State of Emergency

The first day of school went fabulously.  Both kids had a good time, liked their teachers and thought the hot lunch was awesome.  I can't really ask for more. 

I had tasked them both with being able to come home and tell me the names of the kids they sit next to.  Sara sits on an aisle, but still managed to learn the girl who sits next to her (Madeline) and the girl across the aisle (Camry).  Jacob - well, I'm just happy he remembers his teacher's name.  But he did tell me that he played football at recess with Sam, Eli, and Isaac.  So that's something.

Today I told him his task was to look around, decide who the prettiest girl in the class was, learn her name and sit next to her at lunch.  I'm not holding my breath.  Especially since yesterday at lunch, Jacob apparently sat at the "nut-free" table in the lunchroom just because he felt like it.  I hope he knows he does not have a peanut allergy.

Here's some notes on the schools here:

- Elementary school goes til 6th grade, junior high (NOT middle school, thank you very much) is 7th, 8th and 9th, and high school is 10th-12th. 

- They have what they call a track system here for the elementary schools.  Track A students go from 8:00 to 2:15.  Track B students go from 9:15 to 3:30.  This allows the schools to put a certain percentage (can't remember the exact number) more kids than generally allowed in a class.  Parents choose which track they want for their kids and all your kids will be on the same track.

- There are 30 kids in Sara's 4th grade class and 31 in Jacob's 6th grade class.

- Every Monday is a Collaboration Day.  Which basically means the teachers meet, plan, and do all the stuff they would normally do during an in-service day.  On Mondays, the kids are released 50 minutes early.  So on Mondays, my kids get out of school at 2:40.  Kind of a pain, but as a result there are only 4 "minimal" days (half-days) a year.  On those days, my kids are released at 1:45.  Thank God they're taking a bus or I'd never know when to pick them up.

- The school they are in only opened last year.  It's brand spanking new and is really cool.

- The school no longer has a PE teacher.  Instead, the individual teachers do PE for their class.  The story I heard from Sara was that they got rid of the PE teacher so they could get a music teacher.  I'm okay with that.  No band though, which I wasn't particularly wild about.

Another interesting thing we saw on Open House night:  The PTA wants each child to have a Classroom Emergency Kit.  This kit, which you can build yourself or pay the PTA $8 to provide will include:

• A glow stick or small flashlight with batteries
• 2 granola bars
• fruit snacks
• hard tack candy
• a bottle of water
• a pack of gum
• 2 emergency space blankets
• 2 hand/foot warmers
• a knit hat and gloves

They also ask that you send a picture of your family - including Mom and Dad.  A note says "This is especially important for those that have children of different nationalities."

Now, the explanation at the table said "Because emergencies are becoming more common..." or some such thing.  I'm not exactly clear what emergency would occur that would prevent me from driving - or walking - the 2 miles to the school to fetch my children, but the principal did tell Mitch that last year there was a snowstorm and the kids ended up spend the night at school.  Again, a case where I would be sending Mitch and his truck to get my kids.

Anyway, I'm sending my $8 per child for an emergency kit.  Mostly because I have no idea where to get an emergency space blanket and because I'm not really sure what "hard tack candy" is.  I know the pioneers had hard tack, but I suspect it's not the same.  At least I hope not.