Today, MacTroll and I took X-man to tour Kenwood Elementary School. We hadn't heard much about the school besides the fact that it's not one of the schools that is usually over chosen at the lottery. The overall test scores of the school appear to be low in regards to the No Child Left Behind situation, but we found the environment and leadership there to be quite -- welcoming and warm.
We were given a tour by the principal, Lisa Geren. She comes with a friendly southern accent and immediately tuned into X-man, shaking his hand first and welcoming him. (If you know me, this made me like her immediately.) Then she took us into her office where a student was finishing reading to the school's on-site literacy dog, Ms. Susie. Susie was a rescue dog, who hangs out in the principal's office all day. The children who earn a chance to read to her get to sit in a bean bag and read and visit with the dog. X-man thought that this was very fun -- because it was highly irregular.
On our tour, we visited Super Sam's kindergarten class. We waved at him, but he seemed confused to see us out of place. :-) The kindergarten rooms were all gigantic and very well decorated. They looked like the kind of place I wouldn't mind spending six hours learning to read, write and do math. Lots of art hanging on the walls, tables were in a neat order and in each kindergarten room the children were completely engaged in what was going on.
Kenwood has two courtyard environments. They're small, but one is home to a garden that is help supported by the local Master Gardeners. It also has squirrel feeders, tables to eat lunch on outside when the weather is nice. The other has a fish pond (with a turtle). The courtyards let a lot of natural light into the hallways that was nice, and the principal made a point of stating that it's a very animal friendly place. They were hoping to have baby squirrels in the tree in the courtyard in the spring.
The cafeteria and the gym are the same place and showing its age, but X-man was excited because they just installed a brand new climbing wall.
Kenwood has individual music and art rooms, so there's no art on a cart. The music teacher invited us in where the children were singing. X-man asked her right away about her obsession with Elmo. "There are just -- soooo many."
Enrichment had its own classroom to work on accelerated reading. We did see a student or two working with folks one on one in the hallway from time to time. We also saw parents who were volunteering in the classrooms. The students were getting group photos taken in the hallway when we got there. The library was HUGE and had fun beanbags for kids to sit down and read in.
The kindergarten rooms didn't have clear center areas any more, but they had many other fun items (like puzzle carts, games, etc., available.) So even though there wasn't any kind of housekeeping or block area, X-man thought it still looked like a fun place to be.
The neighborhood is in Holiday Hills, so it's lower middle class, but it is tucked away from busy streets and quiet. The school runs on a balanced or "year-round" schedule. School starts at 7:50 a.m. and runs until 2:05 p.m.
Overall, MacTroll and I were pleasantly surprised. It had that smaller school environment we're looking for, and X-man felt comfortable right away. How do I know? He didn't stop talking the entire time we were there.
MacTroll and I got a little embarrassed when he said, "We're just here to visit. I want to go to Carrie Busey because it's going to be the school in Savoy" to the secretary. We just let it go. Gonna have to work on the social politeness situation as he gets older...
But Kenwood definitely just made it onto our list of five schools.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Review of Robeson Elementary School
The kindergarten lottery system starts in March, but this year is just slightly different. We have to choose five schools as potential places we'd want to send X-man, not just three, like in previous years. Picking five schools when there are eleven seems ridiculous, particularly when there are only four, 30-minute tour spots available and one open house (which we'll be gone for). So, outside of the tour days, I've been trying to set up private tours at the other schools that I haven't had a chance to visit yet.
MacTroll and I visited Robeson Elementary School in SW Champaign. It's one of the larger elementary schools in the system, and moderately close to our house. We know three or four families that have children who attend there, and in 2009 our business purchased some kindergarten carpets and pillow seats for kids to sit on for the school. It's in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by Robeson park, which connects to some short bike trails. The community around the school is pretty affluent.
