Beatrix's First Day of Kindergarten

Beatrix was so excited to start kindergarten!  She could not understand why everyone else got to start a couple of days before she did.  I don't think she was scared at all, she was counting down the days and kept talking about how excited she was.

We went to her classroom about a week before she started and saw the school and her desk.  Then she went again to talk to the teacher without all the other kids there.  It is why she started a couple days later.  They like to do a slow start kindergarten where all the teachers meet one on one with their kids and parents before the first day of school.  I think it helped Beatrix.  It was so nice to send a child off to school who wasn't scared.  I've had kids excited to go and I've had kids crying hysterically that I had to pull off my leg, and a couple in between.

After school she had nothing but good things to say about her first day.  I'm glad it went well for her, and just a little sad that I don't have anymore kids at home.

First Day of School '24-'25

We survived the first day of school!  It was a lot of work figuring out every's schedules and the bus schedules, not to mention the shorter day Thursday schedule.  The kids even have sports and work and seminary all today.  There was a ton of paperwork and using the calendar and making sure everyone knew who was driving where and who was riding the bus. 

Today the kids went to three different schools with three different times that the earliest (counting seminary) started at 6:20 and the latest 9:10.  That is about three hours of me getting people off to school!  I also started my new job today at a fourth school, where I'll be a paraeducator.  I started at 9:15, so once the last kids were on the bus I hopped in the car and drove to work.

One of the hardest parts was that Beatrix doesn't start Kindergarten until Monday so she was still home and not happy about not going to school like everyone else.  Bob went to work early in the morning and then came home by nine to grab Beatrix.

Actually the hardest part might have been the endless questions from kids about what school was going to be like and their classes.  Penelope started high school and Leon middle.  The jump from elementary to middle school is big and Leon had tons and tons of questions.  I swear he asked them over and over again for the past week.  He went as far as to draw a map of his school and draw out a path as to where he will walk from one class to the next.

It is crazy to me that I have both a Senior in high school and an kindergartner!

Here are the high schoolers!

Tucker will be driving to school for the first time this year.  He is not thrilled about it.

Penelope is not too worried about high school, she felt ready.

Scarlett and Leon will be going to school together again.  Scarlett wasn't worried at all and Leon was very worried.

Calista was a little worried, but I'm not worried about her.  I know she will do just great, mismatching socks and all.

My first day in the school what pretty much what I expected.  It was very different compared to my last two jobs.  Not stressful at all and pretty calm.  I think things will pick up a bit for me in a couple weeks when we have all the small groups figured out.  I'll be working with kids in sped, the reading room, and I'll be one of the lunch/recess monitors.

First Day of School 2022

The first day of school is always exciting and stressful.  Leon started on Monday, two days before everyone else.  The middle/high school is new so they gave the teachers two extra days of no students to get their classrooms ready.  I think it is ridiculous because the building has been done since April so they had plenty of time to get the classrooms ready.  

Leon was excited and just a smidge nervous.  It was a new school for him, again.  This is his third school not counting homeschool for kindergarten or virtual school for half of first and second.  I'm sure he will do great though.  Starting at the beginning of the year is much easier then starting in the middle, which he has successfully done twice before.

He said he wants to be an engineer when he grows up.

Today is Scarlett's first day in middle school, which is significantly different from elementary school.  She has nine classes to find in a totally new building.  She also has to work out how to set up an appointment with the counselor to make some changes.  She didn't really seem nervous though.  I'm sure she can do it.  

When she grows up she wants to be a baker.

Penelope is one of the few not starting a new school this year.  She was nervous to start and like my other kids wishing summer were longer.  She also kept telling me about how she can help Scarlett find things and even help her with her homework because she just did the same classes Scarlett will be doing.  It was very sweet.

When she grows up she wants to be a hair dresser.

Tucker did not seem very nervous about going to school this year.  He was upset with me for not letting him ride his bike and for making him take these pictures.  I think some of his nerves were coming out in the form of being rude to me.  I've found that if I make Tucker ride the bus a couple times then he will ride it once in a while when he needs to.  But if I don't force him then he insists on riding his bike 100% of the time and acts like if he can't ride his bike he has no way to get to school.

When he grows up he wants to be a robotic engineer.

He did comment that this shirt is starting to fit him.  2025 sounds so soon!

This morning was busy, but I felt proud of myself for getting everyone ready, doing hair, and taking pictures all before driving the kids to the bus stop at 6:45.  Calista will have her first day next week.  I hope things are going well for them at school!

2nd First day of School

Scarlett and Leon had their first day back to school on Monday.  The've been doing virtual school, but now that our covid numbers are super low the actual school has opened back up full time to students.  I, of course, have mixed feelings about it, but overall things went as well as they could.  

The kids had a ton of stuff to bring back with them on the first day.

Masks are mandatory.  That includes at the bus stop, during the bus ride, and the entire time at school.  The kids also have plastic barriers set up on their desk.  Their desks are spaced out.  The playground is sectioned off, and their one recess is short.  Their lunch times are extra early.  I think in order to reduce the amount of children in the cafeteria some kids are eating even earlier and some even later than what would be considered normal lunch time.  The bus children must arrive 10 minutes earlier and leave ten minutes after everyone else.  There is no sharing.  

Leon likes his teacher, Dr. Maxey.  His best friend from last year is in his class again this year so he is pretty happy.

Scarlett also likes her teacher Mr. Sinski.  He is fun and so far she enjoys her class.  She says that it is easier than virtual school and I'd have to agree.  It is easier for both of us for her not to be doing virtual school.

Things have been much calmer and less stressful at home.  I'm still plenty busy with homeschooling Penelope and Tucker and watching Calista and Beatrix, but now I don't feel like I'm being pulled six different ways all the time.  Virtual school was not a good fit for us.  I hope the schools stay open for the rest of the school year, but that is not guaranteed.  I feel bad for sending Scarlett and Leon to school all day where it almost seems like they are treated like prisoners.  I would not like it at all.  They are on the bus for about two hours a day, even though we live 15 minutes away.  They are doing fine though and so I think it is the best we can do this year.

Virtual Band Concernt

The school year has officially ended!  It was a year like no other.  We homeschooled, public schooled and virtual schooled.  I'm glad it is over and I hope next year is not so crazy.  Right now I have no idea what public school will be like.  My original plan was to send Scarlett and Leon to public school for one more year and then back to homeschooling.  But I'll have to wait and see how they will run things next year before deciding.  I'm even considering sending Calista to the local Japanese preschool.

Tucker took band class at the middle school this year and virtual band was pretty interesting.  Mostly they just worked on their songs on their own and then uploaded a video of their part.  The teacher was online during class times and they could pop in and ask questions if they wanted.  It was pretty low key.  In the end the teacher put together a video band concert.  I think it must have been a lot of work for him.  Many of the kids had a hard time recording their videos and uploading them correctly, and a lot of the virtual band class was just explaining how to record yourself playing your part with audio while at the same time wearing headphones and watching a video of the band teacher directing. 

See if you can spot Tucker.  He is playing the bells and you can hear him pretty well around 1 minute.


In this next song Tucker is playing the snare drum.