spend in freeplay?"

"Per day or per week? The answer to either would be very little maybe a couple hours total a week. He'll lose himself on a walk looking for the perfect picture or he'll play with his legos, when we went on vacation in November he surfed for hours but he didn't do much sand castle building unless Beth roped him into it. He prefers to structure his activities photography, martial arts practice, guitar or cello, a swim in the pool.

Socially he played football. He used to allow Hadi to choose unstructured play activities. He is very self disciplined. If I arranged for a private sensei to come here so Harry could continue his martial arts instruction would it be permissible for him to continue his arms instruction under the auspices of a private teacher?"

"Probably since that is what the fencing team and the archery teams effectively do."

"Good enough, as his guardian am I free to come and see him whenever as long as I don't disrupt his classes? Rebecca said tuition would be due pretty much immediately but she didn't say what books usually run. She also neglected to mention where we could get uniforms."

Carson gave Sirius a smile and said, "Books run between six and seven hundred dollars, Hunting's Uniforms carries the school uniforms. I expect except during class time as long as you checked in at the office you could probably have access to Harry but if you were going to be here a lot we'd probably require you to get a background check."

"Harry and I will talk it over tonight. If this is the place for him I'll let you know whether or not he wants to board tomorrow."

"Mr. Black I apologize again for the conclusions I jumped to and extend my heartfelt condolences on your losses."

"Thanks but no apology is really necessary because you were acting from concern. It's easy to forgive concern besides you had no way of knowing, for all you knew Harry was abused, some kids are. I hope you understand or at least begin to understand, that contrary to your initial reactions Harry's best interests lay with me."

"Yes I believe I do."

A few minutes later, a very excited Harry and the assistant principal re-entered the office and further discussion was put off as Harry's stomach gurgled loudly and he asked for lunch. After polite goodbyes Sirius and Harry left the school.

....

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