Jacob and Jenna started back to school at the end of August. Jacob is now in third grade and Jenna is in first. We had a fun summer, but they were both looking forward to getting back in the classroom. Jenna was extra happy to find out that she got the teacher she was hoping for, Mrs. Karl. She loves her new Hello Kitty backpack. Jacob was very open-minded and didn't have a teacher preference this year. He has Ms. Powers. I'm the room parent for his classroom so I'll be busy planning holiday parties and organizing volunteers for his class. Both Jacob and Jenna are looking forward to participating in the Accelrated Reading Program. Jacob has about 100 pages left in Harry Potter Book #4 and he's anxious to rack up some serious points for such a big read!
Nicholas is attending a new preschool this year called Good Shepherd. I'm anticipating a great year as we've only heard wonderful things about this preschool. While we enjoyed having him home an extra few weeks this summer, Nicholas didn't start until mid-September so he was really ready to go. He's in the "Blue" room and his teacher's name is Mrs. Cahill. I get to see her before and after every class so it's nice to hear about how his day went. She always has something funny to report about him. He's had no problems adjusting to his new school and is already making new friends. I'm surprised that I haven't received a phone call home about him yet. But don't worry, Nicholas keeps us fully informed about his behavior. Almost every day he comes homes telling me that he got counted to "one" for talking or interrupting. I can't wait for parent teacher conferences. I'm sure it will be interesting. He's looking forward to his first field trip this Friday to Keller Animal Farm. Tom is going to surprise him and go along too!
Marissa isn't going to preschool this year, but I did put her in a little class at the community center called "My Own Time". She attends with her best friend, Brianna. Here they are on their first day. It's kinda like preschool, but only meets once a week for an hour. They do crafts, sing songs, eat a snack, and have storytime. The first two weeks were rough for Marissa. She had been talking for days about "going to school" and couldn't wait to wear her Dora backpack, but as we walked into her class on the first day she said to me "Mommy, I think I'm going to cry at school now" and she did! Ms. Anne, her teacher, had to peel her off of me. It was sad, but she's doing great now and really liking the class. I think it's perfect for her. I'm planning to put her in twice a week at the beginning of next year.
