School started!

A couple of years ago, before we moved downtown, I wrote this post about wading through school options.  Today, (okay, it's been a week now) I dropped my first grader and fourth grader off for their first day of school, and I realized how thankful I am for the school we ended up at.

I love that they'll go to school there until high school.

I love that it's small (about twenty classrooms for K-8).

I love that most of the neighborhood kids attend the same school.

I love that the older kids get opportunities to lead and mentor the younger ones.  (D'arcy was excited to think she might get a chance to be Schroeder's reading buddy next year.  But she said he might get chosen quickly because he was so cute.)

I love that it sits right downtown (minutes from our house) and they take numerous walking field trips around the city.

I love that it's diverse.
I like that school supplies get shared by the whole class.

I really like the international baccalaureate curriculum they use.   

I like that they don't receive letter grades but that their report cards assess very specific skills in each subject.
I really like the balanced schedule so we get 8 weeks for summer and two for fall, winter, and spring breaks.

I like that school doesn't start until 8:50am.

Many moms shared with me years ago that they prayed each year, for each kid, where they should go to school.  This sounded super exhausting to me...to be reconsidering school options each year!  Without discounting their approach, that just wasn't for me.  I would definitely reconsider my choice if my kids were experiencing significant difficulties at school, but, thankfully, they haven't.  And I look forward to sending Schroeder to school #2 next year.  Sooner than later, I'll have a kindergartner, second grader, fourth grader, and seventh grader to drop off at the same school.