Walking into the school we met a few other families waiting for the tour, including a couple of X-man's friends. Right now, Robeson is a 4-strand school. That means they have four classrooms at each grade level. Next year they'll only have three strands, so the number of students will go down. It's no question that they could use the space. Certain activities and special needs activities are taking place in the hallway. Having special rooms for those kinds of learning interactions is definitely important. But it is a big school. It feels big, open, and quite yellow on the inside. The students went about their day quite happily involved in the learning process. We got to sit in and listen to some of the kids enrolled in the Strings program warm up their instruments. We saw the library and the kindergarten rooms.
The principal was very nice, but left it up to parents to approach her with questions, which is hard, when you're all not quite sure what you're getting into. The kindergarten rooms no longer have centers at Robeson. And kindergarten students eat during the very last lunch period, so they don't have to rush. The school day starts at 7:50 a.m., so the school feeds the kids some kind of morning snack in order accommodate this late eating period. Since the school day ends at 2:05 p.m.
Overall, we found Robeson to be much less -- cozy-- than a Carrie Busey or a South Side. It felt more like Barkstall.
I'm starting to understand that when picking a school, it's beginning to be more about teachers and environment and knowing that you feel comfortable that an administration will work with you.
In regards to Robeson, I know my friends who go there have a child with severe allergies and have worked hand in hand with the school to educate them about the seriousness of food allergies.
MacTroll and I visited Robeson Elementary School in SW Champaign. It's one of the larger elementary schools in the system, and moderately close to our house. We know three or four families that have children who attend there, and in 2009 our business purchased some kindergarten carpets and pillow seats for kids to sit on for the school. It's in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by Robeson park, which connects to some short bike trails. The community around the school is pretty affluent.
Walking into the school we met a few other families waiting for the tour, including a couple of X-man's friends. Right now, Robeson is a 4-strand school. That means they have four classrooms at each grade level. Next year they'll only have three strands, so the number of students will go down. It's no question that they could use the space. Certain activities and special needs activities are taking place in the hallway. Having special rooms for those kinds of learning interactions is definitely important. But it is a big school. It feels big, open, and quite yellow on the inside. The students went about their day quite happily involved in the learning process. We got to sit in and listen to some of the kids enrolled in the Strings program warm up their instruments. We saw the library and the kindergarten rooms.
The principal was very nice, but left it up to parents to approach her with questions, which is hard, when you're all not quite sure what you're getting into. The kindergarten rooms no longer have centers at Robeson. And kindergarten students eat during the very last lunch period, so they don't have to rush. The school day starts at 7:50 a.m., so the school feeds the kids some kind of morning snack in order accommodate this late eating period. Since the school day ends at 2:05 p.m.
Overall, we found Robeson to be much less -- cozy-- than a Carrie Busey or a South Side. It felt more like Barkstall.
I'm starting to understand that when picking a school, it's beginning to be more about teachers and environment and knowing that you feel comfortable that an administration will work with you.
In regards to Robeson, I know my friends who go there have a child with severe allergies and have worked hand in hand with the school to educate them about the seriousness of food allergies.
Monday, January 17, 2011
First Stop on the Road to Self Confidence
On Saturday, X-man tested for his yellow belt at HMD Academy. We've been going to classes there twice a week since August and in December we started going on Friday to get extra help to prepare X-man for his yellow belt test.
HMD Academy is non-competitive. There is no actual winner or loser sparring going on. It focuses mostly on promoting self-confidence, self-esteem and self-reliance. X-man has inherited a number of my issues regarding these concepts. He is unsure of himself. He tells himself he can't do something. He doesn't think anyone really likes him, and he often says that without me, he'd feel very much alone.
