Kindergarten Round-Up: Take One

Growing up in Brazil at an amazing Christian school, has naturally given me a push for top notch academics set in a Christian environment. Having small class sizes, growing up with teachers who truly cared for you and knowing the campus like the back of my hand made my school days just so enjoyable and memorable! I can't believe that we are approaching that time in Sawyer's life when we need to be thinking about school! Where has the time gone?!? Whether we can believe it or not, the time has come and a decision needs to be made.

Sawyer's birthday is October 25th and the 2011 Kindergarten cut off date is October 15th, so that would mean that he would have to test in. Bill and I have never really felt the need to shove him out the door sooner than we needed to, being as how he will never be home with us full-time again in his life (hopefully no college drop out syndrome!) As a little boy, his maturity level doesn't seem quite ready for all day school and we would always rather have him be the oldest, tallest, and smartest one on the class :) We decided to check out a few Kindergarten Classes to get our feet wet and see what there is to offer, whether it's for this fall or next.

We decided to start our search at OCA (Omaha Christian Academy) we have some friends who grew up at that school and have just heard rave reviews!

We met Sawyer's little buddy Gracie and her mom at the school and were excited to hear everything they had to offer! After a wonderful presentation from the current Kindergarten class that included songs, poems, what they liked best about Kindergarten and a reciting of Psalm 19 (that's a long one for little kids!) the future Kindergarteners were off!

We stayed behind for a presentation and some Q&A time with the Director and the Elementary Principal. We caught up with them again in the class room where they were singing some songs and playing a color game! Sawyer thought he was pretty hot stuff being there with all the kids his age with me! :)

When they were given some time to get a feel for the Kindergarten classroom, I would like to say that Sawyer went right for the books....but no....straight for the laptops! (He's his father's son!)

But eventually he got immersed in a book :)

The kids had such a fun time wandering around and exploring the new environment! There were so many new toys, books, maps, instruments and posters to look at! Mrs. Eavland would be his teacher and has been teaching Kindergarten for over thirty years! She really reminds me of my wonderful mom who is pretty much the very best 1st grade teacher ever :) Mrs. Eavland agreed with us and really recommended that we keep Sawyer home one more year, giving him some time to mature :)

So, in the end, we had Kindergarten Round-Up under our belt a year early! It felt really exciting and scary at the same time! Exciting changes are in store for Sawyer and a scary walk to the front door of school for Mom and Dad!