Going Public, After Homeschooling

Patch caught up with Tina Fullerton, a concerned parent and caregiver, at De La Veaga Elementary School this week. She was relaxing in the sunshine, waiting for her daughter, Grace Saggau, to finish school for the day.

Santa Cruz Patch: Are you waiting to pick up your child? 

Tina Fullerton: Yes.

Patch: Tell us about your child.

Fullerton: This is my daughter Grace’s first year in school. She’s going into fifth grade, but she homeschooled up until this year.

Patch: Why did you decide to make the change to public school?

Fullerton: I think for every child, they should have that opportunity to experience lots of different things, and she was shy and felt comfortable in homeschooling, which was great, but I also wanted her to try something else. It turns out she loves it. She loves seeing her friends every day. And she loves her teacher.

Patch: So, will Grace continue on in public school?

Fullerton: She will. My son, Jack, is at Branciforte (Middle School), and he started his public schooling in seventh grade. He’s had a great experience. I think for Grace, she’ll follow her friends to middle school. She’s already got it planned out.

Patch: What kind of work do you do?

Fullerton: I work for Safe at Home Senior Care. I am a caregiver to an elderly gentleman. I think I have a knack for caregiving, and the seniors in our community need people to care for them, bring them a meal, take out the trash, cut flowers.

Patch: What does your family like to do around town?

Fullerton: We love to go to Simpkins—that’s our favorite thing. Of course, the . The aquarium. Going to different parks. We went to a softball game at De Laveaga Park last night, and we got to see the creek, and how full it was. Anything that has to be outside—swimming, hiking, parks.

Patch: What is the last thing you read?

Fullerton: I’m actually reading a 'tween novel called Shiver, and it’s about a werewolf. My daughter is interested in that whole Twilight series, and we’ve read that because all of her friends were reading it. So this was the next book that we found at the book fair. But I like to read them first, just in case. You know, it is geared toward middle school.