I knew right away when that kind of stuff started coming out of his mouth last year that I needed to try and nip it in the bud, but he didn't believe me... Curiously, at the same time, HMD had an informational table at the movie theater, and I got to speak with Ms. Kayla about the program. Lots of people think of martial arts as fighting, but in reality, at least at HMD, it feels a lot more like mixing dance with yoga. It's about personal achievement and focus. But there is some shouting, and a whole lotta push ups. :-)
X-man practiced TKD 3 hours a week, including class time. He's gotten so frustrated with it that he's tried to kick his teacher or broken down in tears in the middle of class, AND he's gotten so happy about it that he's several times, much to the surprise of his teacher, full on hugged him when he's mastered something he's had trouble with.
We set a goal. Each week we practice. When he finally achieves the goal he feels good about himself, and we set a new goal and move forward.
I'm very proud of X-man for sticking with something like this for over five months.
X-man in his ready stance with Master Hyong.
I know it's fuzzy, but you can still see the total proud look on his face!
HMD Academy is non-competitive. There is no actual winner or loser sparring going on. It focuses mostly on promoting self-confidence, self-esteem and self-reliance. X-man has inherited a number of my issues regarding these concepts. He is unsure of himself. He tells himself he can't do something. He doesn't think anyone really likes him, and he often says that without me, he'd feel very much alone.
I knew right away when that kind of stuff started coming out of his mouth last year that I needed to try and nip it in the bud, but he didn't believe me... Curiously, at the same time, HMD had an informational table at the movie theater, and I got to speak with Ms. Kayla about the program. Lots of people think of martial arts as fighting, but in reality, at least at HMD, it feels a lot more like mixing dance with yoga. It's about personal achievement and focus. But there is some shouting, and a whole lotta push ups. :-)
X-man practiced TKD 3 hours a week, including class time. He's gotten so frustrated with it that he's tried to kick his teacher or broken down in tears in the middle of class, AND he's gotten so happy about it that he's several times, much to the surprise of his teacher, full on hugged him when he's mastered something he's had trouble with.
We set a goal. Each week we practice. When he finally achieves the goal he feels good about himself, and we set a new goal and move forward.
I'm very proud of X-man for sticking with something like this for over five months.
X-man in his ready stance with Master Hyong.
I know it's fuzzy, but you can still see the total proud look on his face!
Here he is -- my banana belt!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Houston, we have a fibroid
The results of my pelvic ultrasound are in. I have a benign fibroid that could be contributing to my low iron. I have a follow up appointment with gynecology on March 2 at 10:45 a.m. to see if it's inside or outside my uterus, what my options are about treating it, etc. It seems so very far away.
I went in this morning for my gluten intolerance test. I'll get the results back next week.
Until then, I'm having a hard time with lethargy this week. I think if the schedule wasn't so insane, I'd be handling it a little better. But there's a lot of things going on. I started a new part-time job. I am picking up the book drop in Tolono. I attended my first board meeting at the library to see what it was like. I got some personal training sessions (3 per week for 30 minutes) for Christmas that I'm using at the Rec Center, and I've been doing Tae Kwon Do out my ears with X-man so that he can pass his yellow belt test. Traveling, guests, snow, vet appointments, doctors' appointments...
It's a lot. But then I read articles like this in the Wall Street Journal, about how I'm this totally whipped Western parent. And I think, "Wow, that whole dynamic sounds pretty heartless, but at the same time, I wonder if I was more relentless with my son, if he'd learn a better work ethic. Am I too lenient?"
I went in this morning for my gluten intolerance test. I'll get the results back next week.
Until then, I'm having a hard time with lethargy this week. I think if the schedule wasn't so insane, I'd be handling it a little better. But there's a lot of things going on. I started a new part-time job. I am picking up the book drop in Tolono. I attended my first board meeting at the library to see what it was like. I got some personal training sessions (3 per week for 30 minutes) for Christmas that I'm using at the Rec Center, and I've been doing Tae Kwon Do out my ears with X-man so that he can pass his yellow belt test. Traveling, guests, snow, vet appointments, doctors' appointments...
It's a lot. But then I read articles like this in the Wall Street Journal, about how I'm this totally whipped Western parent. And I think, "Wow, that whole dynamic sounds pretty heartless, but at the same time, I wonder if I was more relentless with my son, if he'd learn a better work ethic. Am I too lenient?"
