First Day of School

Ready or not...it came:  The first day of school.  We'd shopped and prepared.  We were ready, but also not ready.  Ready with new shoes and newly sharpened pencils.  Ready for a new adventure and a new schedule.  Not ready to say goodbye to the fun and freedom of summer.

This year was the first year in a long time that no one started in a new school.  Last year Ben and Kate switched elementary schools and Sarah started high school.  This year, everyone was going back to a familiar place, which really helped to lesson the back-to-school anxiety.

Sarah, a 10th grader, was the first one to leave.  This year she is taking Honors English, French 1, Algebra Trig, World History, Wind Symphony (Band) and Chemistry.   She is nearly done with an online health class she took over the summer.

I'm not sure what we will do next year for photos since she used up all her fingers this year.  I can't believe my kids are getting so big!

Rachel started 8th grade this year.   It is going to be her last year in middle school.  Rachel is taking Geometry, Language Arts, Social Studies (U.S. History), T.A., Science, and Health/P.E.  She has Polar Science for her flex period this trimester.  She decided not to do choir this year since she didn't really have any friends in choir, and opted to be a T.A. for one of her favorite teachers instead. 

Ben started 5th grade, which will be his last year in elementary school.  He had no stress at all, since he has his same teacher from last year, and the majority of kids in his class are the same.  He is continuing in the highly capable program that he started last year. 

Kate started second grade.  She was a bit sad that not too many of her friends from first grade were going to be in her class this year, but she makes friends so quickly that I wasn't too worried.  She was the most excited to go back to school of any of the kids. 

Overall, it was a pretty good first day.  The older girls had some bumps with not getting lunch periods with their friends and not loving some of their teachers, but I think it will be a good year nonetheless.