report cards and preschool parent/teacher conferences

with all the school cancellations, madelyn's report card came home a week late but it was worth the wait - straight "m"s. her teacher did write in that she is "pleased with madelyn's reading" and that she is "above the expected level".

the boys had report cards (or evaluations) come home just before the school cancellations. they both had straight "s"s (satisfactory) - except for mason who has a few articulation issues although his teacher wrote that he did not need any evaluation. in fact, when i met with her for the actual parent/teacher conference this week she said that he would not qualify for help through the school system.  but she did say that we should consider a short amount of private speech therapy to help him articulate a few sounds more quickly. we are going to ask about it this summer at his five year check-up (his teacher suggested that we speak with his pediatrician about it if we wanted to do anything).

mason's teacher wrote: "mason is friends with everyone and he really enjoys school. i feel he will be ready for kindergarten in the fall." however, we are not planning on sending him in the fall.  i have really (really, really) struggled with holding him back because it has nothing to do with his intelligence or social skills (the 'normal' reasons to hold someone back). but we have to hold manning back to keep him from being in the same grade as maddux (maddux would be the oldest and manning one of the youngest in the same kindergarten class) which sealed the deal for me. we just can't see a down side to holding him (extra year to save for college, older when sitting for act/sat tests, an extra year for sports, etc.).  so mason will be in pre-k next year (which is not provided by the state).

maddux' teacher wrote: "maddux is a joy to teach. he is a strong-minded little boy and a leader in our class. i enjoy his eagerness to participate in class activities and his willingness to try new things. he knows our class routines and he often anticipates transmit ions leading his classmates into and sometimes out of activities... maddux has made many friends in class and others naturally follow his lead. others enjoy playing with him and it is exciting to watch the beginning cooperative play that is occurring. maddux is always so polite and shows genuine concern for everyone in our class. he is a joy to work with and i look forward to the rest of the school year with him." at the parent/teacher conference she said that she wishes she had a whole class of madduxes. what she surprised me with is recommending that he skip the 3-year-old class and go into the 4-year-old class next year. i shouldn't have been surprised but i was so focused on kindergarten or pre-k for mason that i just wasn't expecting something like that from maddux' teacher. matt and i agree with her about him being ready for the 4-year-old class so he is going to jump right up. this will not affect when he begins kindergarten.  he will do the 4-year-old class and then the pre-k, just like mason.

all of the kids have started preschool as 2-year-olds but manning might not. three kids in preschool might be more than we are willing to spend when i am at home during the day. we have to decide quickly because we have to turn in forms tomorrow to have any hope at getting the days we would like (not that we ever get them). what to do, what to do?

so thankful to have children who are succeeding and happy at school. love.