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Guns, Death, Racism and My Kid
Last night X-man and I read, "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" by Barack Obama at bedtime. If you've never read it, it's Obama listing all of the things he loves about his girls -- and what people in history also shared the same characteristics.
Our conversation went something like this.
X: "Is Martin King still alive?"
L: "No, he was shot a long time ago before Mommy was born."
X: "Who shot him?"
L: "James Earl Ray."
X: "Why?"
L: "He didn't like that Martin thought people with different colors of skin should be friends and equals."
X: "Earl Ray wasn't a nice man."
L: "No."
I read some words...
X: "Mom, is Lincoln still alive?"
L: "No, he was shot a long time ago before even my grandparents were born."
X: "Did Earl Ray shoot him too?"
L: "No, John Wilkes Booth."
X: "Why didn't he like Lincoln?"
L: "Because Lincoln wanted black people to not be slaves and to be treated like people. He also wanted them to be able to vote."
I read some more.
X: "Why is Sitting Bull's face like a mountain?"
L: "The picture represents the land he lived on and the time he was alive."
X: "Did someone shoot him, too?"
L: "Probably, let me check." I do a Wikipedia search. "Yes. He was shot by a Lt. Bullhead when Sitting Bull resisted arrest by the U.S. government.."
X: "Why was he arrested? Was he bad?"
L: "White people broke a treaty and took the land of his people, and he was angry, so the Native Americans, who lived here before us, were at war with the white people."
X: "Why do white men always shoot people they don't like?"
L: "I don't know, Baby. I don't know. But it's wrong, and I don't like it."
X: "I won't shoot anybody. I will use my words."
I love that idea and his words. Please let him remember them.
Our conversation went something like this.
X: "Is Martin King still alive?"
L: "No, he was shot a long time ago before Mommy was born."
X: "Who shot him?"
L: "James Earl Ray."
X: "Why?"
L: "He didn't like that Martin thought people with different colors of skin should be friends and equals."
X: "Earl Ray wasn't a nice man."
L: "No."
I read some words...
X: "Mom, is Lincoln still alive?"
L: "No, he was shot a long time ago before even my grandparents were born."
X: "Did Earl Ray shoot him too?"
L: "No, John Wilkes Booth."
X: "Why didn't he like Lincoln?"
L: "Because Lincoln wanted black people to not be slaves and to be treated like people. He also wanted them to be able to vote."
I read some more.
X: "Why is Sitting Bull's face like a mountain?"
L: "The picture represents the land he lived on and the time he was alive."
X: "Did someone shoot him, too?"
L: "Probably, let me check." I do a Wikipedia search. "Yes. He was shot by a Lt. Bullhead when Sitting Bull resisted arrest by the U.S. government.."
X: "Why was he arrested? Was he bad?"
L: "White people broke a treaty and took the land of his people, and he was angry, so the Native Americans, who lived here before us, were at war with the white people."
X: "Why do white men always shoot people they don't like?"
L: "I don't know, Baby. I don't know. But it's wrong, and I don't like it."
X: "I won't shoot anybody. I will use my words."
I love that idea and his words. Please let him remember them.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Manic Monday
I had a lot of appointments today. And, of course, one of them got fubared -- it was no one's fault. I went in for my pelvic ultrasound, but apparently I'm a "slow filler" so it took 20 minutes longer for the 48 ounces of water that I drank between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m. to make it to my bladder. At 8:30 at my appointment, we were all ready to go, but my bladder was about 1/3 of the way behind. So, I got to pee and then got sent out to come back at 9:30. From 9-9:30 MacTroll and I toured Carrie Busey Elementary School. It's my third time there. I went last year by myself when Savoy finally got a proximity A school. Then I went back during the open house night with Quigs. We saw Mrs. Carswell, who always makes me happy to send my child to kindergarten if he can have a teacher that communicative. :-) But this year, the special treat was that Mr. Scott, the assistant principal that I liked so much at Southside when I toured last year, is now the principal at Carrie Busey.
