Didja think I fell off the face of the earth?
I really did not think it was going to take us three whole weeks to get hooked back up to the internet, but here I am, and we moved three weeks ago.
We're settling in. Day to day stuff was unpacked within the first few days, but there are still boxes (and boxes, and boxes) of stuff that is easier to procrastinate.
I'm adjusting to a new place, which ranges from figuring out what direction I'm facing* at a given point in town, to figuring out where things are in the new Walmart.
Audrey is settling in to her new school fairly well. I have had moments that *I* have had feelings of doubt about this school, which continue (for example, hers is the smallest first grade class with 24 students. Some classes have as many as 27.), so I'm proceeding with caution. Today was a real low when I realized her teacher had not even scheduled us for a parent-teacher conference. She thought since Audrey was so new, we wouldn't need one yet. I think that BECAUSE we are so new (and missed back-to-school night), we probably had MORE questions than the average parent. We managed to get into an open slot this afternoon, and after talking with the teacher, things are cool now. Tomorrow I have to call the school's ESL coordinator because somebody somewhere assumed that since Audrey's dad does not speak English as a first language, Audrey must need remediation. She's been dragged out of class a few times a week to meet with this teacher, and I only just today verified my suspicions that this is what it was for (no one told Audrey that was what she was doing, improving her poor broken English, so she could not really explain to me what she was doing, just that she was leaving class.) They certainly could not have assessed her to reach this conclusion, because her language skills are probably among the highest in her class. At her old school, they actually sent home a form *asking* if we wanted her in remediation. Of course I replied "NO". This school did nothing of the sort, just plopped her in a remediation group. When I told her tonight she wouldn't be going anymore, she cried. She said it was fun, and she liked spending time with the other little girl from her class who goes with her, a Hispanic girl who Audrey's teacher said also does not really qualify for remediation. My next project is to contact the school board asking about class sizes and requesting a copy of the budget (the teacher says this is a system-wide problem, and they have no plans to hire more teachers, despite the fact that more and more families are moving into the area). At times I have been so irritated by this school (this is just a sampling of some of the problems I have with it) that I've seriously contemplated revisiting the homeschool possibility if I don't feel better about things by Christmas. Yeah, I know, I'm having a baby. But Leo's parents will probably be here (or perhaps his sister), and would be able to help with the baby and Aislinn while I worked with Audrey, if necessary.
We are loving the house. The first night, I felt oddly let down and depressed. I kept feeling overwhelmed at the unpacking, at the size of the house and all the increased housework it promises, and thinking that I don't deserve a house this nice. Then it occurred to me...it felt a little like post-partum depression. Anyone who's been there knows: the feelings of inadaquecy, feeling overwhelmed, wondering why you're not happy because you have this wonderful new baby (house). When I put it in that perspective, I realized it would pass (at least it's not hormonal in this case!), and it mostly has. We ARE loving the house, and are currently shopping for new living room furniture that will go with the house (as opposed to our hand-me-down/Goodwill/college type furniture we've been using for ten years).
Got to run now. Still haven't checked e-mail or stopped in at the parenting message board I frequent, let alone caught up on blog reading. This could take weeks!!!!
*Not as easy as it used to be. I have lived most of my life at various points along a certain U.S. highway that runs north-south...except here in C_. Here it takes a southeast turn, and it has really thrown off my sense of direction...which was not wonderful in the first place. I'm now trying to find my way around town without using or even thinking about this highway, even though it is THE major thoroughfare, to better orient myself.
We're settling in. Day to day stuff was unpacked within the first few days, but there are still boxes (and boxes, and boxes) of stuff that is easier to procrastinate.
I'm adjusting to a new place, which ranges from figuring out what direction I'm facing* at a given point in town, to figuring out where things are in the new Walmart.
