Aug 2nd: Avril's First Day of School

I've been trying to organize my photos and ran across these and realized I never posted Avril's first day of school!

Sorry hon!

I suppose it's appropriate in some ways that I'm writing this blog today, my first ever Parent-Teacher Conference for the first quarter.

Anyway, it's a little atypical because Avril's first day of school was not her first day of kindergarten. Allow me to introduce you to my first grader!

Since Avril's birthday is the beginning of August, I had opted to start her in kindergarten this year so she would be the oldest in her class instead of the youngest. But then we moved to Hawai'i where the cutoff is December. So when I attempted to enroll her in kindergarten, the vice principal informed me she would be in 1st grade. Naturally I was concerned since that's a whole year of school she just missed. On the other hand, she's had two years of preschool. And she's really smart. And she will fit in better with her peers since first grade will include kids up to 4 months younger than her, while in kindergarten she would be four months older than the oldest kid in there. In addition, the vp's questions about Avril's academic prowess (can she write her name? count to 20? print her alphabet?) reassured me that if that's all they covered in kindergarten she would be just fine in first grade.

Anyway, we decided that since Hawai'i schools are reputed to be behind mainland schools, we might as well go with it and put her in first grade and see how she did.

Doesn't she look excited? This is the mural by the cafetorium (yes, I finally figured it out: cafeteria+auditorium=cafetorium). Isn't it adorable?

She was really nervous for school. So of course I did the natural thing and took her shopping for cute new clothes, the classic Brand New Outfit for her First Day of School.

It actually really helped.

Sitting at her new desk with her fresh school supplies and soon-to-be friends.

Xandri and Roman were very interested and jealous of all the cool new things their big sister get to check out and play with and learn.

And how did Avril's mom do?

You know, I never thought I'd be a mom who'd cry on the first day of school.

And then I started thinking I might be a mom who cried on the first day of school.

Those of you who know me... what do you think?

Meanwhile, Avril's report card has gone from not reading at all (K.0 level reading) to passing kindergarten (K.3 level reading) since the first of the year. That's some serious progress. I've been blown away by how quickly she's picked everything up. The other kids had learned a LOT more in kindergarten than the vp had led me to believe. She tutors every Tues and Thurs after school to work on reading and writing. She's proficient if not excelling in math, proficient and progressing well in science and proficient in social studies. Her PE teacher loves her. She gets along well with all the students, performs well in class and communicates well. I get comments from perfect strangers when I go to her school about what a great kid she is, how obedient and well-behaved she is. I'm so proud of her and how much she's progressed in so many ways. She loves school, her teacher and her friends and answers my daily question in the same way every time,

"How was school today, Avril?"

*blissful sigh* "Perfect!"