School Days, Part Two

I promise to go back and post photos and updates from fall/winter/spring, but since I just posted about the beginning of the girls' school years, I thought it might make sense to post about their end-of-the-school-year events next.

Ramona's last day was June 6th.  At the annual moving-up ceremony, her class sang "This Little Light of Mine," and were super cute.

After the other classes sang their songs, the entire school sang the (preschool) song of the year: "Let It Go".  It was hysterical.  My apologies for the shakiness of the video, but I couldn't stop laughing!  I'm not sure which I liked best: the kids who were shouting the words at the tops of their lungs, or the kids who were covering their ears and cringing through the song.  It made for some darn good entertainment.

Oh, that little girl in the front middle making the exuberant arm gestures throughout the song is not Ramona, but another girl in the same dress!  Ramona is toward the back and the right. 

Ramona's last day of preschool -- June 6, 2014

The ceremony was followed-up with a lunch party back at school and lots of goodbye hugs. 




Ramona loves Miss Jessica!  We'll all miss her next year.

So glad that Ramona will be back there in the fall!

............................................................................................................................................................

At the other end of the date-of-the-last-day-of-school spectrum was Amelia, whose last day was just last Wednesday (June 25).  Don't feel too bad for her, though.  Her last two and a half weeks of school included: no homework and no spelling tests, not one but two field trips (one to the swan boats in the Public Garden and one to the zoo), field day, kindergarten graduation, a holiday (Bunker Hill Day), a school-wide talent show, a school dance (I am NOT kidding -- hers included the kindergarten through second grade students), and a couple of early dismissals. 

Field trip to Stone Zoo




Posing with some of her artwork and after her very first school dance!

Add a handful of birthday parties and other end-of-the-year get-togethers, and you've got yourself a pretty fun month of June!

I was happy that my start date for my new job was scheduled for the middle of June, because it allowed me to attend more of these activities than I might otherwise have been able to.  I had a great time chaperoning the field trip to the zoo -- it's so much fun to watch Amelia interact with her peers in situations I don't normally get to see -- and was very impressed by the kindergarten graduation program. 

Kindergarten graduation performance and ceremony

The kindergarten classes sang FOUR entire songs -- complete with hand gestures and including "Fifty Nifty United States" (which I remember 5th graders singing when I was in elementary school) -- and had worked very hard to learn them all.

I didn't get much of the last song... My phone ran out of storage, and I was frantically trying to delete things during the first part!  But here's the end:

The singing was followed by the distribution of their "diplomas," and then cake for all. 

So proud of our little kindergarten grad! 

Last day of kindergarten!  Where did the year go???

With her teachers, Mrs. K and Mrs. Quigg, and a picture she drew of them  :)

Or, as she likes to call herself now, our first-grader.  :)

School Days, Part One

As we wrap up the 2013-14 school year (Ramona has been on break for over two weeks, but Amelia's last day was yesterday -- ah, the difference between private and public school!), here are some pictures from the girls' respective first days of school...

 

All ready for KINDERGARTEN!

This was a BIG year for Amelia.  Kindergarten is so much more structured and academic than preschool is -- or than kindergarten used to be, for that matter.  They actually had weekly spelling tests during the second half of the year! 

Photo with her sisters, who seem less than thrilled...

At the beginning of the year, Amelia could identify all letters, and could write all of the uppercase letters, and most of the lowercase letters.  She could spell her name and a handful of common short words, and knew what sounds most of the letters made, but was just beginning to sound out simple three- and four-letter words.  She could identify most numbers between 1 and 20, but could only write a couple of them. 

On the long (two-and-a-half-block) walk to her new school

And now?

The girl can straight-up READ, and has been able to for at least six months.  She is undaunted by the length of words and the length of books, sounding out four- and five-syllable words with a speed that amazes me and tackling (picture) books of all lengths, from 20 pages to 60 pages.  And she WANTS to read.  All.  The.  Time.  (It's awesome.)    

Finding her nametag and meeting her teacher

She knows dozens of "sight words," and can indeed identify them instantly.  She can write complete sentences, including proper capitalization and correct punctuation (most of the time).  She knows the difference between long and short vowel sounds, and understands the role of the silent "e".   

