Back to School

We started back to school around here a week and a half ago. Hard to believe I no longer have any elementary school children, but there it is. Following is a brief update on who is going where for what.

First up: Ben

Ben started 8th grade last week. Brand new year, brand new school. Actually, it's NOT a brand new school, it's a really old school that is getting a face lift. Renovations of the 8th and 9th grade buildings finished right before school started back. Ben had to go in on Day One completely cold - no tour, no orientation, no nothing. All he had was a homeroom number and a dream (and I'm not convinced he actually had a dream). But he slowly found his way around (he didn't find his locker until Day 4) and I'm happy to say, all is well. Everyone else was in the same chaotic boat, so that helped. The construction and renovation of other buildings on campus is still going on, so things will be crazy for a while yet. But it's all good. We went to an open house on Thursday and I couldn't believe how good the building looked. It looked like a brand new school.

He is running cross country (which started last week) and is running EVERYDAY after school. Some days they run on campus and in the neighborhoods around the school, and some days they run at the VA. Twice they have run in the evenings to let it cool down a bit. He is really enjoying it. He will also play soccer with Daniel in a Parks & Rec league, but that hasn't officially started yet. In music news, he is still playing the string bass (orchestra meets on the 10-12 campus, so he gets dropped off way far away from the rest of his classes and gets shuttled to his campus mid-morning.)

I think it's going to be a great year for him. I just have one of those feelings.

And now: Daniel

Daniel is a sixth grader and is now a middle school student. He has a locker, a schedule, and an ID card. He has been thrown into the mix with 1200 of his closest friends. He likes his teachers, although he finds one of them "creepy". (I pictured some seventy-year-old battle axe, but we saw her walking in one day and she looked to be about twelve. I told DP it was probably her first teaching job and she was likely scared to death. He seemed mystified by the fact that a teacher might be scared of anything.) Anywho...he had two or three building tours and a meet-and-greet, so he was WAY prepared for his first day. Ironically, the only thing he didn't know going in was his homeroom assignment, which was the only thing Ben did know.

He got his locker assignment on the first day, had to practice opening it, and then reported back to his teacher that while he opened the locker just fine, he had to stand in a chair to reach it. She got him a new locker.

Daniel has signed up for band, and was "fitted" to be a trumpet player. (They let him try out every instrument and rated him on which ones he was most likely to play well. Trumpet was top on the list, and it was the one he wanted to play anyway. So it was a win-win fitting.) He will start toting his trumpet around next week. We ordered one from a "reputable" music dealer on eBay. The band teacher checked it out and gave it a thumbs-up. Whew. Glad that's done.

No school sports for sixth graders, but DP wants to play Parks & Rec soccer with Coach T anyway. He will be playing up this year, so he and Ben will be on the same team. All are very excited about that.

Homework has been light so far, which is a popular concept. There's been lots of connecting with old friends, and making new friends. Ben informs me that he eats lunch every day with a great, funny, bunch of guys whose names he does not know. I asked if he might need to know their names at some point, but he didn't think so. Daniel has friends that he refers to as "Brunden" , "Poop Ice Cream" , and "Shoulder-to-Shoulder". Long stories all. Maybe Ben is on to something.

At any rate, the new school year is well under way and it's good times as far as the eye can see. Here's hoping!