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Our school uses a nationally known company for pictures. All through preschool we received wonderful pictures from this company. In kindergarten, not so much. I realize in elementary school the photographers are dealing with a lot more pictures within a limited time. Still, you think when you take a picture of a child wearing glasses you would check the shot to make sure the flash isn't visible in her glasses. Overall, though, this year's school portraits were still decent. Unfortunately, when the kindergarten classes did their cap and gown photos for graduation, my daughters got hosed.
I had asked the photographer if he could do a shot of all four in caps and gowns. How cute would that be? He only had three caps and gowns. No big deal. So he did a picture with two and two. The turned out pretty cute. But...... on the day of their graduation, each student was given a nice binder with their graduation picture and diploma. My girls received a crappy folder with a picture of themselves with a sister. Why? The photographer never bothered to take an individual picture of them in their caps and gowns... and no one bothered to tell me.
I was angry, to say the least. They share enough, shouldn't they have something of their own to remember this moment? Why should they have to be left out of this? What kind of photographer, who knows his company puts together this keepsake, leaves out four students? The school secretary offered to sneak my girls in during next year's cap and gown photos, but they'll change so much in a year, what would be the point? My girls all noticed that their classmates received something different and much nicer than they did. Life may not be fair, but is that something you have to learn in kindergarten or because of someone else's mistake? Yes, you could argue that I will face much bigger battles on their behalf, but in some ways, this picture blunder screamed "You will always be seen as an entity and never as an individual!" It just didn't sit well with me. I would have preferred the photographer simply skip the group photos rather than forget to do the individual pictures. Even the teachers were surprised because the photographer told them he would do their individual pictures after the group shots.
Once I gathered my thoughts, I sat down and wrote an email to the company. I was polite but clearly expressed my displeasure. Yesterday, a local representative called me. She was nice and apologetic and invited us to the local studio to do the individual pictures.
All in all, the session went well. However, I was greeted at the door by a woman who said "In the future, you should make sure you tell the photographer you want a group shot and individual pictures." My response: "Since he was there to take individual pictures, it never occurred to me that he wouldn't take them." She then switched tactics: "I know. When the folios came back and theirs weren't included, I couldn't believe it. I called the lab and they said the individual pictures hadn't been taken." Ummm, I'm sorry, you knew they weren't taken and you didn't call me at that point to come to the lab to fix this?? Imagine what we could have avoided if someone had bothered to fix this from the moment they knew a mistake had been made. Instead, they clearly waited to see if I would complain. (Notice none of that is in quotes. I wanted to say that, but since everyone else was kind to us, I let it go).
I am really glad this company chose to make this right. It shows they see their customers as people and look beyond the dollar signs.
Every kindergarten student in our school spends a week being the "Marvelous Me." Each week the chosen student (one per class) takes home a gigantic piece of paper. Parents help her trace her body, cut it out and then decorate the paper with stickers, pictures, etc. So far three of my girls have been the Marvelous Me. It gets easier with each one because we know what did and didn't work the time before.
At the end of their chosen week, the student gets to spend the weekend with the "class mascot." They bring home a bag with a few books, a stuffed animal and a binder. They have fun. I on the other hand dread the class mascot. Why? Because in the binder each student has to record what she did with the mascot.
Sue Sue was the very first student in her class to bring home the mascot. This was difficult because I had no ideas from previous students. I decided to go "simple." I took four pictures of her with the stuffed animal (eating, playing, reading and sleeping) and she wrote a sentence about each one. I certainly didn't want to be the mom who set the bar too high! Of course her weekend with the mascot was an incredibly busy one, so I found myself racing to a nearby one hour photo store at the end of the weekend to get her pictures and finish the binder. A few weeks later Cakes brought home the same mascot and binder. I was relieved to see that the other students pretty much followed our lead and kept it simple (except for the one student who had 10+ pictures).