Getting settled in her new classroom... with some old friends!

And her math skills!  Amelia can now count past one hundred -- by ones, by tens, by fives -- and can write out all of the numbers.  She can read a math problem and then solve it using pictures and numbers.  She can add one-digit numbers to one-digit numbers, to make either more one-digit numbers or (small) two-digit numbers.  She can also subtract one-digit numbers from other one-digit numbers and (small) two-digit numbers. 

It's seriously incredible.  Thank goodness for awesome teachers! 

Ramona has had a great school year, too. 

SO happy to be going to school!

At not quite four, she has another year of preschool after this one, so for this pre-pre-kindergarten year, we had her in school just three mornings a week.  She may have been happier going four or five mornings a week, though, since she was always bummed on the days that Amelia got to go to school but she didn't!  Next year.  :)

Note that everyone seems more cheerful for Ramona's first day than they were for Amelia's.

She has grown up so much this year.  Where she might have had difficulty transitioning between activities at the beginning of the year (read: moving from an activity she was enjoying to one that she was less enthusiastic about), by the end of the year she was cheerfully picking up with her friends and getting ready for the next task. 

 

Walking the Freedom Trail to school... and peeking in the window upon arrival

Ramona has also made some "academic" advances this year, moving from circling her name upon arriving at class, to filling in two or three missing letters in her name, to writing out her whole name.  She can also now identify most letters, write about half of her uppercase letters pretty successfully, and tell you what sounds most letters make.  She can count past 20, can identify several numbers, and can even write a few of them, but still needs help with identifying and writing most numbers.   

All signed in and ready to begin her day!

Ramona will be returning to the same preschool next year, moving up to the (pre-kindergarten) Sea Turtle class, along with a handful of her current classmates, to join several kids from other classrooms.  And she'll have the same teachers that Amelia had last year, which we are thrilled about because they are so wonderful. 

Looking at these pictures from their respective first days of school reminds me of just how different these two girls are...

Amelia was super excited about her first day of kindergarten, but she was also REALLY nervous, and cried a little bit as we were dropping her off.  (You'll notice that she's not really smiling in the pictures of her in her classroom.)  To be fair, it was kind of a zoo.  There were 22 kids in her class, plus 2 parents apiece for most of them, and many youngers siblings... Add in two teachers she didn't know and a new school, and it was just a little bit too much for my sensitive little girl!  After we got her set up with some familiar faces at her table and gave her a couple of hugs, she was completely fine -- in fact, at bedtime that night, she whispered to me that she couldn't wait to go back to school the next day -- but it's a pretty accurate depiction of how Amelia often reacts to something new: reserved, a bit cautious, and in need of gentle coaxing and reassurances.

Ramona, on the other hand... I don't think that shy will ever be a word used to describe her!  She trotted all the way to school on her first day, giggling the whole time, so pleased both to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones.  After she got all signed in, she hugged us goodbye, but never gave us a second glance as we left.  Again, to be fair, Ramona had attended the same school for a semester last year, and even had one of her old teachers again, but even so...  She has no problem asserting herself in a roomful of people she doesn't know, and will chat up anyone -- the crossing guard, the guy ahead of us in line at Dunkin Donuts, the kid on the neighboring swing at the playground -- about anything -- her current favorite toy, the book she read last night, what she ate for breakfast, her cats...  The possibilities are endless. 

They are definitely different kids, but they do share the same attitude toward school: both LOVE it, and I hope they continue to enjoy it for a long, long time... Though hopefully not on our dime after college!  :)

Preschool Graduation!

At the beginning of June, Amelia "graduated" from preschool. 

Is it really necessary to have a ceremony to celebrate moving from preschool to kindergarten, complete with caps and gowns?  Probably not...  But it certainly was darn cute!  Each of the four classes at the girls' school performed a song (which they had been practicing for months), and the kids were all so proud of themselves.  Really, super cute. 

See for yourself!

Amelia's class getting ready

Ramona and the rest of the Manatee Class

Ramona's class sang "This is the Day."  She's a bit difficult to find in the video, as she was standing a little bit behind a friend of hers.  She's the one holding Mandy, the (stuffed) class mascot! 

