The Po Show

Goodbye to Summer, Sort Of

Thanks Meg, for asking about Matthew's school situation. He will be going to the therapeutic private school, and he doesn't start till Monday. Ross and I went in for our parent's orientation last week, and it went very well. Everyone is so kind there, and I'm feeling much better about the whole transition.

Tomorrow is Matthew's orientation. It's really nice: they bring each kid in individually to meet his (it's mostly boys at the school) teachers and therapist, so it's not a zoo with all the kids in the class there at the same time. Just the RX for anxious kids! Though "all the kids in the class" doesn't amount to that many, as average class size is 8, with a teacher and two aides. I'll definitely update after the orientation, and no doubt again when he starts on his first day.

Today was Tessa's day to see her classroom and meet her teacher. Her first day is tomorrow. It worked out well that my kids aren't starting school on the same day, so they get a little special attention on their first days (plus it was a real bonus to get to point out to Matthew that he gets a couple extra days of vacation!). Tessa was thrilled to find that many of the kids from her class last year will be in her class this year, and she was tickled pink (the best color, of course) that she is sitting between Sofia and Sophia. Sofia has been in her class for the last two years, so they are old friends. And last year Sophia was in her reading "group" (composed of the two of them, despite the fact that they were in different classes, because they were the only first graders reading at third grade level), so she knows her well. Tessa is stoked about starting school tomorrow, and this evening she took it upon herself to review her language arts workbook from last year, so she'd be prepared for the new year. That child blows my mind.

So it's the last day of summer vacation, sort of. Matthew doesn't start till Monday, but tomorrow he'll go to his new school. I think he'll be really relieved once he's seen his classroom, met the staff, and thus knows what to expect. He's actually done a good job of distracting himself from his nervousness. On Friday he goes to a new dentist and to the pediatrician, so it won't exactly be a "fun" day, but it still lets him eke out his vacation a bit longer.

I really can't believe summer is over, but it was a good one.