Kindergarten

Kindergarten for Clara this year has been a bit of a roller coaster.  After much anticipation, she started in public school last fall in Oakland. She was besides herself with excitement.  She was not, however, terribly thrilled to have her picture taken on the first day:

Unfortunately, the school was not a good fit.  For lots of different reasons, Clara was anxious and stressed by the environment.

Meanwhile, Evie started at a new preschool that has an amazing community and wonderful teachers.  Evie has been happy and well adjusted from day one.  Her teachers tell us that Evie never so much as frowns at school.  She is happy to participate in all of the classroom activities, and will gladly play with any student in the room.  Here's her first day of school:

Evie's school isn't just for preschoolers.  They also have a K-5 elementary school.  So when a spot opened in the kindergarten classroom in December, we submitted an application for Clara to join.  She switched schools in January, and the change we've seen in her has been so dramatic that it's hard to even describe.  While she had a difficult time establishing relationships at her old school, she quickly formed close friendships with 4-5 girls at her new school.  Multiple teachers have remarked to us that she adapted to her new environment so quickly that it seems as though she has always been a student there.  On her first day in January, she was nervous but very excited to try a new school:

When I picked Clara up from school last Friday, her teacher told me she had given a great report in class that day.  Apparently the kindergartners were asked to research and write a report, then present it to the whole class.  Her teacher posted these pictures of Clara working on hers.

I asked Clara about it when we got home and asked if she would present her report to me.  She insisted on wearing her backpack so it looked like she was at school.  I'm pretty sure there are a few factual inaccuracies here (20 years???), but she was so proud of herself.  And we are so grateful for a school that makes her feel safe, confident, and most of all, a school that's fun!