Jason's Untimely Thoughts

JTB & AEB First Day of School

Jack and Adelaide successfully started school again yesterday.  Jack is back at CDC.  He’s in the Bear Class this year, which is where he spent the summer as well.  The other big changes for him are the fact that he’s going five days per week and that he’s now one of the oldest kids in the school.  Also that they have a male cook this year.  He has black hair.  They had hot dogs yesterday.  With ketchup.

Jack has started both days by asking if this is the day he gets to start kindergarten.  With most of his friends no longer at CDC, he’s not sure why he needs to be there either.

CDC also has a new policy of calling you every time someone gets hurt.  “Hurt” seems to include almost every normal activity for a four-year old boy.  Thankfully, they’ve modified already to allow for sending text messages or emails, so I watch for those daily.  Today’s message was “jack fell while running on the bike track.  he scraped his knee a little.  he is fine.”

Adelaide is a 1st Grader at Grant, with Mrs. Williams as her teacher.  She has several friends from kindergarten in her class, which is great of course.  With only two kindergarten classes, she also sees the remaining friends frequently.  After a day, she likes math the most.  It seems that early first grade math consists of tracing the number 2.  More advanced techniques will surely follow.  We’re also trying to pack a lunch this year, which was very strongly discouraged last year (by me).

The Grant playground has an institutionally mandated pecking order.  You have to be in 3rd Grade to go on the soccer field, kindergartners aren’t allowed past the log cabin, only the brave chase wayward four-square balls into the cemetery, etc.  So of course the minute they were allowed to play yesterday before school started, all the newly minted first graders ran immediately to the formerly forbidden climber and log cabin!  I assume they also stared menacingly at the kindergartners in the hallways, although I didn’t see that part.

Adelaide will go to Adventure Club after school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with dance, grandmother, and sitter combining to take care of Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Jack will also probably get to leave CDC early on Thursdays, so he can participate in the Grant School playground sibling social hour after school.

In all, school is off to a smooth start.  Certainly much smoother than this time last year, for all of us.