Audrey is settling in to her new school fairly well. I have had moments that *I* have had feelings of doubt about this school, which continue (for example, hers is the smallest first grade class with 24 students. Some classes have as many as 27.), so I'm proceeding with caution. Today was a real low when I realized her teacher had not even scheduled us for a parent-teacher conference. She thought since Audrey was so new, we wouldn't need one yet. I think that BECAUSE we are so new (and missed back-to-school night), we probably had MORE questions than the average parent. We managed to get into an open slot this afternoon, and after talking with the teacher, things are cool now. Tomorrow I have to call the school's ESL coordinator because somebody somewhere assumed that since Audrey's dad does not speak English as a first language, Audrey must need remediation. She's been dragged out of class a few times a week to meet with this teacher, and I only just today verified my suspicions that this is what it was for (no one told Audrey that was what she was doing, improving her poor broken English, so she could not really explain to me what she was doing, just that she was leaving class.) They certainly could not have assessed her to reach this conclusion, because her language skills are probably among the highest in her class. At her old school, they actually sent home a form *asking* if we wanted her in remediation. Of course I replied "NO". This school did nothing of the sort, just plopped her in a remediation group. When I told her tonight she wouldn't be going anymore, she cried. She said it was fun, and she liked spending time with the other little girl from her class who goes with her, a Hispanic girl who Audrey's teacher said also does not really qualify for remediation. My next project is to contact the school board asking about class sizes and requesting a copy of the budget (the teacher says this is a system-wide problem, and they have no plans to hire more teachers, despite the fact that more and more families are moving into the area). At times I have been so irritated by this school (this is just a sampling of some of the problems I have with it) that I've seriously contemplated revisiting the homeschool possibility if I don't feel better about things by Christmas. Yeah, I know, I'm having a baby. But Leo's parents will probably be here (or perhaps his sister), and would be able to help with the baby and Aislinn while I worked with Audrey, if necessary.
We are loving the house. The first night, I felt oddly let down and depressed. I kept feeling overwhelmed at the unpacking, at the size of the house and all the increased housework it promises, and thinking that I don't deserve a house this nice. Then it occurred to me...it felt a little like post-partum depression. Anyone who's been there knows: the feelings of inadaquecy, feeling overwhelmed, wondering why you're not happy because you have this wonderful new baby (house). When I put it in that perspective, I realized it would pass (at least it's not hormonal in this case!), and it mostly has. We ARE loving the house, and are currently shopping for new living room furniture that will go with the house (as opposed to our hand-me-down/Goodwill/college type furniture we've been using for ten years).
Got to run now. Still haven't checked e-mail or stopped in at the parenting message board I frequent, let alone caught up on blog reading. This could take weeks!!!!
*Not as easy as it used to be. I have lived most of my life at various points along a certain U.S. highway that runs north-south...except here in C_. Here it takes a southeast turn, and it has really thrown off my sense of direction...which was not wonderful in the first place. I'm now trying to find my way around town without using or even thinking about this highway, even though it is THE major thoroughfare, to better orient myself.
posted by Andrea | 9:29 PM
9 Comments:
Welcome back, I missed you!!! I'm so happy you're loving your new house, and I hope Audrey's school improves.
It's great to have you back! Hopefully you get Audrey's school stuff sorted soon. Post lots of pictures once the house is unpacked.
Yay, you're back!
Let me tell you, Chai fans, that the house is TERRIFIC! It's as great as Andrea said and then some. It has a TON of space and will be very fun for Audrey and Aislinn and Herman/Hermione (hee hee) and MY KIDS to run around in.
And Congrats on finally getting back online.
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Regarding the school situation, have you considered C_ Christian School?
Glad you are settling in!
Shopping for furniture is FUN. (mostly, except for the deciding part and the paying for part).
And good for you for getting so much information re school. We should all be more like that.
Congratulations on your move! I'm sorry you are having problems with Audrey's school. Odd that they don't have enough money for teachers, but have enough money for teachers teaching remediation to children who don't need it.
i wonder, because of the large number of international families in C_, do they automatically assume all "foreign" kids don't speak english? I've never heard of a kid getting bounced to remediation just because of his or her ethnicity! (Gulp!)
and knowing Audrey, she does not need help with her language skills!!!!
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