ANOTHER first day of school

After yesterday's fiasco with Josie and Ben Holt, it was the other kids' turn for their first day of the new school year as well as Josie's "first day Round 2! " :)

Although Emily liked Ben Holt well enough, she had been wanting for a more "traditional" high school experience ie: football games, pep rallies, cheerleaders and school sponsored sports. Today marked that change as last winter she put in an interdistrict transfer to be able to say she's a "LODI FLAME" and it was approved. Today was her first day. We left the house at the lovely hour of 6:20 so as to pick up her schedule with the rest of students. Excited, yet very nervous, she was able to wear non-uniform clothes to school for the first time in 4 years! Now that was a major decision!! She was able to navigate her way to all of her classes and seemed to really enjoy her day.

Gracie was round 2 this morning. She is returning to Elkhorn (the GATE school she attended 4th-6th grades. The students there have to qualify for entrance and then get lucky enough to attend there through a lottery. They are only guaranteed a spot there for 4th-6th grade and then are placed into another lottery to stay for 7th and 8th. Gracie was not lucky in the lottery for middle school and had to leave for 7th grade. She worked her way through the waiting list and was called back for this school year. Thrilled to be back with her old friends and in a more academically challenging place, she was a pretty happy camper today when I dropped her off at 7:30.

I then returned home one more time for Round 3--the Manlio Silva duo--Josie and Grant. Normally they ride their bikes, but being the first day, I drove them the mile to school to help them find their lines and ease those first day jitters. Josie is in Mr. Jay's class (a superb teacher) and Grant is in Mrs. Auchard's class (another really good teacher at Silva). They both returned home today in good spirits.

I think this is going to be a really good year for all of the kids. My blip today is of Emily before leaving for school. Since they are all on different timelines this year, I wasn't able to get a group photo but did manage individuals of each along with Jack horning in on a few. He will start preschool in September--is he ever ready!!!