Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic

The kids started school this week....FINALLY!  And no, I don't say that in all caps because I was dying for them to go back.  In all actuality, the older I get (the older THEY get, really) the more I kind of wish summer would last longer.  This year I actually got my wish.  Over the summer, the powers-that-be in our school district decided to have school start the day after Labor Day rather than the normal 3rd week in August.  So although it was quite nice to have that extra two weeks and we did indeed pack it full of as much end-of-summer fun as we could...it almost felt a little bit weird, especially when just about everyone else in the state went back to school earlier.  (Although I do have to admit, it was kind of fun to say "neiner, neiner...we're at Cherry Hill while you're stuck learning about past participles and common denominators!")

Rebekah is a junior in high school this year.  I know, crazy right?  A big difference this year will be the fact that she is dating (which means big dances and therefore expensive outfits.  Anybody know where to get a great Homecoming dress?)  Also, in the very near future this girl will have a car at her disposal and will be driving herself to and from school and other various extracurricular activities and study groups.
Her schedule...you know, for posterity and all:

1. Foods
2. Limited Edition (women's show choir)
3. Seminary
4. Algebra 2 (potentially honors...her teacher is considering moving her up)
5. English honors
6. Chemistry
7. U.S. History
8. Financial Lit

 Julianne is a 9th grader at the Jr. High.  Big fish in the pond and all that.  Julianne's school is a new one, this being only its 2nd year....and because of its newness, it's become a pilot school for all sorts of new trial programs.  One of them, Netbooks.  Every single student has one.  Which means that all of the teachers have electronified their teaching styles and curriculum.  Rumor has it that the high school is a little bit worried that the kids coming up in the ranks will feel like they've gone back into the dark ages when they get to 10th grade.  Something along the lines of, "Paper, pencils and books??  What are those??"

Another experiment....a mixed up class schedule.  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday they have all their classes 1-7 for 50 minutes each.  Thursday they have classes 1-4 in the block schedule, each 90 minutes.  Friday they have classes 5-7 along with an "intervention" period...whatever that means, exactly.  I think it's study hall-ish.
Julianne's schedule:
1. French 3
2. Seminary
3. Gym
4. Earth Systems (science)
5. Geography
6. Secondary Math I honors (some sort of mixture of geometry, algebra 2 and pre-calculus)
7. English






Brandon and Lilian both attend the same elementary school....Brandon as Mr. I'm-So-Awesome 6th grader and Lilian as a giddy and beyond Kindergartener.

The 6th grade teachers at our elementary school claim that their main goal is to prepare their students for Jr. High.  Which more or less means one less recess and a boat load of extra homework and projects. Well, that's all fine and good but having had two daughters in their 6th grade and then those same two daughters in Jr. High....I can tell you from experience that 6th grade is harder and just, well....MORE, than anything they did in 7th grade.  Which means that Brandon is in for a lot of homework this year.  It will be a shock to his system seeing as he also has to fit in 14 hours weekly of gymnastic workouts.  I guess he'll be learning some time management skills.

Lilian can hardly contain her excitement about being in Kindergarten.  FINALLY.  She insisted on an Angry Birds back pack.  Which made me laugh.  (Lucky me, I found one with a big yellow, girly looking bow on it.)    

So, being in Kindergarten also means Lilian gets to take the bus.  You have no idea how long Lilian has longed to climb onto that bus!  I've never put a 5-year old on the bus before.  When my 3 other children were in Kindergarten, we went to another school...one that was within walking distance.  I didn't think I was a Kindergarten-Mommy-crier.  And not that I cried really....but there is definitely something different about putting your baby on a bus and watching it roll away out of your control.  Luckily Lilian goes to school with not only her older brother but also a lot of other little neighborhood Kindergarten friends.  And so far the bus driver has only dropped Lilian off at the wrong bus stop once.  (!!!)   

All of this means that I now have almost 3.5 hours to myself EVERY! SINGLE! DAY!  I'm still not entirely sure how my routine will shake out.  But one thing you can be very sure of...I am super excited!