Holiday Party's at School

Yesterday, both kids had their holiday parties at school. Zack's class actually had a little presentation where each child stood up and told about the holiday they celebrated. It was interesting. Naturally, there were a lot of stories of Santa, one Chinese New Year, one holiday I've never heard of from Sai, who is Indian, 4 Hanukkah/Chanukkah's (which one is it?) and one little girl, Amit (Ansley's friend Tal's little sister) who celebrates Christmakkah because she's a little Irish and mostly Jewish. Ansley's class didn't do anything specifically for the parents but I stopped in to take a picture. Oh, and speaking of the Jewish kids, I walked into Ansley's class with a dad, who is Jewish, just in time for his son to be playing Santa Claus. He was like "great, the Jewish kids playing Santa!" Ansley told me later that Josh, her little "friend", also Jewish, played Santa as well. You have to know that Jewish kids miss out on the hoopla of Santa.

Ansley's Holiday Program - 4th Grade

At Vanderlyn, the 4th and 5th grades do a holiday music and dance program. Tonight was the night and it was really, really good. Ansley's class did Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and they all played xylophones or as Ansley refers to it "that dingy thing."

Ansley and her best friend Samantha.

Ansley playing that dingy thing.

All dressed up and looking beautiful!

Weekend Update -so far

Once again, nothing spectacular has been going on so no need to bore everyone with the details. School has taken over our lives. Today was spent helping Ansley complete her report and power point presentation on the manatee, and also spent helping Zack with his Louis Braille time capsule project and report. Were you all aware that Louis was blinded when a awl he was using slipped and gouged out his eye? Gross, I wasn't either. These are 4th and 2nd graders here, people. Too much extra work!!!!

Native American Festival and Pow Wow

On Friday, the entire second grade went to Stone Mountain to the Native American festival and Pow Wow. It was a lot of fun and the weather was the absolutely most perfect day- ever! There were lots of exhibits such as artifacts, animals and animal skins, music, tee pees and of course to ruin it all, a lot of vendors selling things the kids couldn't buy. We ate lunch and the kids were back by 1:00.

Picnic lunch.

Shooting a bow and arrow.

Petting a wolf skin. There were also crocodile, buffalo, fox, etc.

Smiley.

Ms. Scott's class.

Waiting For The Show

Now that Ansley is in the 4th grade, she has cycled out of the Cornucopia productions. She actually got to watch the entire show for once. Here she is getting restless and messing with her dad.

Fall Cornucopia- Zack

Last night kindergarten and second grade had their Cornucopia show. Every year, each K-3rd present two songs. It is a really cute -really crowded affair at Vanderlyn. This year the entire second grade collaborated on a Barnyard theme show and I must say, I've endured a lot of chaotic singing at school, but this year's presentation was fantastic. Zack's class all had to dress up like pigs. There were lots of pink pigs, girls and boys, and one black pig. Can you guess who the lone black pig was? It was so crowded I couldn't get any good shots, but these might give you an idea.

Fall Fun Day- Ansley

Ansley at the bottom of the slide. My camera didn't click fast enough to get her coming down.

Ansley's friend Samantha coming down!

Ansley and Samantha.

Third through fifth grades travel with their friends, or alone, and can go and do whatever they want. They don't have to stay with their class. Oh, they grow up so fast. Gary showed up to see Ansley, but he said he felt like he was cramping her style so he left. It was very hard on the Daddy to get that feeling - poor thing.

Fall Fun Day- Zachary

Halloween is Fall Fun Day at Vanderlyn. The kids get to spend a couple of hours going to 12 or so different activities (races, jumpy castles and slides, tattoos, tug-o-war -you get the picture.) Kindergarten through second grade travel with their classes and compete together.
Here is Zack with his scar/stitches tattoo all around his face---ohh, scary.

Zack and Nicholas (everyone needs a big friend!)

Zack at the book walk.

