she is so ready

Kindergarten registration and open house were this afternoon.  We toured the school, including a classroom and submitted our registration packet (minus the health record form because I don't have an up to date one- that'll be taken care of before August).

Bear is ready to start now.  She misses her friends from Pre-K in Georgia.  She picked a flower (weed) on the way in, and almost immediately found a girl to introduce herself to and give it to, telling the child her full name (first, middle last).  It was precious.

The school is BIG.  It's a Primary school, so it only has grades K-2, but it has 15 Kindergarten classes!  I had heard it was big, but did not realize HOW big until I learned that.  In spite of the size, I love 3 things about it already.  1) No big 5th grade bullies or giants accidentally running her down in the hall.  Now, I am sure there are a lot of helpful 5th graders, too, but yes, the limited age range sounds fine with me, especially with as many students as they have. 2) They DO rotate electives.  Music, Art, PE.... it seems that the arts are being cut from so many school systems, to hear that those things are in their curriculum is great.   3) Kindergarten is a shorter day.  They will get out at 1:00 pm.  That's how it was when I was a kid, and since Bear is not used to going every single day, plus it will have been several months since she went to school outside the home at all, well, that's fine with me.  Leaves more time if we ever settle on activities for her to take on outside of school.

I was reassured by the fact that 3 other kids we met were older 5's and one would already be 6 when they begin.  Unless I home schooled, it's not like I had the choice of when she would start due to her birthday, but  I also still didn't want her to be a lot older than a majority of the kids.  Of course, in a group that size, she is bound to have others her age, but I am a worrier, and that's just how it is. :)

I didn't take a picture of her at the school yet.  I figured I'll save that for the first day of school in August.