"When you d*ream, d*ream big..."

It's almost a new school year. I love the new school year, it represents a new start, total renewal of spirit. It is full of so much new hope and possibilities. We visited Baker Elementary http://bakerelementary.prosper-isd.net/ and met our teachers yesterday. The kids are so excited to start school. I really liked the teachers that the kids ended up with. Aliza's teacher is Miss Wenger. She is a self-proclaimed computer and math nerd. Aliza is really good at math, but likes reading, not so much. So maybe Miss Wenger can help her to love learning math and enjoy reading. Last year, Mrs. Petersen and Mrs. Van Oene did so much for her reading. She grew by leaps and bounds. Hopefully we can build on that this year. Parker's teacher is Miss (Kim) Phillips. Those who are fellow Colts at Knowlton will see the humor is this. What are the chances? Parker was never in Miss Phillip's class at Knowlton, but just the fact that there is one here too! (P.S. I love Knowlton Miss Phillips!) Anyway...she seemed perfectly suited for my little Parker. He LOVES learning, and I think he is going to enjoy her. She was very excited about the school year, and he did a scavenger hunt around the school and earned his first "homework pass." He likes this idea, as he can use it in place of turning in a homework assignment. Tyler has many teachers. He was a little disappointed that as a new kid he was put in the Choir class instead of our requested Art class because the Art class was already full. But we turned in the form to request a change and Mrs. Morris (the principal) said if anyone dropped out, she would put him in. I told him not to hold his breath. Singing will be good for him. Mrs. Avant would be proud. :) His homeroom teacher is also his Science teacher. She was very fun to talk to and is so excited to be at our school and obviously LOVES teaching. She talked about the experiments and dissecting they would do this year, and Parker was dying of jealousy. He'll get his turn! Tyler is also taking pre-AP English, the teacher has family in Utah. They will be reading a lot of neat books this year, including The Chronicles of Narnia and The Giver. He has already read The Giver, and is excited to read the rest. In pre-AP, they go into a lot of detail with the books and I think Tyler will enjoy it. He is also trying pre-AP math, which may be a little hard for him, but he loves math and wanted to try it. They skim 6th grade concepts that they need to know and go right into the 7th grade book. I hope he does ok, because that would give him a great head start for advanced placement classes in middle school and high school. He will also attend a daily PE class, and do science and social studies on alternate days for 90 minutes and 40 minutes each on Fridays.
I am going to be the Volunteer Coordinator for our PTO. We have a fun PTO president and I really like working with her. When the registrar called Knowlton to get the kid's records, she said that they said very nice things about me. (Thanks Sharma!!) So, for now, they are fooled into thinking I'm awesome.
School starts at 8:00 am, and the kids need to be there by about 7:50. It gets out at 3:00 pm, with no early days on Friday. This may be a shocker. They will all have PE every day, and they do not have morning or afternoon recess. They have lunch for a half an hour after which they have recess. But they have to stay in the cafeteria for the whole 30 minutes for lunch, then are all excused for a 20 minute recess. No eating as fast as you can and then running out to get the longest recess possible!
So as we get ready to go to school on Monday, I hope my kids will D*ream Big....
When you cry, be sure to dry your eyes, 'Cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile, be sure to smile wide, And don't let them know that they have won.
And when you walk, walk with pride, And don't show the hurt inside,
Because the pain sill soon be gone.
(Chorus)And when you dream, dream big, As big as the ocean, blue.
'Cause when you dream it might come true. But when you dream, dream big.
And when you laugh, be sure to laugh out loud, 'Cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all around and in yourself,
And it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to help to carry on, But when the troubles come your way.
(Chorus)And when you dream, dream big, As big as the ocean, blue.
'Cause when you dream it might come true.
But when you dream, dream big. (Dream big.)(Dream big.)
When you cry be sure to dry your eyes, cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide, and don't let them know that they have won.
And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud, 'Cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty allaround and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to help to carry on when the troubles come your way.
R*yan Shupe and the R*ubber Band http://music.aol.com/video/dream-big/ryan-shupe-and-the-rubberband/1354090