School starts tomorrow

It's hard to believe that its that time already, but here we are - one more night before school starts.  

We've had open house for both kids.  M's was rather a whirlwind as we were trying to get through quickly so we could go pick up Shadow from the vet.  In all that, I forgot to take notes of what he needs for various classes.  I have lists from some teachers, but not all.  And, of course, he doesn't have a schedule yet, so we have no clue which connections (art, PE, technology, etc) classes he has this 9 weeks.  M is supposed to write down what all else he needs in his agenda for me.  It's also a bit confusing as to what he is supposed to have as some classes want individual 3 ring binders, but not others.  And he has been told he is NOT to have a zippered binder (which he was required to have last year).  Confusing!

Then there was A's open house - interesting in that A wasn't there.  I had to explain numerous times that no, he wasn't there and wouldn't be there at school on Monday.  He's still in jolly olde England for another 4 days.  He will probably not go to school on Friday due to jetlag, but we'll leave that up in the air.  So A has a few papers he has to sign once he shows up at school.  I think I know what all he needs for his 4th grade class.  

Oh, and A's class looks like a great class.  He has a bunch of good kids and good students (and involved parents) in his class this year.  The school is doing an accelerated math program for the 4th graders (where theoretically they will do 4th, 5th and 6th grade math during the 4th and 5th grade years - making them ready to start 7th grade math in 6th grade).  They chose to implement this by putting all the advanced math 4th graders in one class.  Leading to one great class of kids.  Now, all the kids in his class aren't going to be doing the advanced math.  There are at least 6 I can pick out and maybe up to another 6 who will be in this group - out of a class of about 25 kids.  I think they are still working out exactly how this will work, but they will do some work as a whole class and then another teacher will come in and work with the advanced group as a whole and individually also.  I'll be interested to see how it all works out.

A has another open house that he will be missing also - his Challenge open house for the gifted center.  They have open house Thursday night, as A is flying back in.  D will go to that and turn in forms (at least one of which A will have to sign next week) and get A's schedule, while I head to the airport and pick up A and my mom.  Busy day.

M is theoretically ready for school - supplies bought, open house visited, backpack packed, etc.  But he says he is not ready to go back to school.  Maybe because summer was longer when I was a kid, but I was always at least mostly ready to go back to school and see my friends.  Ready or not, though, school starts.  in 11 hours.