First Day of School - 2014

I am a day late posting - I had it in my head I did this yesterday.....

Anyway - Wednesday our kids started back to school.  #1 in the country for Education, yet bringing up the rear in when we start back to school - a fresh year has begun.

This year, Arlington started middle school.  I find it hard to believe that I have a child old enough to be a 6th grader when I, myself, am only 25.  (cough, cough).  She was definitely nervous about her first day in a new school.  We had gone to the school the day before and located her homeroom and even had a chance to meet her homeroom teacher.  That helped some, but I know that the unknown can be terrifying.

But she had a great day.  She enjoyed all of her classes (she has a ton of teachers to keep up with now), and said the day went by quickly.  She is in class with her two best friends (in 6th grade, even though they change classes, they travel with all the same kids all day long.) which was a first.  She has yet to get homework, so they are really easing them into the transition.

Finley and Cainan are both in 2nd grade.  This is the last year at this particular school (up here our lower elementary kids are in their own school).  On Tuesday they both had a chance to meet their teachers and bring in all of their school supplies.

Cainan is in class with his best friend and a couple of friends he was in class with last year.  He was pretty excited.  Cainan is easy - he likes school, and gets a long with everyone, so I don't worry as much about him.  Hopefully he will continue to grow academically and his struggles are now behind him.

He had a great first day and it sounds like he has a good class.  I have heard very good things about his teacher, so I am sure all will be well this year.

Finley was excited to see that her desk is right next to a little girl she befriended this summer.  She has made a few new friends, which helped going into this year.  She told me on Tuesday that she was excited for the first day of school.  That was a first!

She came home and said she had a good day.  She had a few minor complaints, but Mat and I decided that most of that stemmed from the fact that she is 1) repeating 2nd grade and 2) missing her old friends.  I think the reality settled in that they are truly gone and she is still in this class without them.  I think as time goes on, and she settles in with these new kids, she will be fine.  I have to believe that.

Her teacher continues to be amazing - coming up with different plans to help engage Finley.  She reorganized her whole classroom - it really did look completely different.  And then she is going to put an artist corner area out on the blacktop for recess so that Finley has a place she and her friends can gather and share her interest.  And then she put up three fairy houses (secretly) on the playground for the kids to discover (Which they did today) to again help Finley with her playground struggles.  I have faith that this year is going to be great.  It is a chance for her to grow, and to become independent and confident.

I took a few pictures on the first day of school.  Here is to another year!

The new backpacks.  After three years, the kids needed new ones.

 How Arlington felt about getting up early and having to catch the bus at 6:50 am.

 This is as dressy as it gets for the 6th grader.  Plus, she had gym.

 Cainan was pretty excited all morning.

 Second Grade V 2.0

 This dress is all one piece.  It almost matched her glasses!

 My virtual twins.  Only 30 days apart - back in the same grade.  As it is meant to be: