Preschool Year 2 Complete, and Next Steps

Here is Grace on her first day of this school year, and then the pictures from today. I can't believe we have already made it through two years of preschool! She looks so much older than she did on the first day, and the little girl in the yellow dress is long gone, but replaced with a much more mature, kind, thoughtful girl than the girl that is left behind.

Next year will be so different in so many ways. First off, to any uninformed, there is this newfangled thing called "Transitional Kindergarten."

In 2010, in California, a new rule came into affect that seriously affects (possibly negatively) both of my fall babies. Basically, instead of the start kindergarten as long as you turn 5 before December 1 (if parents decide), there is a new strict September 1 cut off. In other words, since Grace was born in October, and turns 5 after the cut off, she CAN'T be in Kindergarten at our local school.

Does it matter that gymnastics has made her gross motor skills excellent? No. Does it matter that she can write some of her letters already, has a great memory, or has learned to sound out and spell words (like frog! so proud)? No.*

If she started at our local public school in fall of 2016, she would fall into the fall kids gap, and be put in their two year transitional kindergarten program. It is a blend of preschool and kindergarten, takes things really slow, and once the kids exit, they go into first grade.

I still might have considered it... if it wasn't for two other mitigating factors. First off, there is a public Montessori program at our local school that you can enter through a lottery. I've seen and read great things about Montessori, and the way that it has every child able to advance at their own rate in each subject, which I think would really benefit both kids, but especially Grace (really strong in some areas, weak in others, while I think Remington gets most things quick).

Here's the catch. If I took option 1, and put her into transitional kindergarten, she would be locked into their two year program, and would not be eligible to join the lottery for the 17-18 year, because she was already put into a class. So, I went with option 2, put her into transitional kindergarten for 1 year at the same preschool that Remington will be going to, plus giving her one more year of familiarity and routine. Now, I will be able to try to get her in the lottery for the Montessori classroom for the 17-18 school year. The school did let me know that usually around 90 apply and only 30 make it, but at least I will have done my best to give her that opportunity. If we fall in the other two thirds, then I'll be bummed, but it will still make more sense to my "old school" way of thinking, and she will have a regular kindergarten class. She will also have the opportunity to be advanced as the school decides, either through GATE or just skipping grades if she really is far above her classmates, but I honestly hope that the Montessori structure will allow her to achieve her best, while still being with age level peers.

The other mitigating factor is that this way, for one year, the kids will be at the same school. Same field trips, same performances, and bonus, I will get to be in the working force again!

I have literally been working for months on getting all my paperwork squared away, but I have officially done it, and come September, I will be on the sub list for their preschool on the mornings they are both in school. I also might be on the elementary sub list, but its more complicated (different side of the school, and would need to get care lined up for the non-school time for both of them, since they will just be in the AM).

So, big changes coming our way in September! But for now, we will enjoy our summer together with all of the activities we have planned.

*I might have been able to get her to test into something, maybe, honestly I didn't look into it, because I have definitely already missed the Montessori chance for this year, and besides it will be helpful for the same preschool thing for the year. But a friend with a fall baby told me about how crazy strict they are, and how her son didn't make it over something minor, and I didn't want to put Grace through all that if I have a different plan anyways.