On August 10th, roughly 2 and 1/2 weeks from today, Kate will enter kindergarten. For some reason, when I say this my own life passes before my eyes. My kindergarten teacher collected pigs. She taught us how to sing in a round and that's the year I learned Let's Go Fly a Kite. Patrick Shoemaker had the chicken pox and the measles simultaneously. I fell in love with school supplies (an enduring affection whose tenure exceeds most of my loves). Then I see every other grade whirring past. So. Fast.
Although Kate's journey began 5 years ago, there's something official about kindergarten that makes parents all weepy. To my chagrin, I'm no exception. This is probably because I hate homework and when I left grad school I thought I'd finally freed myself of that scourge and now I'll have to deal with it all over again. Twice. Also maybe because the whole thing is a reminder of our mortality and how sweet yet fleeting life really is. Mostly I think it's the homework.
So anyway, Kate will attend Drew Charter School. I thought the school might be with-it enough to have a Facebook group, thus allowing me to keep up with all its news while slacking at the office, but it doesn't. There is a surprising number of people named Drew Charter, though. We enter Drew with some trepidation. While it fairs well in most standards of measurement, Drew is too far for the kids to walk and requires the crossing of Memorial Avenue (very busy) without a crossing guard so bikes are out too, which makes me a little sad. Also, Drew's student population is 98% black. Frankly, that's a little off-putting. It is by no means diverse and who wants their kid to be in a minority so extreme? I worry that she will be ostracized for being different and while I'm sure she'll ultimately be fine, I dread those tearful days. I figure no matter where she goes to school there will be plenty of socially awkward days to endure, regardless of the racial/socioeconomic/family-structure/etc make-up of the student body, so it's worth a shot here, anyway.
On the up-side, the school has just hired a new principal. He has 40 years of educational experience and his previous role was as the executive director of Outward Bound Atlanta. This background instills me with hope. I found this article when I Googled him. So we'll see. It should be interesting to see how the princess deals with having to wear a uniform to school. Fingers crossed, chins up...and away we go.
6 comments:
One word for La Princesse: Accessorize.
When I first read that, for some reason, I thought it said "jazzercize".
Isn't she the only white girl on the cheerleading squad? Maybe she won't realize she's not black. You've seen The Jerk, right? Anyway, I tease Chris frequently about being white (ex. when he jams out to Steely Dan) and he's fine. He has thick skin. I will say, time flies! I can't believe the baby is going to school. I may or may not be tearing up right now.
I don't mind being made fun of for my whiteness, for I too love Steely Dan. Additionally I love mayonnaise, croquet and The Partridge Family. I expect some ribbing regarding my complete lack of skin pigmentation (SPF 900, anyone?) just so long as the kids will still let me sit with them at lunch.
Kate is charming. All of the kids will be fighting each other to sit with her at lunch.
Kate will do just fine. Sounds like a really good school and I'm sure YOU and JEREMIAH will learn a lot!
I sure can empathize with you, though. NOBODY better hurt my kids!!
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