Back-to-school like never before

It was Back-to-school night last night but this event was very different than in previous years. The night began with a short prayer, led by Father Bob. The church was packed with the parents of grades K-4 and the sense of community was strong. We were all updated on the plans for the school year. This did not stop with academics. It included community events as well as a description of the many improvements designed update the look of the school. The various activities all sounded fantastic, and the enthusiasm for volunteerism was tremendous.

When the overall presentation was finished, the parents went to the various classrooms for an in depth preview of the coming year. We were treated to a computerized presentation of the material that was created by the 4th grade students. Each page was illustrated using a drawing program, with the detailed information typed out and read by the students. We learned about all the subjects [i.e. math, english, social studies, religion, spanish, PE, art, and science], the grading standards, rules, field trips, and the big reports/projects for the year. It was fun to hear my YaYa’s voice as he read about religious studies.

There was a lot of information to take in during the night. Thankfully we were given a handout on all the material. One of the biggest take away for me was determining which teacher taught each of the various subjects. Similar to middle and high school, YaYa has a homeroom teacher as well as a few other teachers. The students all remain in their main class, and the teachers do the moving about. YaYa really likes it.

I can tell already that the school year is going to be a rewarding one, but it is also going to be demanding too. As a parent, I am ready to do what I need to do to insure my child’s success, even if it means brushing up on my Spanish, or learning a few of those prayer’s that I never learned growing up. I’ve already had my share of homework, but do you know what…I am not the only family member to have homework assigned.

Nanny, if you are reading this, here is your warning; YOU have homework too. YaYa has to interview you for Grandparents’ Day. He has a serious of questions about your life when you were his age, so brush off those memories. He’ll be calling on you soon.