Back to School

Both boys are now back in school. Liam started last week on Thursday, and then Zachary started this week on Monday.

Liam

(SO excited about his Batman lunchbox!)

(And his Spiderman shoes!) 

(With his teacher, Ms. Prasadi)

(With Ms. Prasadi's assistant, Ms. Polly)

Liam is back at the same school, with his same teachers, and most of the same kids from last year (a few left, either to move into the Elementary class, or to go to the public school, and then a few new ones joined either from the Toddler class, or from another preschool). He goes to a Montessori School, so they don’t call it “pre-k”, but technically he’s in pre-k this year, since he’ll be starting kindergarten next fall (eeek!).

Now that he’s 4 & ½, he is considered an “afternooner”. I’m not sure why they call them that, because he’s always stayed through the afternoon, but being an “afternooner” basically means that you are a big kid and you don’t have to take a nap at school any more. The class consists of kids who are 3 years old through kindergarten-age kids (5-6). So while the 3 & 4 year olds are getting ready for naps, those 4 & ½ & older go play outside. Then once the younger kids (aka, “nappers”) are settled, the “afternooners” come back inside the classroom, and quietly work while the nappers are napping. Liam has always been a napper, but he is now an afternooner, so he’s getting to hang with the big kids during naptime. He loves it. They all do – it’s a really big deal to them to be an afternooner.

He’s going to start learning to write this year. They normally start with cursive, and then switch over to printing during the 3rd year – kindergarten year – to prep them for moving into first grade the following year. But since his teacher know that we are going to do kindergarten at the public school, she said she is going to skip cursive, and go right to printing so that he will be ready for kindergarten. He’s also learning math already, and I feel confident that he will be reading like a champ by the end of the year.

Zachary

Zachary started 2nd grade this week. We didn’t know anything about his teacher going in (although we did get some info from someone at the pool over the weekend – apparently she’s pretty laid back, has a 5th grade son, and likes sports). She seems nice, and has been really good about communicating with the parents via email this first week, just letting us know what’s been going on. I’m sure she won’t continue that every day throughout the school year, but I definitely appreciate it this first week. Zachary has had a good first few days so far – hopefully he can keep that up. Going in, he knew 2 other boys in the class (our next-door neighbor and a boy from his 1st grade class), as well as 3 girls in the class (one was in his pre-k & kindergarten classes, one he met in kindergarten, and one girl who lives in our neighborhood who was in his class for kindergarten and 1st grade). And continuing a trend that goes back to pre-k, he once again has 2 girls in his class with the same name. In pre-k it was Emma. In kindergarten it was Anna. In 1st grade it was Kate (but he also had 2 girls named Sarah in his reading class). This year it’s Lilly. He doesn’t find the humor in that. And even funnier, there have never been 2 boys with the same name in any of his classes.

He may have to switch classes for math &/or reading again, but they won’t be doing that until the 3rd week. They’re using the first 2 weeks to get settled & get to know each other.

I really think they both enjoy school, so I’m hoping that this year will be a good year for both of them!