Back To School 2017

I am so excited to send these kids back to school.  Although I am going to miss this summer.  It was a glorious summer where we enjoyed laughing, learning, and swimming....we are ready to spend a few hours apart each day.  

Today we went through their summer goals.  They all completed all but one goal.  (A different goal for each of them.)  But I am honestly so proud of my kiddos.  They worked hard this summer.  They are happy that now I can take out my teacher energy on other people's kids.  

Ben completed the Kinder Reading Challenge that I gave my students.  It was based on a reading challenge my mom was doing.  I let him use lots of the books we listened to in the car together, then we did the rest as his bedtime stories.  (Some of which we partner read).  He got a new backpack as his prize for finishing. 

He is so excited for school so that he can see his friends!

He wanted to do his pictures in the tree.

And I just love this adorable face!  He got new glasses for school.  Transformers frames.  

This face is probably my favorite.

Libby said, I wish we had Bryn and Brian to take our pictures again this year...Sorry to disappoint Libby!  She picked out this outfit when we school shopped.  She specifically wanted the white polo and blue jeans.  She really wishes she had a blazer to go with and some dark shoes.  She is into the "professional look."  Clearly she didn't get that from either of her parents.  I am dreading leaving the wardrobe of a personal trainer for the wardrobe of a teacher.    

The reading challenge was hard for her.  She has become a reluctant reader this summer.  We are going to do vision therapy with her this next year to see if that can help her.  She has real tracking issues, worse than Ben's.  But she persevered and read all of Ella Enchanted, as her "award winning book" because she really wanted to earn that backpack.  

My favorite picture.

I love this sparkly smile!  She is excited for 3rd grade.  She will be in a 3/4 split class.  The teacher is new to our school, but a good friend (whose opinion I really trust) knows the teacher professionally and says she is awesome.  When I met her I had to agree.  I'm really excited for Sarah.  

She earned her backpack as well.  She had 2 books left to go and every time I turned around she was reading Harry Potter or something that wasn't part of her reading challenge.  It made me almost crazy!  But she finally turned it on, read her Misty Copeland biography and 100 Dresses to finish.  (I did let her read a book to Ben for the "Book with a Number in the Title," 10 Little Ladybugs I think.)

So here goes nothing!  Back to school for everyone!