What's new?

What's new? The snow has melted in the sunny front yard. We've found Lightening McQueen, who got lost in a snow drift in December. We've also found tons and tons of dog poo. Yuck.

Jacob is still enjoying karate. Both kids like swimming lessons really well. Yesterday was parent watch day at Jacob's swimming lessons. He's working on his arm stroke, and if he masters it - it will make him (at least in the eyes of the YMCA) a better swimmer than Allison. Allison is a fearless swimmer - big fan of diving for rings, jumping off the edge, and swimming dolphin style underwater. As for the official swimming techniques - not so much. Jacob is doing a pretty good job of mastering the technique, but isn't necessarily "comfortable" with the water. We could probably combine their strengths and have a regular fish.

Brian is busy with work - the same amount of work that kept him superbly busy before - only with less people to help / delegate to.

There was a meeting at Allison's school the other week to discuss enrollment. The numbers are like this right now: 3 second grade classes total of about 75 students; 2 first grade classes for a total of 61 students (30 and 31 - yikes!); 4 kindergartens for a total of 96 students (double yikes!!). Enrolled kindergartners for next year (Jacob's grade) - 44 with a projection of 50.

So next year there will hopefully be 3 third grades, 3 second grades, 4 first grades, and 2 kindergartens. If they lose a teacher there will still be 2 kindergartens and 4 first grades - but there will be 2 second and 2 third with a second/third split. Needless to say - current first grade parents are happy because under either scenario our kids go from 30-31 to 25-28 in a class. Current second grade parents are irate because with reduced staffing their numbers will go up from 25 to 28.

I'm kindof bummed that Jacob's kindergarten will be big (22 to 25; compared with Allison's 18); but happy that Allison's class size may go back down to 25 or even maybe 20. I know who the kindergarten teachers will be, but I don't know who will end up teaching second grade. Allison will not be in the split class because it would be to challenging to coordinate services for students in a mixed grade. (the principal seemed to be looking right at me when he told the parent group that there wouldn't be special needs students in the mixed grade and when he said it wouldn't be ideal for students who didn't have good organizational skills - I don't like the principal very much). Honestly - I think Allison would like and do well in a mixed class, but I understand the logic.

It'll be interesting. I partially can't believe both kids will be in school next year.