New School

The boys started at their new school this week. I am amazed at how well organized and efficiently run this school is. I LOVE it!!!!! It is a huge school between 700-800 students grades k-4. There are 8 2nd grade teachers.

They have a gifted and talent program. The kids switch classrooms for reading time and go with the kids at the same level as them. The schools are much farther ahead than our Utah schools. Gavan is doing long division here and basic algebra. Needless to say we are doing some catch up with him. They have PE 2-3 days a week depending on which grade they are in.

They have the BEST drop off and pick up system I have EVER seen. They have two drop off areas. There are at least 2 teachers at each drop off zone to help the children get out of the cars safely. The children go to the gym when they first get to school (unless they are having breakfast), and wait in their class line in the gym. The teacher come pick up their class 15 mins. before school starts and takes them to the class room. The children are never left unsupervised. That means no playing outside with just one teacher on duty before school. Love it!

The last 2o minutes of the day is spent getting the kids ready to go home. Each child has a button on his backpack that indicates how he goes homes, walk, bus or parent pick up. They are taken by their teacher to the designated waiting area for their mode of transportation. The teachers have designated jobs before and after school to insure safety. After school each teacher is in charge of a group of kids. For example one teacher takes a group of 25 kids that walk home to the cross walk and waits until the crossing guards escorts them across the street before leaving.

The parents are given a hang tag with their child's name and grade on it. You drive up to the pick up zone, show your tag at point A. The teacher radio's the staff in the gym announcing your child's name. Then your child is escorted to pick up point B. By the time you get to point B your child is there waiting for you. No delays, no driving around other vehicles because their child isn't ready . All the kids are in the right area before the school bell rings to go home. I had my kids picked up by 5 minutes after school let out and there were at 20 people a head of me in the pick up line. The next day there were 70 + cars a head of me and I still had the kids in the car within 10 minutes of school letting out. Talk about organized.

The child can't go home any other way than what their buttons says. If you change how you want them to come home you must call the school 1 hour prior to let out time so they have time to get the children to the right place.

It truly amazed me how organized the drop off and pick up is at this school. I like it so much better than the "free for all" style that we were used.

In order to volunteer at the school you have to have background check done each year. They assign new kids a "buddy" for the first day to show them around campus and help them learn the ropes.

The more I learn about the school the more I LOVE it! I am curious to see what kinds of things the PTC (Texas version of PTA) does. It definitely makes the transition easier for everyone when you enjoy the school!