School problems

My son is in a Junior school. This means that it only goes up to grade six. We've applied him to the nearest neighbourhood school, but recently found out that he is number 18 on the waiting list. We are literally 3 houses away from the cut off making that school his home school. Our 'home' school is 18 blocks away! This one is 5.

So, this weekend I had my son working on 2 projects so that we could apply to an 'alternate' school in my area. Why an 'alternate' school? Because the only schools in my 'neighbourhood' are horrendous! One is 1 block away from a mental institution, and the other closest one is in an area that is in the news on a monthly basis due to gang violence, shootings and drugs. Don't get me wrong, I do realize that our world is a dangerous place to be, but that doesn't mean I want my children to be put in harm's way. He's only 11 years old. I don't even go to these neighbourhoods! And I'm supposed to send my son to them on a daily basis? Also, since neither are his neighbourhoods, he hasn't grown up around the problems that are part of those neighbourhoods.

Anyway, please cross your fingers that he gets into this alternative school. Because if he doesn't, I dont' know what we're going to do.