School's out for summer

Last week marked the end of the school year for kids here. It's still so odd to me to see kids getting out of school so early in the year -- I remember going to school until at least the 2nd week in June back when I was little. I guess they do things a little bit differently here in the South. I can't really blame them, though. Would you want to be in a classroom when it's nearly 90 degrees outside in May?

It will be a nice break for us to have the days all to ourselves again, though the girls won't be too bored this summer. They've already been signed up for swim lessons, gymnastics (as a substitute for ballet this summer) and a week of drama camp. It sounds like a lot, but there will still be lots of time left in there for our own summer adventures. I can't wait, but I know the summer is going to fly by and before we know it school bells will be ringing again.

Speaking of school, we have finally gotten a few things settled about school for the girls next year. Until just a week ago, it had still been undecided. See, we hope to sell our house and move into a different school district, but we also know that the current economic situation and real estate market may make that happen much later than we would like. Knowing that, about a month ago we applied to the School Board for a Hardship Transfer allowing us to send Maddie to a school outside our current school district. We applied for the school district where we'd eventually like to move once our house sells. Last week we received word that our transfer had been denied. The school we like isn't taking any transfers this next school year. Plan A a no-go.

Knowing that the state our our house sale is still an issue, we made the decision to go with our Plan B. Maddie will stay at Vinings Creative Learning Center next year for first grade. Although ideally we'd like to go ahead and have her settled in a public school, the decision has solved quite a few problems. First, because of Maddie's age, and because her current school isn't accredited, Cobb County does not recognize that she has gone to kindergarten at all or done any of the coursework this year. The county also takes a very strict policy regarding age deadlines for entrance into kindergarten and first grade. Seeing that Maddie wouldn't meet the deadline for first grade, she would be admitted to the public kindergarten program again. Believe me when I say that we tried our best to find a loophole around this. The only answer we got is that she would have to be admitted as an incoming kindergartner, spend a few weeks in the classroom, and then they would make the decision to access her progress and discuss promoting her to first grade. On the contrary, by keeping her at her current school, she will have no problems advancing into first grade. And lest you think she might be getting shortchanged because the school isn't accredited, you should know that its academic programs are slightly more advanced than the public school curriculum, if not exactly on par.

This actually leaves Maddie in a very good situation for the following school year when we have (hopefully) moved into the new school district. While the county prohibits early entry into kindergarten or first grade before the ages of 5 and 6, respectively, they have absolutely no restrictions regarding early entrance into grades beyond first grade. Sooo, Maddie's transition into second grade should be a smooth one.

Are you still with me? Good. I know it got a little confusing there for a minute.

Another benefit of our decision is that Maddie will be in a class of only 4 first graders. The school still hasn't decided if they will continue to combine the Kindergartners and first graders together, as they did this year, or if they will combine the 4 first graders with the other second grader returning next year. Either way, the benefit is that Maddie will remain in a small class with lots of one-on-one attention. We think the extra attention will help her grow and mature so that she really will be on a more even playing field among the rest of the kids in her classroom, especially so when she transfers to the new public school and much larger class the following year.

And one of the best benefits of all is that both girls will be at the same school next year. Josie will be entering Pre-K next fall at VCLC as well. It will be nice, and very convenient, to be taking them to the same place each morning. Maddie is already excited to show Josie around next year, and Josie already feels like she knows the school since she's spent so much time there already being an "honorary member" of Maddie's class this past year.

And what about me? What am I going to be doing to keep myself busy while my munchkins are having fun at school? Well... I'll be teaching at the school, of course! I've been hired to be a teacher's assistant with one of the 3-year-olds classes next year. I'll be working 3 days a week, with two days off (one for myself and one to spend with Josie who will only be going 4 days a week.) I had a chance to spend some time with the classes a few weeks ago and I have to admit I'm so excited to spend some time with the little ones. I'll be getting paid to play with and teach little kids, all while being close to my own two kids in school. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Lookout, everyone, the McLochlins are going to be a VCLC family next year! Maddie has already asked if Bill could quit his job and work at the school too so we could all be together. She has kindly been informed that isn't going to happen any time soon.