Back-To-School Updates

It has been a busy week! First week of school being in session for three of us and the first full week for the Lone Star Baby, too.

Lone Star Pa and I are checking off first day paperwork, grading papers and trying to memorize names.  He is teaching reading as well as writing and grammar for the first time this year but has only advanced seventh grade classes this time around.  I have a seventh grade class (Texas) along with my sixth grade classes (World) this year.  We are both grateful to have such meaningful work, especially in these times.  We're also both very offended by all the anti-teacher rhetoric in the mouths of politicians and the media these days.  All the teachers we know are hard-working, dedicated professionals.  It would be nice if people were actually interested in doing what it takes to improve schools (more teachers with smaller classes and fewer preps, more special ed. support in the classrooms, school social workers) rather than blaming teachers and schools.  That would cost money, though, so, oh well.

The Lone Star Baby is adoring her new school.  She says the work is "too easy" but I know they are just easing the kids into things and expect it to be plenty challenging soon.  She's excited to have a P.E. class and an art class and a music class and she loves recess and the fun things they do in after-school care.  They had a picnic last night and we all went, although the Lone Star Girl and I left a little early to make her Girl Scout meeting.  It has been nice that the Lone Star Baby knows so many kids from her old school who are now attending this one, too.  The various teachers keep stopping me when they realize I am her mother and exclaiming passionately about how adorable and studious and sweet she is - yesterday one told me that she is just one of those students who lights up every place she goes.  It's enough to go to a mama's head.

The Lone Star Girl is wide-eyed and worried about high school.   Her middle school was a International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program and this high school program is a continuation of it.  She has had lots of homework from day one and is already pretty exhausted and stressed out after just one week.  I'm trying to be very supportive and to help her stay organized and take one day at a time.  She is going to be on the school swim team for her P.E. and they started dry work-outs yesterday but won't be getting to the pool for a bit yet.  A bus will be picking her up at her school at 6am and taking her to the Natatorium and then back to school before classes start at 9am.  Not going to help a lot with the tired, but she seems committed.  I know she will do wonderfully, but it is a big adjustment.  She is really excited about her theatre class and is looking forward to speech tournaments.


Lone Star Pa will be coaching the Lone Star Baby's soccer team again this year and they should be getting started in early September.  Both of my Girl Scout troops have gotten started these past two Fridays.  The Daisy troop will be doing the Daisy Flower Garden Journey and the Between Earth and Sky Journey this year.  The Lone Star Girl and one other girl in her Cadette & Senior troop have completed their Silver Award paperwork which will be turned in this week.  They and some other girls will be doing a Senior Journey this year that will be part of the road to their Gold Awards.


There will be another hearing on the contested air permit for Las Brisas before the SOAH judges in early September, and all that continues.  I want to fit in a little phone-banking/block-walking for candidates this fall but I don't know when!  Busy, busy, busy times...