The School Year is Done and Swim Team Starts!

Wow, I can't believe this school year is done already.  It really seems like we were just taking first day of school pictures and gearing up for the big Kindergarten year for Cole and 2nd grade for Reagan.  This pictures shows the first and last day of school.


Reagan had a great 2nd grade year with Mrs. Arthur.  She kept a few friends from last year and made several new friends.  It was a tough year from a curriculum standpoint because there were many new concepts.  They started fractions, learned about mass and volume and studied the Indian tribes. She also had an increase in her reading and writing expectations.  Weekly word study continued this year and although she complained about it daily, her handwriting has gotten much better and she got into a rhythm.  She also transitioned from being pulled out for testing with a few peers to taking tests in the classroom.  This was a tough decision, but she asked for that change and we decided to try it.  She's looking forward to third grade next year and we are hoping to keep up with her skills over the summer by doing daily worksheets and reading.

Cole had a very good kindergarten year but it was not without some issues.  He learned a lot and got much better at writing.  They worked on spelling and writing sentences.  I often struggle with how much to include in my posts, but I also believe that through struggle we learn how hard we've worked to get where we are.  Cole did an AMAZING job as a kindergartener but had a really tough class. There were several kids who made the class a behavioral challenge despite having special needs support, and several others who are not yet identified and (in my humble opinion) did not have the resources they needed in the classroom.  His main teacher, Mrs. Bretcko went out on maternity leave in March and he had a full time substitute teacher, Mrs. Helmer.  Despite the hard work of both teachers in implementing behavior plans and expectations in the classroom, it was just a tough group of kids.  I had numerous meetings with the teacher, the substitute teacher, the principal and the counselor to discuss how we can make things better.  Cole received yellow "think sheets" regularly and it was very hard on him.  Each time I was told that he doesn't instigate the situation, but struggles to stay out of it.  He would get frustrated when kids would cut him in line and angry when someone stole his crayons.  And the other children were often breaking his magnifier.  One day someone called him dumb and he got a think sheet for telling that child to "shush it".  Most of this is normal kindergarten behavior, but it really started to break my heart when he said two weeks ago, "Mommy, when you get to Heaven will you wait for me? I'm such a bad kid I may never make it there."  He told me the best part of Memorial Day was that he knew he wouldn't get a yellow sheet because he wouldn't be at school.  And yesterday he said "mom, I had a horrible dream yesterday that everybody except Kendall hates me because I'm so naughty."  He is so sensitive and such a sweet boy. I truly hope he realizes what an amazing child he is and how proud of him we are.  I had a meeting with the principal to discuss next year's placement and truly hope next year brings good things!  When I see his developmental path, it has always been a little different than other children, despite being extremely smart.

In other news, Reagan had her 8 year check up with the pediatrician.  She's doing really well but the doctor ordered blood work and a bone age test because she is worried about her development.  We've completed all the testing and visited the endocrinologist.  Luckily all the tests came back within normal range and the endocrinologist said she looks great!  Super excited there is one less stress for us right now.

So with that we have moved into summer.  I've been traveling and working full time but they have their cousin Allison watching them and they are having a lot of fun!  The kids are doing swim team for the first time.   Reagan is swimming with the Cascades Rapids and Cole is with the Cascades Riptides.  It takes a lot of dedication with practice at 8am every day but they are both having a lot of fun and love seeing their friends every day. There are Wednesday night "developmental" meets that all swimmers can attend and Saturday meets for those who qualify.  I'm excited to say Reagan had her first meet last week and although she was very nervous, she did really well with both freestyle and backstroke.  Then today they had a Swim-A-Thon and Reagan swam 74 laps and Cole swam 30 laps.  I have to say - I'm SO impressed!!  They will both swim in the meet Wednesday against the Armfield Stingrays in Chantilly.  So excited to share some of the summer fun we will be having!