Yipes! School is Starting!!!

And we aren't ready! Glen is frantically grading finals, I am frantically putting together lessons and activities for my new astronomy 2 class, and Maggie isn't ready to go back to Kindergarten, and I am guessing Sean isn't ready for daycare either. Waaaaah! No matter how long vacation is, its never long enough.

We haven't been too impressed with Maggie's school. Its seems worksheet and homework heavy, both things I would expect in the middle and upper grades, but NOT Kindy! So we have been looking around for schools for next year. We ignorantly missed open enrollment cut-off dates last time around, and were wait-listed, so we are busy getting in applications early this year. First choice is Villa Montessori. Open enrollment lottery is February 11th. Pros: Its on the way to work, its free for K-8th, it goes from Toddler to 8th Grade, beautiful campus and a good vibe. Cons: Huuuuuuge wait list. Probably won't get in. Toddler care is an arm and a leg, and maybe the other leg too.

Second place is Montessori Academy. Open Enrollment is the first week of March. Pros: Its right down the street from home, its free for K-8th, and we actually have a chance to get in!! Sean can attend at age 2, which is when Maggie woul be starting 2nd grade, at the same price as the preschool he is currently at. Cons: The school is less than pretty from the outside. Its a hodge podge of houses connected by a paved, or sandy, outdoors. Not a lot of plantings, no grass except in the toddler though age 5 yard. The inside is great though.

Third place is Khalsa Montessori. Open Enrollment is in July? Did I read that right? Crazy! We haven't been able to tour this one yet, so all I know about it is through there website. We hope to set-up a tour in about 2 weeks. Apparent Pros: close location to Xavier although far from our home, which could be a pain when Maggie has school, but Glen and I don't. Free for k-8th, and has a toddler program for Sean. Apparent Cons: Toddler and Pre-primary classes are in a different location than the elementary school (that means 2 drop offs ans pickups), open enrollment on lottery method (which we don't have good luck with) which means there is probably a large waitlist and we won't get in. After our tour, this may change either up or down in the rankings.

Down at the bottom of the list is Hopi Elementary, another public school in our district that is closer to Xavier and has afterschool care, Children's House Montessori, which is a private school (bad since we don't want to pay) and northwest of Xavier (toooooo far) but does have a guaranteed spot for Maggie, and finally, sticking with her current school, Yavapai, which we don't like because of the hours, size, curriculum woes, and location. We really need Maggie to be in school until 3:30 or 4pm so Glen can pick her up so I don't have to rush all around, as next year Sean and I will probably still be on the early release plan, although not as early as this year. He will be in the 1-2 year old room next year, and they have a scheduled naptime from 12-ish to 2:30-ish. Since the earliest I can leave is 12:30, when Sean is napping, I plan to let him nap stay at Xavier until 2:30, and then pick him up. At Maggies current school, the bus drops her off at 2:30, soooo....thats not going to work. Also, Glen and I will always be working during her fall and spring breaks (1 week each semester) and its hard to find someplace for Maggie to go during that time.

Well...I'm sure this isn't very interesting, but writing it all down helped me to sort it all through my brain...