Eliot's First Day of Fox-Hill Kindergarten!

We REALLY lucked out.  Last year when I went around checking out preschools, I had a hard time with it.  They probably all would have been fine, but when I walked into Fox-Hill School in Danvers (FHS), I knew IMMEDIATELY that THIS was the school for Eliot (and selfishly, a little nit for me too).  I didn't even need to hear the teachers' explanation of their methods or tactics, I just knew.  From the learning towers to paint on the walls, to the play farmer's stand, it was all just what I was looking for.  So, yes, he had an awesome time last year and really learned a lot.  Each time we had a teacher/parent conference, they would tell me how pleasant and sweet he was and that they could tell he was really learning.  Their whole program is based on literature.  They have different curriculum units that they do all year long and they always find supporting literature.

Anyhow, FHS has this amazingly awesome program for kids like Eliot who were born just after the kindergarten cut-off.  Eliot would have had to be five years old before September 1st to qualify for any public kindergarten, but FHS made a tailored program for 10 children whose birthdays are in the Fall who are just about ready to go to Kindergarten, but because of that cut-off date cannot attend kindergarten.  So Eliot is in his second year at FHS, but it's a whole new curriculum and in a whole new building.  Technically, it is private kindergarten so if we wanted to, we could send Eliot straight into public (or private) first grade next year, but we are pretty sure we will give Eliot the advantage of doing another year of kindergarten next year, but in a different setting (either the closest public school to us, or to some sort of private school).  Ted and I are on different sides of the fence on this argument, so I guess a little time and communication will have to come to pass before we decide where Eliot will be next Fall.   THIS Fall, however, is going great! He loves his new school and his new teachers--- and most of his classmates.  It's pretty much a full day too (5 hours) so it is truly like the kindergarten experience that just about all five year-olds are having.

Here is a snapshot from the first day of school this year:

 

And one with Odie :)