Once upon a time mom's and dad's waited until spring when the registration letter came in the mail for a upcoming kindergartner to enroll in kindergarten at their local elementary school. That was it. (Okay, I know private schools have been around forever, but for normal people in Utah, that's how it went).
Then came open enrollment. And charter schools. And more affordable (or at least accessible) private schools. And dual immersion programs. All day and half day programs. And that's just elementary school! You add junior and senior high schools in the mix, and there's even more options and possibilities.
It's a bit overwhelming.
I knew that I didn't want to send you to our neighborhood school. The boundaries changed this last school year, and it's a school that has some of the lowest scores in the district and area, and the rest of our ward goes to another school, East Midvale. East Midvale is a Title I school, which for us means, more money and more resources being funneled into the school that any of the other local elementary schools. It means a bit more than that, but I didn't see it as a negative, I actually saw it as a positive aspect. Smaller class sizes, all day kindergarten (which I think you would do great at -you hate not 'going somewhere' at all times, and since you'd be almost 6 when you start I get the feeling you'd excel in that kind of program).
So, I went into East Midvale last week to complete, what I thought would be, a simple task of requesting admission into the school. I was wrong. Because it's an all day kindergarten I guess this school is coveted by many parents. I was informed that I could certainly request the move, but I wouldn't know until September (after school starts) if there is room for you at the school and to enroll in our neighborhood school in the mean time.
I went to plan B. Your cousin (Leila) goes to another school in the district, Bella Vista. This is about 10-12 minutes away, which is still 3 or 4 minutes shorter than our drive to preschool, but I was really looking forward to cutting that down since Kate will also start there next fall. Bella Vista told your aunt Shondel that there's no waiting list to get in there, and they'd be more than happy to have you go. They'd also work with us and put you on an unofficial waiting list, so if you DID get to go to East Midvale the computer wouldn't show that you were already enrolled in a school that wasn't our neighborhood one.
I finally made it up there today during dad's lunch break. It was such a strange experience. I just felt different walking into the the office than I did at the other school. I gave the secretary the paperwork and she explained that you'd get in the computer with this, and they'd send out a letter in April about registration and such. I know I was supposed to explain that I didn't want to do that quite yet, but I didn't for some reason. I just thanked her and walked out. I was almost overcome with emotion and I knew that this was the school that you were supposed to go to next year.
I've been stressing about where you should go to school, and didn't want to commit to another long commute (come on, 15 minutes one way to kindergarten would be considered a commute, right?). We'd like to move in the next couple of years, and although this school is more in the direction of where we'd like our next home to be, I don't know how far south or north we'll be. I've been conflicted on making such a big deal about the school anyway, it's mostly parent involvement that makes or breaks a child's education at this stage. But, it's just something that has been weighing heavy on my mind. Until today.
For now, you're going to go to Bella Vista and I'll know that the drive is worth it and rushing to get you and your sister to your schools will be worth it, and hopefully you'll be just as happy in Kindergarten as you have been in preschool.
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