First Day of School - in California

The night before school started, they wanted to try on their uniforms and then thought it was funny that they looked like little Target workers, so wanted me to take a picture

The girls all started at their new school here in California last week...and so far, we're loving it.

We were able to get them into a school of performing arts and foreign language, and the kids were THRILLED with that option.  Addison also gets to go to what they call "transitional kindergarten", which is basically preschool for the kids who miss the deadline, but are turning 5 before the end of the year.

The performing arts school does things quite a bit different though, and it has been an adjustment figuring it all out.

Brielle, being in 4th grade, has 6 "blocks" (basically class periods) and she rotates from classroom to classroom with different teachers and different students in each one.  It's an outdoor campus too, so she walks to different buildings (all close together) rather than just down a hall. It's almost exactly like Jr. High.  Half of her day is the regular math, science, writing, reading type stuff, and the other half she has Spanish class, guitar class and an art class.  We were SHOCKED to find out that she actually gets to bring home an electric guitar to practice on at home.  She is LOVING the guitar.  She wanted to get into drama to be able to do plays rather than the art class, but since we came in a little late, there wasn't room in drama.  We aren't sure if the classes change at the semester or if that's it for the year, but we'll try to get her into drama when we have the chance.

Jamming on her guitar

Claire, being in 2nd grade, doesn't change around as much.  She stays with her "home room" teacher for half of the day, doing all the regular math, science, writing, reading stuff.  Then her second half of the day she also does music with her home room teacher, and then she switches for Spanish and possibly for art (I can't remember if she said she goes back to her home room teacher for art or not...she's been hard to get details out of...funny kid.) She already has "more friends than even in St. George." Not sure that is true, but she does make friends very easily.  

The two older girls were very excited and nervous on the first day. 

 Addison, being in TK (as they refer to transitional kindergarten) doesn't do any switching.  They do your regular old preschool/kindergarten type things of learning letters and coloring.  She gets to ride the bus home with the older girls after school, and she LOVES that.

She came home the first day with evidence of a yummy cupcake...she was in heaven. 

The girls are adjusting very well to things.  Much faster and easier than I am...I'm still slightly in denial that we have to stay here.  But with their help, I'll try to make the most of it.  They are all excited to be able to talk to Marty in Spanish without me knowing what they're saying, and all are very excited about all the music and instrument choices.  I'm glad they had been introduced to music through piano lessons with me so they are not behind at all.

We stick out like a sore thumb around here.  The girls are definitely in the minority at school, but haven't said anything about that. I'm glad they get the diversity and that they don't see skin color at all.  In fact, when they describe their friends they've met, it's usually by the hairstyle, color of eyes, how tall they are, what they like to do at recess etc., they've not ONCE mentioned skin color, which I think is great.  I'm kind of dying to know how many other white kids are in their classes, just because I'm curious, but I haven't - and won't - ask them, because I don't want it to be something they start noticing.  I went to pick them up the first day and was THE ONLY PERSON in the whole car pickup line that wasn't in a small four-door car.  The only person with a big old Yukon and five kids.  So yeah, we're white, we have a huge family and we're Mormon...can't get much stranger for this area.  Definitely going to be getting a lot of great experiences here!

Here's to a great school year!