Pre K Graduation

What a year for Caleb!!!! Last summer I fretted and fretted about what I would do as far as preK for Caleb. He has suffered from some developmental delays and I just wasn't sure if he was actually ready to go to preK. I went from should I just keep him at home and work with him or should I put him in a private preK or should I put him in the school district's preK.....what am I going to do???? I just couldn't make a decision that felt right for him or me!!! I finally made a decision the very day that school started......I mean I actually went to the district office on the first day of school to enroll him in a preK program......I had waited to late to get him into the preK program that I wanted him to go to so he was assigned to our neighborhood school preK.....we don't live in the best neighborhood .......and I am an educational researcher.......I have researched the schools in this district......I know which ones are performing and which are NOT and why they are not. This school wasn't. However, this was the schools first year to offer the preK program and because it is an underperforming school they were given tons of $ for their program........EVERYTHING was included........all the supplies, the napping mats, everything. AND, Caleb was assigned to the best preK teacher (in my humble opinion) ever!!!!!! She was wonderful for Caleb. She put up with my constant fears for him......you know, he isn't writing yet, he doesn't know his alphabet, he doesn't count very well, he this, he that!!! She promised me she would take care of my baby and teach him to do those things so that he would be ready for kindergarten. She kept her word. My baby tested in the bottom of the class those first few months of preK but by the end of the year......he was testing in the top tier of his class. Whew, thank you Ms. Chaffin for working with my baby!!!!

We still have some work to do on the handwriting but we are getting there.

So yesterday sweet hubby and I attended Caleb's preK gradutation at the not so good school that we have come to love. Sweet hubby dropped Caleb off at school and came home to pick me up for the graduation later......sweet hubby announces as he came in the door...."They are wearing Sunday best!!!!" I am horrified!!!! I sent my baby to school in his uniform!!!! I am so on top of things!!!

Luckily he wasn't the only child in uniform.....there are a few other moms out there who are on top of things too!!!! The preK students sang two songs (ok, so the cd sang the songs and the students tried to sing along with it ---- I mean really, what preK student actually knows the words to "Worlds Greatest" by R. Kelley????? I mean give me a break!!! Ooops, actually a few of them did know the words.....

He may not have known the words but he knew the hand motions and he even paid attention....well most of the time anyway!

Yes, the teachers were on the side giving cues to thier adorable preK students!

You can tell these students just want this to be over so they can have cookies and milk!

Notice the cute little boy in shirt and tie (picking his nose).....that is Caleb's buddy.....or you might say partner in crime!!! When Caleb got in trouble ......it usually was b/c he and cute buddy were doing things they shouldn't.....like cutting their own hair when they should be cutting paper!!! Both boys ended up with "buzz" cuts since they apparently flunked barber school.

Well, the first year is almost over. I didn't sit back this year worrying about what I would do in regards to Kindergarten......no, I learned my lesson on that......if you want your child in a certain school you get busy early on with those plans......and yes, we will be going to a new school for Kindergarten.....E-stem which is a charter school downtown......I am so excited for this new adventure that Caleb will embark on in July (yeah, school starts in July!). I am hoping I won't be the new teacher's nightmare mom......but who am I kidding....I will be!!!

For now the doctor is out.......wondering when did my baby grow up into a little boy ready for school???