Homework Update

Okay, so he gave up the fight and has created the most incredible/crazy clown story. When he's finished I'll post it because I'm really amazed at how quickly he did it (five minutes - maybe). And to think how ridiculous all the moaning and groaning was. What a waste of 30 minutes.

Cupcake Decorating and Homework Drama

Today Aunt Joan baked Halloween cupcakes for the kids to decorate. Also, Zack's language arts homework is to write a story using 12 spelling words. The hysterics have begun. He worked a total of two minutes on the story and has been complaining and crying that it's too hard and he can't do it. Zack was all happy while decorating but when he realized what the homework was and that I was not going to do it for him, everything changed. The following pictures illustrate my point.

Ansley all happy with her cupcakes.
Zack's cupcakes. He refused a picture because he's all crabby. Zack being all stabby and crabby because of the homework.
And......What I got after I took the last picture.

Good afternoon.

Update - The Yeller

aka "Hey Zack, what's your teacher's name? Oh yeah- Ms. Scott." Finally, when I went in to stuff the VIP's she didn't yell. But, not only did she not yell, she didn't do or say anything. She was totally ignoring the class. Of course, kids were roaming the room and talking away - not doing morning work. It's amazing the difference of going into Mrs. Brown's class or Mrs. Knorr's class first thing. In their rooms all the kids come in quietly, pick their lunch, put up their things then sit quietly and get to work. That, my friend, is the mark of a great and well respected teacher - imo! I miss those women.

Huh?

Today, while in Zack's class to stuff VIP's, I heard the screamer teacher yell again at the kids and then I heard something so unbelievable I still can't believe it.

A little girl was asking her when 9/11 happened and she looked at me and asked "it was 2004, right?"

WHAT?????

This is the woman teaching my child?

Ms. Scott's Onboard

Just a quick update, because really, I don't have much to say about Zack's new teacher. She's a teeny, tiny little woman, closing in on middle age, who talks very quietly. Either that or I'm going deaf - which is very possible. I think all the concerts I've attended over all these years has compromised my hearing. Anyway, that's a story for another day. Back to Ms. Scott. I know she's being thrown to the wolves so I'll give it some time. She's got three weeks of catching up to do. My only saving grace is that Zack is only in there for science and social studies. Thank goodness he goes out for ELA and math - and he has really great teachers for those. I really don't have much to be concerned about. I do feel for those students that are in that classroom all day. I'll keep you posted - as much as I can on a family blog - so check back.

And Now She's Gone

I just got a personal call from Mr. Maloof, our new principal, and Ms. Gay is no longer there. Oddly, she was still there this morning when I went in to stuff the VIP's (Vikings Important Papers.) She seemed nervous again and kept shaking my hand as I was leaving and was saying something inaudible. I wanted to tell her to "be strong" because curriculum night was going to be tough, but the new teacher, Ms. Scott, will be there instead. Mr. Maloof said that he had been working with the students today on how to say goodbye to Ms. Gay and how to welcome Ms. Scott. Good grief. What chaos this has all been. Hopefully now some stability will be in place for the little guys. I'll keep you posted.

Well, She's Back

For those wondering about Zack's teacher, Ms. Gay, who left out of the classroom last Tuesday morning, crying and shaking, never to be heard from again---she returned today. Just POOF, like she was never MIA. She has rescheduled our curriculum night to this Thursday since our classroom was dark last Thursday- at the real curriculum night. God bless her. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes when all these Dunwoody parents get a hold of her and want answers to questions such as "Where were you for a week?" She might end up running out of the classroom crying and shaking again. Maybe she had a nervous breakdown. I know our parents can be rather demanding and she is new to the school. I'll keep everyone posted.

Other than that, besides trying to stay dry and out of tornadoes, nothing exciting has been going on unless you consider lots of homework some kind of fun. Gary just took the kids to the first Pack meeting for the year so I am all alone for a moment. I think I'll do me a sudoku or two. I'm addicted!