Last week I took Jared and Lydia over to Baker-Butler to get some back to school pictures. I like having this time to be at the school and talk to them about how they feel about the upcoming year. And I know I won't be rushed and the lighting will be way better than the morning of. After pictures we went out for donuts and brought some to Mark who was already back at school for meetings and such. His school is right by the new donut place we love and it was nice to visit him at school, Jared and Lydia love playing in the gym and climbing this big rock out front. Mark loves it when we visit him and it is not something we do often.
Lydia:
Jared:
Both Lydia and Jared were super excited to go back to school. To be honest, when I found out who their teachers were I was really disappointed. There are 3 different 1st grade teachers I really like and I really hoped Lydia would get one and she didn't get any of them. I didn't request one of them because we are not supposed to but I wish I would have. Jared got placed in the "Big Blue Room" a sort of experimental classroom that has lots more students and 2 teachers. Last year was the first year they did it so at least they have done it once and know some things to change. Baker-Butler has yet to let me down with great teachers for them so I hope it continues.
Lydia has Mrs Hariston. I really know very little about her. A good friend who's daughter had her was not happy with how the year went so that added to my disappointment. I knew who she was but she always came cross as really reserved and kind of well boring. Which sounds awful because I have had zero interactions with her. I talked to a few people and they all had great things to say about her, parents and students. The main descriptions came up as: kind, one who never yells, that she is very even keel. I can easily see that just from being around her at open house. I think it has more to do with the fact that I really wanted one of the other teachers and very little to do with Mrs. Hariston herself. One friend told us that when she wants to get her classes attention she will start singing which sounds fun to me. I guess I just have this idea that while a teacher does not need to entertain children its nice if they come off as excited and fun especially for younger kids. Lydia was perfectly happy with her. When I picked her up yesterday she said she had a great day then she gave it a 5/10! I asked her to describe her rating in more detail and she said it was because a boy at the lunch table spit his food out at her. I don't know if he was just being gross and she happened to be across from him or if was directed at her but that would make my rating go down significantly as well. I think she is disappointed to not have more kids from her class last year. The ones she does have she was not particularly close too. She misses her best friend who moved away. I remember her taking awhile last year to make friends and think with some time she will find some good buddies. She was perfectly happy to go back today so fingers crossed.
Jared couldn't wait to go to school and gave his first day a 9/10! I was so happy for him. When I first told him which class it was he said he was nervous it would be too loud and distracting. After I found out his class assignment I texted his best buddies mom to see what class he got put in and fortunately for us he is in the same class as Jared. Once I told Jared that all his worries went away. He is so happy to be in class with Marcus again, never mind the 32 other students in there. They have now been in the same class since 1st grade. I have quite a few concerns about this class. I know that in general Baker-Butler's policy is to have an increased use of technology in 3rd grade. Each student is assigned their own computer to use. But anytime I walked by the classroom last year it seemed like students were on computers. I just really don't think 3rd graders need their own computer or that much screen time. I have also heard that Minecraft is used as a teaching resource and that just put me off. Again I know nothing about Minecraft because neither myself or Jared and Lydia have played it but I know I don't love the idea of it being used frequently. It will be interesting to see how it is used. Everyone I talked to about the 2 teachers (Mrs. Shafran and Ms. Graybill) said they loved them both and were really impressed with them. They are really young and are best friends. This is their 4th year teaching both starting at Baker-Butler. They were the ones who asked to co teach this class together. So everyone loves them but the class itself has mixed reviews. I am not a big technology in school person, well for elementary school kids and that is a big part of the class. I am interested to see how it goes and am having an open mind. They have a pet guinea pig named Calvin and Jared loves him so even if I have concerns Jared is really happy and looking forward to the year and that is great.
We left for school earlier than on other days because I knew it would be crazy with parents dropping kids off but I did not expect to find traffic at a standstill so far from the school I took this picture (since I was stopped and all) right near the dance studio which is a mile away from the school. There were 2 buses in front of us but they were not picking anyone up. I have never seen it backed up so far before. I am sure it will be better but I hate being late and this certainly slowed us down. I knew there wouldn't be a spot but thought I might catch someone leaving. No such luck instead I just got stuck in the parking lot waiting for others who were waiting to either leave the lot or get a spot. In the end I just had to drop them off at the drop off circle. I was the first and only car in there at the time and happily broke the rule to get out of the car and take a quick picture and give big hugs. It really was fine, just not what I had planned on. As I pulled away I noticed Jared's water bottle had fallen out of his bag so I decided if there was a spot at the top of the hill I would take it in to him. There was so I went ahead and dropped it off and walked to Lydia's class to wave hello. I was glad I could see them settled in their classrooms.
Another concern about school is whether or not we can even stay there. We got an email about the student population at Baker-Butler. The school is currently 45 students over capacity. I have noticed the school being more crowded each year especially last year when I would go pick them up. They will be looking to see how to help this problem either by adding portable classrooms or redistricting. We are in a spot that would likely be moved out of the school. I can't see where they could send more students though. The next closest school is full, its class sizes are around 24 while Baker-Butler is at 20 or less there are just more classrooms. The other school nearby is really small. It is only set up with 2 classes per grade level so I can't see where they could absorb more students (space wise). In the past our street has gone to this smaller school, Broadus Wood and while I don't really have any problems with the school exactly we clearly bought our house to be at Baker-Butler. There is a clause that if your child is in 5th grade they will be grandfathered in but if its decided next Spring/Summer Jared will be a year off. Typically siblings can stay for at least that year but then Lydia would be in 3rd grade and I doubt they would let her stay after Jared left if they even let her. The bigger concern is not really the elementary school but the middle school. I would much prefer them to go into Sutherland, the school Baker-Butler feeds into than the one Broadus Wood goes too. At this point Jared and Lydia still want to go to school with Mark so it may not even matter and its years away yet it will be decided soon. There is not much I can do so I am not going to lose sleep over it but it is a disappointment.
I'm just happy Jared and Lydia are happy to be at school. We celebrated by going out for Soft Serve to talk about their first days. I am not going to be teaching preschool this year, all the families who contacted me had 3 year olds and I kept holding out for 4 year olds so now I don't have a class. I was really frustrated and sad and mad June and July but am over it now. I am waiting to see when they open up jobs at the airport as Mark's manager said they planned on doing it in a few weeks. Right now they have below wing jobs but I want above wing even if I do have to deal with all the irritated people. I'm not totally convinced I want to do it but want/need to find some kind of job. I just really want to have the same hours as Jared and Lydia so need to find something to do that fits that.
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