MacTroll was pretty happy about the tour and seeing the inside of the building plans for the new building they're supposed to finish by the time X-man is in first grade. Mostly, he was really excited to see so much inclusivity in the classrooms. Carrie Busey is home to the district's education program for the deaf. So, it was awesome to see interpreters in the classrooms working with the librarian doing story time, side by side.
Afterwards, I went to the gym and did some strength training and road 20 miles on the bike in 60 minutes. I'm excited about reaching this ability of 3 minute miles, sometimes less. Right now it's while the bike is on level 11 of 20 and set to the "Alpine" setting.
Then I ran over to weight management, where I learned that a man who started the program with me had died. It was strange, because I had just seen him on the treadmill last Tuesday. He was 71, and he started the program morbidly obese and lost hundreds of pounds. I don't necessarily believe that exercise helps you live longer. I know that being lighter is less of a tax on the circulatory system, but I believe that being more mobile does make life a lot easier to live. I was sad to hear the news and read his obituary online.
After weight management, I picked up MacTroll, and we headed over to Robeson Elementary School. It was my first time in the building. Usually Robeson is a four strand school. (Four strand means they have 4 classes/teachers at each level.) Next year they will only be three strand in order to make more classrooms available for things like reading rooms, special education classes, etc. The principal seemed very excited about it. She has a child going into kindergarten next year, too, so she was very sympathetic with a lot of the confusion or questions parents had.
The fun part of the trip was that last year, our company donated a bunch of money to some kindergarten classrooms at Robeson, so we got to see the rugs and pillow chairs that we bought for them in use. :-)
We know Carrie Busey is our first choice, but we have to have a second and a third choice, just in case we don't get into the 85% likelihood that X-man gets to go to his soon-to-be neighborhood school. And I'm at a loss about what to do about spot two and three I know there are wonderful schools, but they're usually picked by everyone. Only 3-4 schools appear to have a copious amount of extra seats, mostly, I'm guessing, because they're situated in more impoverished neighborhoods where crime is greater. They also have lower test scores. To attract people to those schools, they've been putting on brand new additions and changing them to magnet schools. I'm working on arranging tours for MacTroll and I at all four locations. As a parent, you hear different things about people's school experiences. No one is every 100% happy, it seems. But I also find that parents are usually die-hards about the schools they ultimately get, because they want to be supportive of the environment their children go to every day.
By the time registration rolls around, I hope to have visited every elementary school. I'm a curious (i.e. nosy) person by nature. I blame it on my journalism experiences in college. But I also have a thirst for being in the know. Having more and more information, only makes me feel more secure about the choices I make. So, I started this process when X-man was 2, just to stay involved. I refuse to be overwhelmed. In fact, when MacTroll complained that the choosing part was too confusing, I sighed. This is the kind of stuff I want to think about. I like options. I like contingency plans.
The principal at Robeson said that we'd register by the end of March, and we'd find out what school we're going to by the end of April. Then we'd find out our teacher in August. So, keep your fingers crossed for me. My luck in percentages department has never been great...
MacTroll was pretty happy about the tour and seeing the inside of the building plans for the new building they're supposed to finish by the time X-man is in first grade. Mostly, he was really excited to see so much inclusivity in the classrooms. Carrie Busey is home to the district's education program for the deaf. So, it was awesome to see interpreters in the classrooms working with the librarian doing story time, side by side.
Afterwards, I went to the gym and did some strength training and road 20 miles on the bike in 60 minutes. I'm excited about reaching this ability of 3 minute miles, sometimes less. Right now it's while the bike is on level 11 of 20 and set to the "Alpine" setting.
