It’s a public school.
To the OP…you wrote this:
I’m not sure I would advocate for this. It’s not going to be easy to keep in on the low down for a full school year.
I do think your parents could “work” at the new location…and maintain their “residency” in the old one via the apartment…if they could come on weekends.
It’s a charter school if that answers any questions to do with residency.
I feel okay about the actual “living on own” thing. I’m confident that we can take care of ourselves, as we’re pretty self sufficient already. I’m just really nervous and stressed about the first few days and everything starting off on a good foot. After a week, I’m sure this will be alleviated.
It’s possible if you keep your mouths shut and maybe lie a little. You need to lie anyway because it would be best for your friends to think that at least one of your parents is living in your apartment with you. That way, you don’t have to constantly say no to people who want to have parties there or borrow the place for a couple of hours to have sex.
I agree with Marian. I would not telling ANYONE you are living by yourselves. If you tell one then everyone would know. I just want to put this out there…There are many underaged international students living in the US with one parent or just a housekeeper.
Times are different but like others, I too rented my first apartment at 17, with financial help from my parents. With computers, cells with texting, etc., a lot of “stuff” isn’t nearly as complicated as it used to be.
If you’re responsible and reliable as you say you are (and your posts point favorably to both) it is doable.
My mother chose a trusted friend (still in my life today, 40 years later) to go to in case of emergencies (none), and I proved to be as grown up and trusted as I said I was!
The most difficult part may be finding a landlord willing to accept the situation.
Good luck all around!
Many families have dual residencies.
It seems what might work for you is to make the apartment that you and your sister live in, the legal residence (have utilities in their name) for one parent and the new home the legal residence of the other parent.
No reason the ‘home’ parent cannot be away visiting the rest of the family if an ‘emergency’ arises.
I work in an ER, we get phone consent from parents all the time.
Kids do go off to college at 17, but they live at the college, eat at the college, have access to medical care. They are not renting apartment ts (and many landlords require parents’ signatures even for 18 year olds).
It’s sad the the timing isn’t working out for 2 seniors to graduate from the high school they started at and for their mother to start grad school, but families often face difficult choices. I had to move my senior year and it sucked. My kids changed high schools twice and it sucked.
Our district is fairly lenient about HS seniors and parents that move. No other grades, but with seniors they have bene known to allow a kid to finish the school year if the parents move out of district. I know one kid this year that officially lived with her dad, but moved out to live with a friend due to family conflict. Not sure the school knew, but she managed.
Your parents definitely need to put together a legal document that says they give permission for relative A to authorize medical care if they are unavailable. Once you turn 18, you won’t need that.
Will you get groceries delivered or will your parents come on the weekends at least once a month? That would certainly help!
Good luck.
My neighbor’s granddaughter is doing this in the fall in Switzerland. Mom and Dad are being sent back to the states and she wants to finish her schooling there. She is renting with another student in the same situation. Nobody is batting an eye including Grandma and Grandpa, former Expats themselves.
Just fwiw, my friends knew I was living alone and parties and sex were never brought up. They knew better.
I have no idea how my school would’ve found out but even if they did, it’s highly doubtful they’d do too much for 17 year olds. I seriously doubt CPS would even investigate.
@ZBlue17 , yes, there were several documents we had to sign, including an authorization to make medical decisions, an authorization for the doctor to treat my ward, an authorization for any medical personal to speak to me about the student, and a document allowing me to take the student off campus when he was permitted to leave. This was a boarding student, so your situation will be different. The main thing is to see what the school requires for under-18 students and see if you can find a guardian that will take on the responsibility. Since you are a conscientious student and the school knows this, I’d be surprised if they gave you a hard time.
It really isn’t a huge deal. I’m guessing you’ll need some of the medical forms, plus something stating that your guardian can sign field trip permission slips for you. I will say that even after you turn 18, your school’s policy may still require a parent or guardian signature on some things. My son was rather dismayed to find that he couldn’t sign his own permission slips once he turned 18 senior year!
Thank you all so so much for all the great insight and advice. All greatly appreciated. Fingers crossed that everything works out!