Our journey toward kindergarten continues here at Red Shutters. As I’ve written about here and here, R is starting the big K in September, and we’re working to get the family ready. Last week, we took on another milestone: the tour of our elementary school.
Two weeks ago was the official kindergarten tour day. But our tour was scheduled at 1 PM on a Thursday, which wasn’t convenient (a clue of how public school isn’t working-parent-friendly but that’s another post). Rather than take off an afternoon of work (which I couldn’t do), or have R miss out on this important part of his transition, I called to ask for an alternative. Thankfully, a member of the administrative staff said not to worry, just come by whenever is it worked for us, flexibility I so appreciated.
So, one morning last week the kids and I went to visit the school. After checking it at the front office, we headed down the hall to the kindergarten classrooms, pointing out the lockers along the wall where R will keep his winter gear, backpack, and extra clothes. Since class was in session (though most of the kids were outside for Field Day), we couldn’t go into the rooms, but we could peak inside. Both R and G noticed different items in the classrooms such as desks and work areas, and R was pleased to see the kindergarten classes had a carpeted area for gathering (what his preschool calls circle time).
The cafeteria was, surprisingly, of greatest interest, and the kids were keen to see the small room where you could buy hot lunch. R has already told me he wants to get lunch from school “a lot,” a flag for us that we need to set parameters for when buying lunch will be acceptable. Where he even learned that you could buy lunch is beyond me.
Our elementary school has been undergoing renovations for more than a year now, though school administrators expects more progress before September. Work on the kindergarten wing has been completed so R will be able to start the year in his classroom, as opposed to last year when the kindergarteners were housed in the multipurpose room and library for several weeks.
The library was the last stop on our tour, and it was all I could do to pull the kids out of there before they started taking books off the shelf. I made a mental note, as we left, about the location of the nurse’s office and picked up a flyer on pick up and drop off rules (speaking of which, who remembers this scene from “Mister Mom?”).
R said the tour, at 15 minutes, was “too long,” but his eyes were shining as we left, and he posed so proudly in front of the school. The tour was a good idea, I’ve decided, and will help us talk about what to expect from the school community he’ll be part of through 2018 (!!).
How exciting that he’s getting ready to start! My oldest just finished 1st grade and it’s been a really great experience for her. The cafeteria IS a big deal. I told her she could buy one time a week. We get the menu each month, and for awhile, she diligently picked out which meal she’d eat for the week. Then she decided that the food really way horrible, and now we pack every day. Perhaps that will happen with your little one, too! 🙂 Good luck as he starts school!