First Day of School - 2013

I've got a little friend over to play with Rosie for a couple hours and I thought that maybe while she was entertained I might be able to catch up a bit on my blogging as I watch them.  So here's my mad effort to post as many things as I can in that amount of time without feeling like I'm neglecting her.  Ready, set, here I go...

 

Cash and Vanna started school on August 21st this year.  We went to the school the day before walk around and help Vanna get familiar with it and to drop off supplies and meet the kids' teachers. 

 

Cash's first grade teacher is Mrs. Fitzsimonds.  This is her first year teaching at Payette Primary but I think she said it's her 17th year teaching overall.  We have really enjoyed her.  She is very nice and Cash seems to do very well in her class.  I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by how much quicker these kids learn things than I remember doing at their age but I am.  Cash is working on his addition and subtraction and even short story problems. 

 

 

Cash's doing very well with his reading as well although he didn't always feel like he was.  This was because he goes to a higher level reading group throughout the day but within that group are two reading levels and he is in the lower level of that group.  When school first started, he kept coming home saying he hated his reading group and that he never had time to get anything done, that his teacher went too fast, etc.  I gave it some time knowing that Cash can over exaggerate things sometimes and hoping that it might work itself out.  I became concerned though when this continued for a couple weeks.  I decided to finally talk to his reading group teacher about it when I had to practically shove him out of the van crying one morning because he was anxious to go to school - not wanting to go to reading group.   This was just not like him and I wanted to do whatever we needed to in order for him to enjoy school and in order for him to be and feel successful in his efforts. 

 

 

 

His reading group teacher, Mrs. Tuning, expressed to me the she felt he was in the right group ( I worried that maybe he wasn't able to keep up because he wasn't quite placed at the right reading level) and that the kids weren't expected to be able to finish all they were given in class, etc.  We decided that she would send home anything he didn't get done in class for him to work on at home where he could feel like he was finishing his work and where he wasn't being rushed at all.  I think he would see other kids in that higher level maybe finishing things before him and felt behind.  He is such a perfectionist and while sometimes this is great (you should see his amazing handwriting!) sometimes it hurts him too because if he doesn't get everything just right and perfect the first time (whether it's in school or sports or a game)  he gets disappointed in himself and I hate to see him disappointed in himself - he really does such a good job!  Whew - things were a little rough at first but now things are running more smoothly and he's learning and progressing and I think he feels successful!  He even  got the Student of the Month award in his class and was honored at their monthly school assembly.  We're very proud of him!

  

 Vanna has been so excited for Kindergarten!  I think she feels like she's catching up with Cash now that she's starting school too.  I was a bit worried about how she'd handle the schedule because the Kindergarten program is all day everyday this year.  Their school got a grant this year that provides for Kindergarteners to enjoy half the day with more of the academic education and then the other half of the day is filled with enrichment activities that allows for more art and music, additional emphasis on math, science and reading, regular field trips every month, etc.  I'm actually really excited that she can be involved in such a good program that I think will ultimately provide her with a much better education than she could have gotten before.  

 

So Vanna's regular Kindergarten teacher is Mrs. Warzyn who we love.  Cash had her last year and she is one the best teachers at the school I think - she's taught there for about 30 years so she is very experienced and knows what she's doing. I just love her personality and sense of humor too.  She does great with the kids.   And Vanna's enrichment teacher is Mrs. Perryman.  Vanna thinks it's great that she (her teacher) has such long hair that "goes clear to her butt" in Vanna's words.  She tells me she never wants to cut her hair again because she wants to have hair like Rapunzel and like her teacher.  We'll see how that goes.

 

 

Vanna got all spruced up for her first day with lip gloss and everything! :)

 

Rosie wanted to join in on the fun - she was a hoot too, she started dancing and getting all excited because the older kids were so excited for their first day of school!

 



 

Vanna was quite the poser and hip thrower for all her pictures that day!

 

 

Since this is the first year for each of the kids to go to school all day - one of the most exciting thing about them starting school was that they got to pick out lunch boxes and take cold lunch sometimes.  They thought it was great to get school lunches too.  Everyday when I'd pick them up from school, for the longest time their responses to my, "How was school?" were all about what they had for lunch that day and recess.  We've ventured in responses now to include their friends, what projects they're working on, what they had for snacks that day, what they did in PE, etc. :)
 

And this is how Vanna looked about 5 minutes after getting home on that first day.  She was worn out.  My kids have always been good nappers, in fact, Cash just out-grew his about this last summer.  And Vanna took naps all the way up to Kindergarten so I was interested to see how it would all play out once school started.  We have a pretty good schedule though:  the kids get up at 7am each morning to shower and get ready for school; then by about 7:30 we're ready for breakfast and by 8am they have their last minute things to do (brush teeth, make beds, etc.) and then we're off for school by 8:15.    The kids get out of school at 2:45 so I go pick them up and once we get home we first dump sand out of their shoes outside (their playground is one made of sand - ahhhh!); wash hands; have a snack; then have a bit of quiet time where Cash and Rosie read books and Vanna takes a short nap.  Then after dinner and homework and practices, etc., the kids are ready for bedtime stories and bed at 8pm.  By then we're all kind of wiped out and I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoy that time after they go to bed before I go to bed myself.  It's a much needed break and the whirlwind it seems each afternoon and evening brings!

The first couple days after school started, Rosie and I hardly knew what to do with ourselves.  But I'll tell you what - I've really come to enjoy the one on one time our new  schedule gives us.  She's my little side-kick and goes with me everywhere, whether it running errands or volunteering in the kids' classes each week.  In fact, she's kind of become the class mascot and luckily she's really good while we're there so the teachers and kids love her - it's been fun.  I think I'd forgotten how much easier it is to get things done with just one munchkin around. 

Anyway, we're settled into things now and school seems to be going well.  It's so fun to see the kids learning and growing up