Hello, Harriet Tubman Elementary
Ellis started preschool at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, our neighborhood public school. Her new teachers are Ms. Oliver and Ms. Fernandez. Ellis adores Ms. Oliver and has asked to play with her a couple times over the weekend. Ms. Fernandez is the Spanish teacher who is there to help teach a couple Spanish-speaking kids learn English and the English-speakers learn Spanish.
This is Ellis in her school uniform with Ms. Fernandez.
There are 14 kids in the class, which is one of 2 classes for 3-year olds. Ellis will also be in the aftercare program with 13 other 3- and 4-year olds. The teachers in that program are Ms. Weeks and Ms. Davis. Ms. Weeks is Tubman's award-winning kindergarten teacher, who you can't help but fall in love with immediately upon meeting her.
Sadly, we did not set up after care well. Ellis was not prepared for it and the first day was disorganized with all the kids being kept together in the cafeteria. Ellis got very upset when Ms. Oliver left and was still red-eyed when I arrived. Still, she chatted up the aide who walked her to meet me like nothing was wrong -- clearly something she was doing to make herself feel brave.
By day 2, I had complained to the principal, Harry Hughes, who whipped everything into shape by that afternoon. Now all the 3 and 4 year olds will come to Ellis' classroom for aftercare, which is run by their awesomest teacher.
I am really pissed at myself for not setting this up better. It was entirely predictable for anyone who knows my child. But I blew it, end of story. So for the rest of this week, I am picking Ellis up at 3:15 and spending quality time with her to help her get used to school. Ms. Weeks is finding Ellis each day on the playground so that they "will be good friends by the time Ellis starts aftercare next Tuesday." Ellis assures me she will be fine.
Interestingly, in spite of a 90 minute nap time, Ellis is exhausted by the end of the day. The child who could easily make it until 9:30-10:00 was asleep tonight by 8:30.
This is Ellis in her school uniform with Ms. Fernandez.
Sadly, we did not set up after care well. Ellis was not prepared for it and the first day was disorganized with all the kids being kept together in the cafeteria. Ellis got very upset when Ms. Oliver left and was still red-eyed when I arrived. Still, she chatted up the aide who walked her to meet me like nothing was wrong -- clearly something she was doing to make herself feel brave.
By day 2, I had complained to the principal, Harry Hughes, who whipped everything into shape by that afternoon. Now all the 3 and 4 year olds will come to Ellis' classroom for aftercare, which is run by their awesomest teacher.
I am really pissed at myself for not setting this up better. It was entirely predictable for anyone who knows my child. But I blew it, end of story. So for the rest of this week, I am picking Ellis up at 3:15 and spending quality time with her to help her get used to school. Ms. Weeks is finding Ellis each day on the playground so that they "will be good friends by the time Ellis starts aftercare next Tuesday." Ellis assures me she will be fine.
Interestingly, in spite of a 90 minute nap time, Ellis is exhausted by the end of the day. The child who could easily make it until 9:30-10:00 was asleep tonight by 8:30.
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