School Reports.....

How is everyone's year going? We've really gotten lucky with our teachers this year and the kids are so happy. I'm volunteering every Wednesday in Finny's class and I'm really pleased with her teacher. She has helped Finny SO MUCH.....She is already starting to read fairly well...and she is so proud of herself. The teacher really is doing above and beyond to help her out.....I'm really, really happy about the situation!

Andrew loves having a male teacher to look up to and his best friend is in his class....so things are smooth sailing for him too. His teacher has hooked him up with a different teacher for math and science classes and this has kept him in his seat and on task!

Alex loves preschool....


This year is just off to such a good start. Doesn't this just sound like night and day from this time last year???? :P I feel so much more positive about it than I did last year. I think that a lot of my unhapinness last year also had to do with the transition that we were all going through....I was so stressed out from the move and all of the changes....


How is everyone else doing?

[houseelf]

kris,

This IS awesome news. It is nice to hear that your kids are settling in so well. Wooo hooo.

Kelly

[mommax3]

We are also off to a great start -- such a difference from the past two years! Luke is thriving at the new school and the teacher tells me often how much she enjoys him and how well he is fitting in with the class. He is excited to go to school and has not been in trouble (had his name on the board, etc.) so far. He is making new friends and his class voted for him to be Johnny Appleseed in an upcoming play, so he is thrilled to death.

I did not realize what a load of worry I had been carrying around for the past two school years until I felt it disappearing the first few weeks of this year. This private school is worth every penny. I think I am really going to have to lean on the teachers in order for them to give Luke work that is challenging for him -- the school tested him prior to the start of the year -- his vocabulary is at a sixth grade level and he is reading at a fifth grade level. His math is at a fourth grade level. The principal assured me that he would receive work that would take those grade equivalencies into account -- but so far that is not what I have seen. They have only been in school for a month, though, so maybe I should wait a little longer. I just don't want him to become lazy and expect everything to come easily -- but maybe that is okay in the 2nd grade? I don't know. He has not been in any trouble yet, so somehow he is keeping himself busy appropriately.

Joel is in preschool MWF from 9 to 2. I had a few concerns about his teacher -- she is pushing 70 if she is a day, and she is a little abrupt with parents and sometimes with the kids. She also was having the kids do a LOT of worksheets, which I don't think is really appropriate for pre-K. Well, I found out today that she has resigned for "personal reasons" and next week will be her last week. Her replacement will be the beloved Miss Lois, Joel's teacher from last year, so I am really happy about this as well.

Nathan goes to the same school as Joel on Fridays from 9 to 2 and he is doing great. There are three babies (he is the oldest) and they are in two great big rooms -- one for naps and one for playing. They have a window in the hall to the play area -- I can see him but it looks like a mirror on his side. It is fun to watch him play when he is not aware that I am there.
The teacher is wonderful with the babies, and I am very comfortable leaving him there. It is soooo nice to have 5 hours to call my own!!!!

All in all, we are very pleased with how things are going so far!

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

Woohoo!

Sally, I'm really glad to hear that you guys are satisfied with the private school..because I know you debated the decision at first. That's so neat that Luke was voted Johnny Appleseed! Time to invest in the videocamera!!!

How did you get the school to do the testing?

Soooooooooo what are you doing in YOUR freetime now that the whole group is off for a few hours each week? 8)


Kris

[mommax3]

About getting the school to do testing -- apparently they do some testing for every new student, and then because of my concerns about his behavior problems being related to boredom, they tested him a little more extensively to get some grade equivalents.

In ALL my free time (5 precious hours a week) I usually spend some time in my house ALONE and also do some shopping that I want to do without kids. Sometimes I go to the gym if I haven't yet met my quota for the week. I sometimes meet my husband for lunch. I am hoping to be able to have lunch with Luke at school sometimes, too. However, (drum roll) this week I am driving to Dallas after I drop the little ones at preschool and I'm meeting a friend from San Antonio (who now lives in Waco) for shopping and catching up. We are staying all night Friday night and coming home sometime on Saturday. My babysitter gets out of class on Friday in time to pick up the little ones from preschool and I have a ride home arranged for Luke. The sitter will stay with the boys until Travis gets home around 5:30. I am just PRAYING no one gets sick. I haven't seen my friend since last December and we were pretty close in San Antonio, so I am really looking forward to this. I can't believe it has all worked out so far.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

What FUN!

A road trip w/o kids...that sounds like SUCH FUN! I'm jealous!!!!! 8)

I spoke with Andrew's teacher yesterday about his coursework, and he is going to look into what they need to do for him.

There are some behavioral issues that Andrew is having with peer relationships....can I PM you tonight?


Kris

[mommax3]

Sure -- I hope I can figure out how to get the message! I love all of this new stuff but I am fairly clueless about how to use most of it.

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

PM

Were you able to access the private message?

[mommax3]

Yes, I got it and wrote a long reply -- don't tell me you didn't get it!

I will try to find it again and try to remember what I wrote -- I thought I sent my reply to you as a private message. Sorry!

Sally

[Meenah]

I have to boast - Amy made the Dean's list again after summer school (third semester at Penn State "Pre-Med".

Caroline (high school senior) is still looking for a "fun school that is EASY to get into" truly her mother's daughter!!
Luanne

[PrincessFiona]

school

Sally, I'm glad you got it...I wondered it I had offended

Luanne....

Woohoo for Amy!!!! What a bright girl.....intelligence IS inherited from the maternal side

As for Caroline.....I'll bet she is bright as well....she just needs a bit more relaxation..particularly after the terrible summer she had!!!!

Kris

[DCJenn]

Luanne-

Tell her to try my Alma Mater- formerly known as Western Maryland College, now known as McDaniel College. I swear, half of New Jersey went to WMC- or at least half of WMC was people from Jersey. (Which, until I went to WMC, I didn't realize that NJ is really two states- like the Dakotas- North Jersey and South Jersey!)

Jenn

(I coasted comfortably through...)

Luanne - You must be so proud of your girls!!!!!

I haven't posted on this thread yet because I wanted to wait until I survived my first parent/teacher conferences here in Texas. They finished up today and went really well. I am feeling much better about things. My boys seem to be adjusting well and are doing fine in school.

I really like the teachers my kids have this year. Tyler ... my little devil ... has been an ANGEL at school! 8O I was so glad to hear that. His teacher told me that he was one of her best behaved students!!!! Yes, we are talking about the same child who drives me to the brink of insanity!!! I am so relieved that he seems to be calming down and doing so well. He is a bright boy but I was concerned about behavioral issues.

Zachary is the one who is struggling the most. There really is a difference between 2nd grade and 3rd grade here and some things that were taught in 2nd grade here were not taught in 2nd grade in Arizona. They learned cursive last year in Texas but in Arizona they don't start cursive until 3rd grade! Those little discrepancies cause him some problems but he is bright and his teacher is really working with him. His teacher is quite strict and I think it will be good for him. Her grandson is on Zach's soccer team so she is coming to watch their game tomorrow. Zach is SO excited!!!

Jacob is doing fine too. No problems at school. ... WHEW... it is a good way to start the first 9 weeks. I hope they continue to do well.

I'm glad that everyone else seems to be having a great experience this year too!!

Robin