PLATTSBURGH -- Kellie Porter didn't want to disrupt the family unit she'd created.

She and her three children were individuals, but through home-schooling they'd formed a bubble that magnified love, respect and compassion while keeping negative outside influences at bay.

But the bubble burst, and with teary eyes, Kellie sends her little ones to public school for the first time today.

As they embark on their new journey, an array of questions flood the 39-year-old single mother's mind: Will they fit in? Will they excel? Will the kids remain caring, carefree and close?

"The hardest part for me is separating them," said Kellie, sitting on her living-room couch last week, her face wet with tears.

FAMILY CLOSENESS

She decided to home-school her children when Zoe was school-age.

"I didn't want to part with her."

She took it a day at a time. Lessons might take place on the porch, in bed and even the hot tub.

"Watching them learn was such a cool experience," Kellie said. "Kids love to learn, and when you can tap into what they like, it's a good thing."

Her children enjoyed time at home, and Kellie couldn't help but smile as their bond strengthened.

"I liked home-schooling," said Nell, 6. "My mom was there and my brother and sister."

TIME FOR CHANGE?

But as Zoe neared her third-grade year, she wanted more from her educational experience than Kellie was able to offer. Liam also asked questions about public school.

Kellie and Keith, the children's father, own and operate Adirondack Canvas, which custom fabricates canvas tops and enclosures for boats. It became harder to find a pattern during the day that everyone could fit into, especially considering how busy the business could be in the morning, which happened to also be when the children were at their best in terms of learning.