First Day of School!!!

Melanie starting Kindergarten
Joey starting Preschool
Union Elementary, Zionsville
August 14, 2013

Melanie's first day of Kindergarten!

The kids both started their new school on Wednesday, 8/14!  We started the week the previous Friday, by learning that Melanie's kindergarten teacher would be Miss Brooke Compton.  She was thrilled to learn her friend Lily H. would be in her class; and I was happy to learn that three other kids from our neighborhood would be in her class.  Monday evening, we had a small playdate for the neighborhood kids who would be starting kindergarten.  Tuesday night was "back to school night" - an ice cream social, and the kids met their teachers, found their cubbies, etc.  A great way to build the excitement!

Melanie & Joey are both in Before & After Care.  The best thing about this is that the K & Preschool programs are merged, and in one room.  One place to drop them off, one place to pick them up - and they get to keep each other company and cause ruckus together.  That REALLY helped the first day transition.

They were both in great spirits upon first-day pickup, and unfortunately I got manipulated into spending an hour on the playground on the way out.  We'll have to tighten up the pickup process :)  But hey, it was their first day!!

Melanie had a bit of a meltdown Wednesday evening, which I was prepared for by other, wiser mommies. She was able to calm down with some cuddling on the couch and a discussion about some of the scary parts of kindergarten.  She admitted she was "nervous" when she and Joey had to split up to go to their respective rooms after before-care.  She also said that it was tough to not be able to "sit out" of activities that she didn't want to do.  That must be a camp term, but she did confirm that she was able to sit out one thing she wasn't interested in.  She regaled us with stories Miss Compton had told, tidbits she'd learned about her classmates, and other fun stories.  We had given her one assignment - we knew she was at a pod of six kids, and we couldn't remember the sixth kid's name.  That was one of the first things she reported after school on day one :)

Joey seemed to really like his teachers too; he couldn't remember anyone's name except "Little Molly," but he got to play on the playground, have story time, nap time, and other things he didn't necessarily want to elaborate on as much as his big sister!  His teacher's name is Ms. Deater.

Before & After Care (BAC) - with their names together as requested by Melanie :)

Mel was uninterested in getting her pic taken at her desk.  But here's the general idea