- Archer is attending his field's major conference this week, and he has two interviews. Both are with good schools, and one is an "Ivy" and one is a 4-hour drive from our families (which, depending on the day, is reason enough to take or run screaming from any offer).
- I have an on-campus interview in the next few weeks. This is at SLAC in the states, about a 7 hour drive from our families (that distance is less likely to make me run screaming in the opposite direction). This is a second interview for me, and I'm really interested in this job.
- There is talk that I may be offered something more long-term at CU. Dr. English and Dr. Writing have been working on something for a long time, but I don't know much more than that. I've kept them informed on my job search--I even let them know that I have an on-campus interview in the next few weeks. They've been incredibly cryptic, however. When I told Dr. Writing about my interview, she said, "Thank you for letting me know. Dr. English and I are in the middle of something. I wish I could tell you more." Dr. English said, "As I've said before and will continue to say, I hope you stay at CU." Um, ok, what does that mean?*
- I've become friends with the faculty retention officer--her daughter is in Wild Man's kindergarten class--and I've been talking to her a lot about this stuff. She seems to know something, and I can tell that she wants to tell me. But she can't.
- I want this settled. I really do. Every day without knowing something I feel like this gets more complicated. Archer and I attended an open house for a school we're seriously considering enrolling Wild Man for Senior Kindergarten. We want to visit one more school before we make a decision. But part of me thinks we're just wasting our time. We may not even be here. We may have to research schools in a completely different place. Then I had a horrifying thought this morning in the shower. What if we move back to the states, and the school district we're in doesn't let Wild Man enroll in kindergarten because of his birthday?** Furthermore, the thought of finding another daycare for Bear makes me sick to my stomach. Yes, I'm worrying about everything now.
- It is getting weird, frustrating, and crazy.
**The age cut-off in our province is drastically different than most areas in the States. For Wild Man to be in Senior Kindergarten next year, he has to be 5 by December 31, 2011. Typically in the states, to enroll in kindergarten, a child has to be 5 by September 30. Wild Man's birthday is mid-October. I'm concerned that if we move to the states he won't be allowed to attend kindergarten for another year. That would not be a good thing.
6 comments:
Hmmm... I think he probably wouldn't be able to attend kindergarten here in the States, you're right. My nephew's birthday is Sept. 24 and he didn't start until last year when he turned 6. From my experience, at least in PA and MD, not even private schools will let them start earlier.
Congratulations on the job interview!!! Sorry I forgot to say so in the previous email. I'm dying to know where it is.
We're in the same position with Eliza. Here, since she's going to a British-based school, she can continue in the same program and just move up to the next level. If we go back to the US, however, she'll be starting all over despite testing at Kindergarten levels (or above) on counting, speech, literacy, etc. We too have hear that even private schools won't make exceptions, regardless of a child's test scores. It's really disappointing, but we're hoping a montessori-based program would work. Something that meets the child at his/her individual capabilities and needs.
AM, this is what I assumed. It seems completely unreal to me that there isn't a way to account for this. How does the U.S. education system account for children of military families say, or families of diplomats?
Right now this is the biggest motivator to stay in Canada, for me at least. I can't imagine trying to explain to Wild Man, "No, you can't go to Kindergarten this year." It would devastate him, and I fear would make him dislike school. A private school is also something we've talked about, but most montessori programs are really expensive.
I mentioned this to Archer, but the public districts where we live have a cut-off of December 31st and, obviously, the private schools are very, very flexible given our school experiences and birth dates. So don't worry about schools until you have to. XO.
Archer didn't mention this, Meghan, so thank you for pointing it out. I'm trying to take it one step at a time, but it's hard.
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