First Day of School

The kids' first days of school were this week!

Amelie went to "jump start day" on Monday, which is just for 6th graders entering middle school (& 9th graders entering high school). Sam didn't think it counted as her "real" first day, so he didn't take a picture. Jefferson Middle School posted one, though: 

First day of 6th grade and first day of middle school! Amelie's at Jefferson Middle, which is a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) public city-wide magnet school. 

Amelie's glasses broke (the pin came out) on the first day, and her band teacher fixed them with a paperclip for her. Sam was able to run her over to the eye doctor after school before I had to go into work so they'd be fixed for the next day. She was able to sit with one of her elementary school friends for lunch both days - I think due to COVID they want them to stick with their same lunch table each day. 

Here's James's first day of 3rd grade Tuesday. He has Ms. Sirna again & we were all happy about that assignment. 

He had a good first day, too. 

I was very worried there had been a SNAFU with the bus situation, since Amelie's bus assignment never came through - until noon on Monday. We didn't get James's Sunday (when his school started Tuesday.) It was a mess! Sam had to do parent pick-up for Amelie on Monday since we didn't have bus info when she left in the AM (and this is less than 1/3 of the usual students in the building!)

And then James's bus was over an hour late dropping him off at the house today. I called the school after 4pm (after not being able to get through to the bus company STA) and they let me know that one of the bus drivers had called in sick and they couldn't get a sub, so another driver had to do 2 routes. (Such a mess!) 

After being home all summer, they were VERY enthusiastic about starting school. Here's hoping!

Leah had her first day of preschool today as well! They said to send her in play clothes and sneakers (& mask) with a change of clothes in her backpack. 

Right at noon, the teachers opened the door and asked "Who's here for preschool?" Leah immediately starts jumping up and down saying "ME! I AM! I am here for preschool for the first time!!!" and she zoomed right in. Then another kid who'd been to preschool with these same teachers last year went in, and the remainder of the kiddos had to be coaxed. She's just attending in the afternoon, but this is her first structured anything, ever. 

Here's me at preschool pick-up:

When her teacher sent her out the door, she ran right to me and began telling me and Sam all about it. The teacher let us know, "She's a hoot." 

I'm not at all sure that they'll be able to be fully in person all year (Amelie's band teacher sent home a packet that included "everyone needs to be prepared to go virtual at any time"), but being able to at least start the year face-to-face was a relief.