Questions

If you are a facebook friend (and if you read me regularly, let me know...let's be friends) you know the little wrench that's was thrown into our school plans for next year. Warning: this is yet another one of those wordy posts where I try to sort out my feelings in writing so it might not really make any sense to anyone else.

I took Aaron to kindergarten round up yesterday. Mostly as a formality since it will be the same teacher and classroom as Noah, and he has spent the last three years being allowed to play in that classroom. But I was met with some interesting changes that are making me re-think everything for next year.

The boys have been attending two different charter (tuition-free, publicly funded, privately-operated) schools. I had to do this since I didn't feel Aaron was ready for kindergarten last year and needed a Young Fives program. The plan has always been to move him to Noah's school next year.

It's been a struggle having them in two different schools, especially since Noah's is quite far away. But his school is so awesome that I wouldn't change it. Which brings me back to kindergarten round up yesterday.

Apparently, more people are starting to realize just how awesome the little school is and there are 30 kids signed up for the 20 slots for kindergarten next year. The program (up until now) has been full days M, W, and F. It was perfect for Noah when he was in kindergarten , transitioning from half days M,W,F preschool. But it's a different story for Aaron.

He has attending school five half days this year, learning a TON and he loves school. He can read at a first grade level and is constantly craving more knowledge. I was ALREADY worried about him only going to school only three days next year instead of five.

And then the principal announced at Kindergarten round up yesterday that they are asking the board to approve TWO kindergarten classes to allow for all of the kids. One M,W and one T, TH with rotating Fridays. That would mean that my six year old who can read, needs a LOT of help with fine motor skills and LOVES to learn would only be going to school two days a week for half of the school year. Plus, it would also mean that the little school that I have loved will be adding a new class every year, thereby eventually doubling the size of the school.

I lost a lot of sleep thinking about this last night. So I went in to talk to the principal again about it this morning. Instead, I decided to speak to the secretary and one of the parents (Noah's "girlfriend" since kindergarten) from Noah's class and whose other daughter would be in Aaron's class next year. As a matter of fact, 9 of the 20 kids have older siblings in the school at this time. They made some good points about how growth for the school is actually a good thing and that 40 kids in each grade rather than 20 could be wonderful for the school as well. After pondering their words, I agree that it would probably be good to be a LITTLE bigger.

But I am still worried about Aaron for next year. Two days of school just isn't enough.

The other option is to leave him where he is just for the kindergarten year. He would still get priority if I move him to Noah's school in first grade, since Noah will stay at BCCS no matter what. And he would still have school every day, just like this year. I had already talked to the young fives teacher about his reading level and she assured me that the kindergarten teacher is well experienced in dealing with advanced readers in the classes. But I have some really bad issues with this school and staying there for another year is not really what I want to do. But it MAY be the best thing for Aaron. It would mean two school schedules for yet another year. Plus, I don't even know if he can stay now that I had already told them that he would not be returning and he may have lost his spot.

So today is full of questions. The board meeting about the kindergarten changes is May 10 and I definitely plan to be there to hear what everyone has to say and the resulting vote. And I will be talking to the office at Aaron's current school about keeping him enrolled for next year for right now, if it's possible.

Not sure what the answer will be right now. But now that I've got it out of my head and written down, I can let it sit for awhile and go play Trouble with Aaron.

Have a great weekend.