Some of my favorite people started school today. At some point in childhood we start thinking about kids in terms of grades instead of age, I think. For my part I have a Senior, two Sophomores, a 7th grader and one going to Kindergarten. And they are some of my favorite people. All of my high schoolers are attending Placer High School. Tanner said that his first day (of his last year of HS, yikes!) was great and full of fun and laughter. Chase gave a run down of people in his classes. I hope that his Spanish teacher has his tough love shirt on because that group could be trouble. Chloe went to visit a new teacher's classroom. We know the teacher from church. Chloe wanted to say HI & welcome to Placer. While she was there, she noticed that a friend who is an incoming Freshman was going to be in that class today. She left him a note telling him Hi and Welcome, too, & that she hoped that he would have a great first day of high school. Later, he told her that finding that note "made his day". I love that their groups of friends have LDS & non-LDS kids, kids from sports, kids from Bowman, kids they met last year and kids from different grades. I love that there doesn't seem to be a bunch of clique drama and that they are having fun, making good choices and working hard. High School can be hard but I think we're doing OK so far!
Kaleb started 7th grade at Bowman Charter School today. He has been at Bowman since 1st grade. He has tons of friends & good relationships with the teachers although he is not amused that when they called roll today, they called him "Wilson" and proceeded to inform the rest of his class all about teaching Tanner, Chloe and Chase. No escaping that as the fourth kid at the same school! He had a "great" day and is looking forward to being part of the big kid classes at Bowman since the 7th and 8th grade teachers are teachers he hasn't had before. Kaleb has the challenge of being extremely comfie in his surroundings at school yet needing to take school seriously. We are hoping that he can rise above his tendancy to have fun & get some work done, too!
Jake & I took Tate to orientation today at Harvest Ridge. It is a charter school in Newcastle that is also a parent cooperative. It will be our first year there so I'm sure that we have a lot to learn. Tate's Sunday School teacher is also Miss Cathy in the office & his kindergarten teacher has come highly recommended. He knows one little girl in his class already. School doesn't really start until after Labor Day but we did bring some homework home to get the ball rolling until then.
The first day of school is always a crazy running around, packets of paper filling out, soccer practice adding, nutsy day. Or it used to be. The HS kids went to school together but Tanner drove. Most of their "paperwork" actually consists of clicking some links or emailing a teacher. After school, Chloe stayed for cross country, Chase stayed for soccer & Tanner drove himself home. I did drive Kaleb to school but didn't walk him to class or take pictures by the Bowman sign or with his new teachers. He jumped out & ran off without a backward glance. He did have soccer practice but he could be dropped off so I didn't have to sit on the sideline with 4 packets of Back to School paperwork. At least I still have Tate to walk to class! I think he might even let me hug & kiss him before I leave.
