The first day of School? And almost overwhelming kindergarten options.

Declan has his first day of preschool today.  Sort of.  I won't be doing any fancy pictures to memorialize it or anything because it's not really school.  It's not even really preschool.  It's a mommy & me class at the preschool.  And this mommy is pumped up about it.

In December we visited the class we are joining and it is a fabulous program.  The building houses 3 age groups.  18m-30m (mommy & me) 1 day a week, 3 year old - 2 days a week.  4 year old - 3 days a week.

This is ideal for us for a number of reasons:

1.  It's a co-op which means it costs way less than most preschools because the parents help out.  (I did Kidville mommy & me for awhile in San Diego County, that was insanely expensive compared to this.)

2.  It's about 4 minutes from where we live.

3.  I am not ready to drop my little guy off anywhere when I know he is not ready or capable of communicating his needs with other adults.

4.  I get to go!  I get to meet other mamas and watch D interact with other children and hopefully we'll both make some friends.

Now the only thing that I find a little... odd?  Is that because it is a co-op when you join you agree to attend a few meetings a year.  Four I believe.  Evening meetings, at the school, just for parents.  I wasn't exactly pumped up to go to my first meeting last night.  D was sick last week so we haven't even attended one of our classes yet.

So there I was last night, alone, the new kid (with out my kid!)  I saw a woman I recognized and asked if I could sit next to her.  I reminded her that I'd visited the class and she remembered because our boys had played together.  She said the meetings go long.  I was not exactly thrilled.

Then they began, and after all the formal meeting stuff was taken care of there were Kindergarten teachers lined up to talk to us.  Like 10 of them.  Whaaaat?  I could see why this was important for the 4 year old class but why did I have to be there?  Then holy moly, once they started talking about their schools, I found myself hanging on their every word.

This county we've moved to?  It has some of the best schools in California.  I had no idea when we relocated that these were schools with more than good test scores.  There are so many different programs to choose from, to visit, to learn about, and the bummer is you have to enter the lotteries to get into them.

This is a small community we live in, but the education options really are overwhelming.  3 (almost 4 - one is being evaluated) Charter schools to choose from.  An amazing homeschooling program where kids can go to school from 0-4 days a week and join any of the programs they wish.  There is a Spanish immersion program (amazing!).  There is an charter school that focuses on the arts.  There is a charter school based on the explorer program which I believe is sort of Montessori, but I'm new to this. I really don't know much at all.

I need to do the visits, spend the time researching and really determine what would be the best fit for Declan.  I was so glad to be there for that meeting.  To hear about these schools.  To be reinforced again that moving up here was the best thing for our son, for our family.  I am excited about these options, I am thrilled that we have options and that they all sound like wonderful places for children.  Interestingly enough with all the options I felt that the local public school "Bridge to Kindergarten" teacher was the most exciting of the bunch.  She loves her job, and you can tell she adores the kids and feels her job is a privilege.  That is so special to see.

There is nothing more precious to the education system then a teacher who really cares.  I have so much respect for teachers and what once was scary is now exciting.  I am glad I found this preschool and I am so excited for Declan's educational future.

Exciting times ahead!