There!  She finally saw us!  :)

Our little neighbor wasn't terribly impressed with one of the songs... I won't tell you which one.

After the other classes were finished with their songs, Amelia's got to "march" up to their seats on the stage.  Just a little pomp and circumstance

We have NO idea what possessed Amelia to cross her legs in such a ladylike manner!  Very uncharacteristic of her...

Amelia's class singing

Seriously, how cute are they?!

Amelia's class sang "Seasons of Love."  (Because what Catholic preschool doesn't want to include a song from the musical Rent in its graduation ceremony?)  Seriously, though, they did a great job.  I was very impressed that they learned multiple verses of a song with a lot of words, and just about died when they put their arms around each other toward the end... So sweet!

The Sea Turtle class with Miss Sarah and Miss Jessica

Our little preschool graduate!

Just a few of Amelia's buddies.  Preschoolers are so funny!

After the ceremony, the school threw a celebratory lunch party for all of the kiddos.  One last chance to run around with their friends and thank their teachers before the beginning of summer vacation! 

Hugs for Miss Nicole and Miss Jessica

From Amelia's classroom.  The best answers to the favorite part of school question are definitely Emma's and Colin's.

 

Amelia just loved Miss Sarah and Miss Jessica, and will miss them so much next year when she's in KINDERGARTEN!

 

We're so glad that Ramona will be back at Good Shepherd for preschool again next year, and hope that we're in the neighborhood long enough for Louisa to attend this wonderful school, too!

New Month, Old Routine

Friday was Amelia's first day back to school.

Just three and a half weeks post surgery!  (The resiliency of kids is AMAZING.)

Amelia's scar, three weeks post-surgery.  Not bad, right?

She actually was cleared to go back a week and a half earlier, but the week before last was school vacation week in these parts, so we didn't have to decide whether or not to send her.  Instead, she and Ramona were both at home every day, enjoying their last week with Nonna (my mom) before she headed back to Colorado.

All kinds of fun with Nonna!

Then we contemplated sending her earlier last week, but ultimately decided Friday would be the ideal first day back: just one day before the weekend, plus only about half of her class attends on Fridays, making it a lower-key day.

Amelia back at school -- having a patriotic snack

Amelia's teachers said that she had a great day.  Everyone was happy to have her back, and she was thrilled to be there again.

So things are back to normal around here!  Amelia's next follow-up appointment is March 11.  We'll make sure to let you know how it goes.

Preschool Performances

Amelia had not one, but two, performances last week: a mini-recital to wrap up her dance class on Wednesday, and a Christmas concert to celebrate the season with her preschool on Friday. Given her somewhat grudging appearances in the limelight in the past (Ramona is the child who basks in being the center of attention), we were just happy that she was excited to participate.

Due to a cold and the tonsillectomy, Amelia had missed the three previous dance classes, so we weren't sure whether she'd actually want to go/perform, but she did!  She was a little out of sync, but not horribly so (it IS a class of four- and five-year-olds, after all), and it didn't seem to bother her in the least. I love how much she enjoys her dance class. 



This picture makes me laugh -- so cute!



Looking rather graceful

Ballet jump!



Amelia Ballerina





Group hug to end class



Here's a video of the scarf-twirling part of the performance.  Poor Amelia looks a little lost here!

Despite missing a week of school, Amelia was still pretty well-prepared for her school's Christmas concert on Friday, since they had been practicing for weeks.  Her class sang "Little Drummer Boy" -- multiple verses! -- and they all did a great job. 



Amelia's class singing


A video of the the first part of Little Drummer Boy, pa rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum...

 

I know that we're just at the beginning of the spectating part of parenthood, and maybe I won't feel this way when all three girls are participating in several different activities apiece, but right now I'm loving watching Amelia show off what she's learning.

There really isn't much that's cuter than a bunch of preschoolers singing and dancing.  And cherishing the sweetness and innocence of these kiddos feels particularly poignant in the aftermath of Friday's tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. So remember to share the joy of the season with your little ones, and to hold your loved ones close this holiday (and always).



Chad and Ramona at Amelia's Christmas Concert



That's what we're doing.