I wish I knew the point of the class mascot binder. It's fun for the kids to bring home the books and animal, but journaling the "experience" is a bit much. Sure, the directions say you can use photos or drawings, but most parents (like me) are going to take the easy way out and do photos. At least my girls think it's fun! And it could be worse. Another parent said in her daughter's class they get the mascot just overnight, not for the weekend. They're expected to show up with pictures and/or photos the next morning.
When my daughters started preschool I made an effort to spend some time in their class. It was fun to help out and get an idea of what they do on a daily basis. When the kindergarten teachers asked for classroom volunteers this year, I gladly signed up. Volunteering in kindergarten is nothing like volunteering in preschool. They actually put us to work!
I don't mind the work. I help out on Fridays, which is the day the homework folders are due. I usually sort out all the homework and prepare the folders for next week. Last week it took me about an hour to get all the papers sorted, so at least I saved the teacher one hour of extra work. This week will be my first time in the other kindergarten class, so it will be interesting to see what kind of work that teacher has for me.
I'm not as comfortable with the idea of pulling individual students out of the class to work with them. To me, that seems like more of a teacher or aide job. I don't mind helping the kids out as a group, but it seems awkward to have to take a child that I don't really know out of the class to essentially tutor him.
My daughters aren't so keen on the fact that I'm put to work while I'm there. They remember preschool and being able to sit with me during my "volunteer" time. I've tried to explain to them that there's a lot more work to be done in kindergarten, so it's nice for the teacher to have some helpers. Do I miss sitting on the carpet and singing songs? Sure. But I'm usually there during their first work assignment, so I make sure to spend time with each of my daughters while they're doing their projects. Even though it's not all fun and games in kindergarten, they still seem excited to have me there.
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We did it! We all made it through the first day of kindergarten! I even made it through the drop off with just a few tears trickling down my face. I'm not necessarily a sensitive person, but I am emotional. I cry when I'm happy, sad, angry, you name it. Then I typically cry harder because I'm so annoyed that I'm crying.
My meltdown actually happened the night before the first day. I made all their lunches and tucked a surprise Tootsie Roll in each lunch box... and then started crying. I was imagining my "babies" being such big girls and doing big girl things, such as eating in a cafeteria. I felt silly for crying, but I'm glad I got it out. I think had I not had that cry, I might have been bawling at the drop off.
The first day went great, except for a few minor things. All my girls know to give swings a wide berth. Unfortunately, the kindergarten playground has monkey bars and Sue Sue walked too close while a boy was on them. She took a hard kick to the face before school even started. She shed a few tears and then shook it off. Roo was apparently called a "doofus" by a classmate, but Tortilla walked up to the little girl and said "Don't ever call my sister that again." There are some benefits to having siblings in the same class! Oh, and I walked out the door without grabbing the bag of school supplies! Oh well. I managed to get four girls, four backpacks and four lunch boxes to school. I would say the points are in my favor.
Despite a few bumps in the road, they had blast. They chatted nonstop about all the things they did. I expected them to be wiped out after an entire day in school, but they didn't seem to be tired at all. In fact, they were somewhat annoyed that it was dinner time within an hour of coming home. (Although all four claimed to be "starving" when I picked them up!) Still, they were asleep the minute their heads hit the pillows last night.
All in all, this is looking like it will be a good year!
Tomorrow is the big day. My babies, who insist they are not babies, will be going to kindergarten! I can't believe how time flew by this summer. We didn't do everything I had envisioned, but we still had a lot of fun.
Yesterday we spent about an hour and a half at school for kindergarten assessment. Other than the girls not being assigned to the right teachers, everything was fine. The teacher situation was quickly resolved, too. (It was more of an issue of the "pairings," than the teachers. I requested that Cakes and Tortilla be separated since they're my identicals. They were put in the same class, but it was an easy fix to switch Tortilla and Sue Sue).
I would love to tell you what happened during the assessment, but I wasn't allowed to be involved. I sat out in the hallway while they met individually with their teachers. I think this was a good thing as it meant fewer distractions for them as they were "assessed." Plus, it gave their teachers a chance to get to know them one on one. (According to Sue Sue "Some things were easy. Some things were hard." I peeked in on one assessment. It involved counting, identifying letters, sounds, etc.)
And so, we are headed to the pool today one last time before school starts. Their clothes for tomorrow are picked out. Hubby and I have a "breakfast date" after we drop them off. And I expect everyone to be exhausted by the end of tomorrow!
Tonight was kindergarten round up for our school district. My girls were really excited to go and see their new classrooms. They're quite disappointed that they won't be starting kindergarten tomorrow. I had to explain that first they need to finish preschool, then they'll have summer vacation and then it will be time for kindergarten.
Now it's time for the big decision. The principal said he'll start figuring out class lists next month. So I need to figure out how I'm going to separate my girls. He's leaving it completely up to me, which is good. The girls who share bedrooms at home will not be in class with their roommates. I think it will do them all some good to be away from one another. The identicals won't be in the same class, either. I want them to be able to be seen as individuals, rather than have people constantly trying to remember who is who. (Their preschool teacher still confuses Cakes and Tortilla). So that leaves the combinations of Roo/Cakes and Sue Sue/Tortilla or Roo/Tortilla and Sue Sue/Cakes. I think I'm going to with the latter. For whatever reason, Roo and Tortilla liked the looks of one classroom and Sue Sue and Cakes liked the look of the other. It's probably not the best way to pick, but I'm not sure what other criteria to use. The teachers are both friendly, competent, etc. The curriculum in both classes is the same. I can't believe my babies are ready for kindergarten!
Next week I'll be meeting with a principal at one of the schools I'm considering sending my daughters to next year for kindergarten. I sound so posh, don't I? Like I have all this disposable income to send four children to private school or something. No. I've got three choices: go to kindergarten at the school we're zoned for, apply for open enrollment at the school where they currently attend preschool or apply for the charter school.
At this point I've pretty much ruled out the charter school. It's free and it's all day kindergarten, but I just haven't heard too many great things.
Next week I'll be meeting with the principal at the school where my daughters currently go to preschool. We're not "zoned" for that school, but it offers tuition-based all day kindergarten. (It's a public school, so it also has free half-day kindergarten). The principal said he wants to "talk" to me about our options, so I'm hoping this means he's thinking about giving me a huge break on tuition so full day kindergarten would be an option. Either way, I want to hear what he has to say and get his take on how to split my daughters up for kindergarten. (The charter school basically said it's their policy to split. My feeling is I should have some say in how it's done). Next, I'll be making an appointment to talk with the principal at the school we're zoned for.
So, all you parents out there... what questions did you ask or will you ask as your children prepare to enter kindergarten?
I'm wondering whether any of you have experience with charter schools or even just have opinions about them. There is a charter school very close to our house. The parents I have spoken with rave about it. A few educators I have spoken with aren't sold on it, but haven't really given me specifics. I'm somewhat drawn to it because it offers all day kindergarten. I'm considering sending my daughters there for kindergarten and then switching them to our neighborhood elementary school after that.
I don't know much about charter schools. As a news reporter, I remember covering the opening of a charter school. The principal seemed almost like a salesman. Rather than simply speaking about what his school had to offer, I felt like he was trying to sell me something. Still, the students seemed excited to be there, and that's not a bad thing.
By the time my daughters enter kindergarten, they will have three years of preschool under their belt. Full day kindergarten is something I think they could definitely handle. But kindergarten is an important step in a child's education. What should I be looking for in the curriculum? What questions should I ask if I meet with the principal?
The school also has a uniform policy. At first I balked... more money out of my pocket? But then I realized I might actually save money: the girls can all share clothes and the morning routine would be pretty easy.
Still, all day kindergarten and uniforms can't be the sole factors in my decision. So, what do you know/think about charter schools? What kinds of questions would you ask a kindergarten teacher or the principal to make sure your child will receive a first rate education?
