Johnny’s 3rd Grade Graduation (NEW)

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From Fearing American Schools to Receiving Awards

One of the biggest unknowns for our family before moving to the United States was schooling.

For many years, moving to America had existed quietly in the background through the immigration process, but it didn’t truly become part of family discussions until late 2024, when we finally received notification from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that our family would need to schedule immigrant visa interviews with the U.S. Consulate in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Up until that point, we hadn’t fully planned:

  • schooling
  • accommodation
  • employment
  • or what daily life in America would realistically look like

For Johnny especially, America was still mostly an idea.

And when he thought about American schools, he imagined something very specific.

Lockers.

Hallways.

Bullying.

Movies and television had shaped much of his understanding of what American schools looked like, and for a long time, he was very vocal that he did not want to attend “a school with lockers,” because in his mind, that was where bullying happened.

As our family began having more serious conversations about moving, Johnny became increasingly set on the idea that he wanted to be homeschooled instead.

At the time, we genuinely considered it.

Arriving in Las Vegas

When we officially moved to Las Vegas in March 2025, there were still many unknowns ahead of us.

Johnny had approximately five months before beginning elementary school as a 3rd grader.

During those first months, we were navigating processes of establishing each family member:

  • immigration systems
  • Social Security registration
  • identification
  • transportation
  • housing
  • employment
  • and trying to establish daily routine in a completely new country

At the same time, we were also trying to determine what schooling option would be best.

Eventually, after researching and navigating the registration process, we successfully enrolled him into a local elementary school just a 10-minute walk away.

That alone felt like a major milestone.

A Difficult Adjustment Period

The first few months of school, from August through December 2025, were not easy.

For Johnny, everything was new:

  • school culture
  • routines
  • peers
  • teaching styles
  • expectations
  • curriculum

And as a family, we were all learning too.

There were moments as parents, where we worried whether he would fall behind academically, or even need to repeat Grade 3 entirely.

Adjusting to a completely different education system while also adjusting to a new country was a significant transition for a child.

There were emotional days, uncertain days, and moments where we questioned whether we had made the right decision, and whether he should finish his schooling back in Porirua.

Something Changed in 2026

When school resumed in January 2026, something shifted.

Johnny began settling in more confidently.

Not only academically, but socially as well.

He continued reaching milestones, growing in confidence, building friendships, and adapting to his environment in ways that reassured all of us, that he was on the right track to graduating.

Slowly, the fear that once surrounded the idea of American schooling began to disappear.

Celebrating Milestones

Last week, we were informed that Johnny would be receiving an award for April.

Then this week, we received another surprise, he would also be receiving an award during his 3rd Grade Graduation.

As parents, it’s difficult to fully describe how meaningful this milestone feels.

Not simply because of the award itself, but because of everything it represents.

This is Johnny’s first year navigating the U.S. education system.

His first year adapting to a new country.

His first year learning how to build confidence in an environment he once feared.

And now, seeing him recognized for his progress and achievements makes us incredibly proud.

A Different Path From His Brothers

Johnny’s journey is unique within our family.

While his older brothers completed their schooling in Aotearoa New Zealand, Johnny is the first among his siblings to fully experience the American education system from childhood.

That brings challenges.

But it also brings opportunity.

Watching him grow through this experience has become one of the most rewarding parts of our transition to life in the United States.

Looking Back

It’s amazing to think that only a short time ago, Johnny associated American schools almost entirely with fear and uncertainty.

Today, he walks into school with growing confidence, friendships, routines, and accomplishments that once felt far away.

For our family, this graduation represents far more than the end of 3rd Grade.

It represents adjustment.

Growth.
Courage.
And the beginning of a new chapter.

Helpful Items to Transition Into School Life

A list of products for schooling:

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Coming Up Next

<<<>>> The reality of finding work after arriving in the U.S.
<<<>>> Navigating DMV appointments, banking, and transportation
<<<>>> Building routine and stability during the first six months in Las Vegas