Kindergarten Chronicles, 21 October

It's been waaaaay too long since I posted on kindy.

Ethel has kept up really well with doing her homework every night when we get home, and so have I. Daddy is awesome about getting her to do her homework before they go get Fred from day care on Mondays. Ethel's good at her math, her reading, and her spelling.

I went to the second PTO meeting last week. Sadly, I'd filled out the form to volunteer at last Friday's Fall Festival, but they didn't call me about it until the night before. They need to get a bit more organized, and get more people in there that can help them out with things like calling parents, etc. The principal suggested a volunteer/interest survey to give to parents this week during goal sharing (p/t conferences). I created the form and sent it to the one lady on the board, and as of last Friday night, she still hadn't talked to the president about it. Good Lord! Anyway, I can see many ways to be helpful to them, I just have to weasel my way in and light the fire. I don't know if they do box tops or any other stuff like that, but, I'm going to propose it next meeting.

OK, so speaking of conferences, E's was last night. Daddy signed up and insisted on going. These goal sharing sessions are for parents, teachers, and the kids, so Ethel went with Daddy. Daddy was beaming when he got home. Mrs. P started by saying that she wished all her conferences were going to be as easy at Ethel's. She wishes she had a class full of Ethels. She asked Ethel if there is anything E doesn't like at the school and in kindy. E said nothing, she likes everything!

Ethel and one of her girlfriends are the two that help Mrs. P with games in the classroom, who consistently do well on homework and 'tests', and who are top of the line in the behaviour area. They come up with ideas and they participate in class. !!!! Mrs. P couldn't say enough to let us know how well Ethel is doing. She showed Daddy where Ethel tested on DIBELS (http://www.dibels.org/dibels.html) for the first three months of school. They want the kids at 40 and above by the end of the school year for LNF (letter naming fluency), and Ethel is at 32 right now. The goal for mid-school year (months 4-6) is 18 and above (for the highest). They will test for PSF and NWF-CLS {phenome segmentation fluency / nonsense word fluency} in the middle of the year, and Mrs. P said she doesn't think Ethel will have any problem meeting and exceeding the goals.

HOLY CRAP!! I am so insanely proud of her. Not just for the test score, but for the fact that she is cooperative and on point with behaviour. Ethel loves school and when I asked her what kinds of things she wants to learn more in kindy she said math and reading harder words. I expected her to say tie shoes and zip her jacket without help! LOL

I'm just really excited. It rather makes me feel better about having to have had her in day care all these years, and have to credit the curriculum there for her progress in kindy so far. She had a good groundwork laid in her early development, and is certainly thriving in the kindy environment.

I feel so good about this conference, and am looking forward to her report card when it comes in December.