Then I ran over to weight management, where I learned that a man who started the program with me had died. It was strange, because I had just seen him on the treadmill last Tuesday. He was 71, and he started the program morbidly obese and lost hundreds of pounds. I don't necessarily believe that exercise helps you live longer. I know that being lighter is less of a tax on the circulatory system, but I believe that being more mobile does make life a lot easier to live. I was sad to hear the news and read his obituary online.
After weight management, I picked up MacTroll, and we headed over to Robeson Elementary School. It was my first time in the building. Usually Robeson is a four strand school. (Four strand means they have 4 classes/teachers at each level.) Next year they will only be three strand in order to make more classrooms available for things like reading rooms, special education classes, etc. The principal seemed very excited about it. She has a child going into kindergarten next year, too, so she was very sympathetic with a lot of the confusion or questions parents had.
The fun part of the trip was that last year, our company donated a bunch of money to some kindergarten classrooms at Robeson, so we got to see the rugs and pillow chairs that we bought for them in use. :-)
We know Carrie Busey is our first choice, but we have to have a second and a third choice, just in case we don't get into the 85% likelihood that X-man gets to go to his soon-to-be neighborhood school. And I'm at a loss about what to do about spot two and three I know there are wonderful schools, but they're usually picked by everyone. Only 3-4 schools appear to have a copious amount of extra seats, mostly, I'm guessing, because they're situated in more impoverished neighborhoods where crime is greater. They also have lower test scores. To attract people to those schools, they've been putting on brand new additions and changing them to magnet schools. I'm working on arranging tours for MacTroll and I at all four locations. As a parent, you hear different things about people's school experiences. No one is every 100% happy, it seems. But I also find that parents are usually die-hards about the schools they ultimately get, because they want to be supportive of the environment their children go to every day.
By the time registration rolls around, I hope to have visited every elementary school. I'm a curious (i.e. nosy) person by nature. I blame it on my journalism experiences in college. But I also have a thirst for being in the know. Having more and more information, only makes me feel more secure about the choices I make. So, I started this process when X-man was 2, just to stay involved. I refuse to be overwhelmed. In fact, when MacTroll complained that the choosing part was too confusing, I sighed. This is the kind of stuff I want to think about. I like options. I like contingency plans.
The principal at Robeson said that we'd register by the end of March, and we'd find out what school we're going to by the end of April. Then we'd find out our teacher in August. So, keep your fingers crossed for me. My luck in percentages department has never been great...
Friday, January 7, 2011
So, a kid walks into the bathroom...
at 11:04 p.m. He's been asleep for two hours. Mother and father listen carefully, as there was a bit of a bump and a bang as the kid got out of bed and tumbled himself down the hall to his bathroom.
Then there was the sound of liquid. But the liquid didn't seem to be hitting water.
"That doesn't sound right," Mom says.
"No, no it doesn't," Dad agrees, getting up and taking his laptop with him (no lie).
There, at the end of the hall, with the lights on, is their son, eyes shut, hands on the counter, naked from the waist down, standing on his little step stool in front of the sink, peeing all over the floor.
The father says his name. The child's eyes flutter open. And dutifully, the son reaches forward and turns on the sink to wash his hands.
He wakes up a little more, but only enough to start taking off his slightly wet shirt. His mother helps, tucks him back into bed and cleans up the pee on the floor laughing the whole time.
Then there was the sound of liquid. But the liquid didn't seem to be hitting water.
"That doesn't sound right," Mom says.
"No, no it doesn't," Dad agrees, getting up and taking his laptop with him (no lie).
There, at the end of the hall, with the lights on, is their son, eyes shut, hands on the counter, naked from the waist down, standing on his little step stool in front of the sink, peeing all over the floor.
The father says his name. The child's eyes flutter open. And dutifully, the son reaches forward and turns on the sink to wash his hands.
He wakes up a little more, but only enough to start taking off his slightly wet shirt. His mother helps, tucks him back into bed and cleans up the pee on the floor laughing the whole time.
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