Already?

So yesterday I worked from home to be able to attend an open house at Katherine's future elementary school.  Yup, as in kindergarten. K.I.N.D.E.R.G.A.R.T.E.N.  We are only months away from registering Miss K. We're fortunate that her base school is a Gifted and Talented Magnet school in the county.  We're also lucky that since we're so far east in the county, we've not experienced any of the growing pains that other parts are going through with the constant redistricting and bussing.  We won't even get into the politics that are currently going on with the proposed end of bussing for economic diversity (thinly veiled disguise because it's illegal to bus for race...welcome to the South).

So, off I went yesterday morning to check things out.  Turns out I was the only parent interested that day.  This is probably because actually kindergarten registration is not until February and there are another series of magnet school open houses then.  I have no idea what will be going on in February so I decided to take the opportunity now.  Actually, it was nice to have my own private tour of the place.  I didn't have a lot of questions for the staff other than general interest about the magnet program but being alone made it easier for conversation.

I'll tell you straight out, I liked what I saw.  Boy is elementary school different now!  There's media rooms, computer labs, and weekly homework (yes, even in kindergarten!).  And not only that, as part of a magnet program, she'll have the opportunity to choose from a number of elective classes that occur in addition to the regular curriculum, starting in kindergarten.  There's choices in music, dance, art, robotics (!!!), science, you name it.  Obviously in the beginning, it's more parent choice than kid but it will be interesting to see what she gravitates to as she goes along.  Because the kids were at lunch I got to actually walk into the kindergarten rooms and meet two of the teachers.  She would flip if she saw the room (of course, I didn't tell her I was going to avoid the obvious meltdown that she couldn't come too).

Growing up in a town versus county school system, all of this is new to me.  There was no "choice" in elementary school, there was THE school closest to your house that you went to. Our elementary school choices are either Katherine's base school or the public charter school that is in town.  You have to lottery into the charter school and since it's a small school with grades k-12, your odds of getting in on the lottery are slim.  Their open house is in February so we'll check it out then but based on my reviews of the website I'm still a bit apprehensive about it.  So, more to come in this area!