fernandez: first day of school. 2011-12

So not ready for school to start this year, but oh so ready for school to start this year!!! We love summer with no schedules, nowhere to be, swimming everyday, later nights, sleeping in, and play, play, play. We also like the structure of school everyday with activities and projects and assignments to keep us busy and productive! I just miss my summer Sunday evenings. They are much more relaxing and enjoyable when we don't have school the next morning. Jacob is in 6th grade this year (how did that happen?) Jr. High next year...we are not ready!!! His teacher is Mrs. Hollenbeck and we LOVE her!!! He's going to have a great year! He is an awesome kid. Sofia is in 5th grade. She wanted to be in my class this year, but I have a standing rule of not teaching my own kids, so she was out of luck. She has Mrs. Lesperance and we LOVE her also! The best teachers in the school have my kids this year. Isabel is in 3rd grade. She has Miss Cronk. We LOVE her as well. Isabel has a hard time every year when school starts. She cries, wants me, and this year we added a tummy ache. The first two weeks of school she complained of a tummy ache every morning, at recess, at lunchtime, after school and in the evening before bedtime. Not fun. We haven't really dealt with anxiety before to that extreme. She has been doing better of late. We have a system where she is rewarded for days of not crying and the more comfortable she gets in her class the more relaxed she becomes. Still can't believe my 'baby' is in the 3rd grade and will be baptized in Nov. I have a 5th grade class of 34 students. They are all angels!!! I have the best days with these students. Such a sweet class that I haven't had to use any of my discipline strategies, or call parents, or be frustrated. I don't know what to do with myself seeing as the past 3 years I have had a more than a few 'handfuls' who have made teaching challenging. It's going to be a super year. (Fingers crossed!!!)