6yo SD is terribly anxious about going to new school next year. How can I help ease her anxiety?

My 6 year old step daughter just graduated Kindergarten. She excelled in all of her studies except for behavior, in which she slowly progressed. But that progress was not without a LOT of work, doctors appointments, an ADHD diagnosis, and therapy. Simply put, nobody was happy with her school administration, we had some run ins with the after school latchkey staff who lied about our kid having lice because they didn’t want to deal with her in the after school program. She got write ups for spending “too much time” in the bathroom when she was sick and constipated. She would get sent to the principals office for defending herself when another girl in class would lie to the teacher about something SD did/didn’t do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fully aware that SD is no angel, but some of the complaints coming from the school were just outlandish.Anywho, for the aforementioned reasons (plus others I won’t bore you with), we have decided to switch schools. Because she is diagnosed, she is eligible for a scholarship that allows her to attend a school outside of our district. The school has better resources for her and more specialized teachers that can assist her. About 2 weeks ago SD found out she wouldn’t be returning to the same school next year and has been a fit of tears ever since. Today was the last day of school and she’s been wailing since we got home (about 5 hours ago). She’s not mad or angry, she’s just sad and anxious about having to make new friends. She still talks about (and sometimes cries over) a friend she had in the beginning of the school year who moved and transferred schools like a month into the school year. SD is an only child and has a deep connection to her friends. She doesn’t see many of them outside of school, but she does talk about her school friends quite a bit. She keeps reiterating to me through tears that she is nervous her new school will have mean kids who won’t want to be friends with her. We definitely can’t keep her in the old school because there are other issues she doesn’t understand yet (see paragraph 1). But it’s breaking my heart to see her so upset.Her mom has already asked for some of her friends numbers to keep in contact and schedule play dates and such over the summer, so I’m hoping that will help. I’ve also told her about how I had to move schools and how I made a lot of new friends, etc. We keep talking about the positives to try and reassure her but she’s just not taking it. She will be quiet or watching tv or playing and suddenly ask about her new school - so I know it’s running through her mind. I’m hoping the new school has an open house we can attend so she can meet her new teacher, but that won’t happen until August at the earliest. What can we do to help her with this transition? via /r/Parenting http://bit.ly/2QBp8Nl