BRYNLEE'S KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION...

 I don't think I ever blogged about what we decided to do with Brynlee this past year for school. Brynlee started out the year at Little Valley Elementary and was loving going to school and riding the bus with her friends. She had a great teacher and it really is a great school. Well about a month into school I received a phone call from the Charter school that is not far from our house, and they told me they had so many kids on the waiting list for Kindergarten that they were adding a new class. We had been on the waiting list all summer and were expecting to get in, but then school started and I didn't think much about it after that. So after this phone call we were forced to make a decision. I don't know why, buy it was a REALLY hard decision and caused me some major stress.  We did want her in the charter school, but then she had already been introduced at her other school and was having a great time. She LOVED riding the bus and taking that away from her was tearing me up. I just thought she would have a really hard time. Anyhow, we made the decision to switch her school and she handled the news great. She had known all summer that she would be going to either one of the schools so it wasn't a total surprise.  She also went from half day to full day so that would be another transition. We just told her that she would get 3 recesses and get to each lunch at school and she thought that was the best thing ever. She wore a uniform every day and I really wish I had a picture of her in her cute preppy clothes. The uniforms were great and so easy when it came to getting her dressed every morning. With the charter it definitely took a lot more effort as a parent. We had to drop off and pick up everyday (although we did have a carpool for pickup) and we had to make a lunch for her every day. Parents were also required to volunteer for 40 hours during the year. Brynlee had at least one math page every night, had to study her spelling and phonograms for a weekly test, read every night for 20 minutes and fill out her reading chart. Some nights it was exhausting and felt like a lot, but she learned so much. She is a great reader and speller, and learning 1st grade math. The charter goes through 8th grade and is really growing. I don't know if we will keep her there all the way through 8th but I feel like it is giving her a great start and lots of preparation for the future. 

 This is Brynlee with Ms. Carlston. She was such a great teacher and we are really going to miss her next year. We were hoping she would move up to 1st grade so Brynlee could have her again! :)

 This is Mrs. Luci, the teacher Aid. Each Kindergarten class had a Aid so there was always two teachers in the class. Luci was also Awesome and Brynlee loved her! 

My little graduate. We were laughing at the picture that is on her diploma. The first thing she said to me is "Mom...my hair was pulled back so I look like a boy!" Kinda funny, but still cute! :)