Jena Schooling Update

You may remember the issues we’ve had with the local public school regarding Jena’s age (she misses the cutoff by less than a week).

We were originally told that she would need to repeat Kindergarten, strictly because of her age.

Well, it took three months and talking to nine members of the administration, but we finally got word that as long as we produce a certificate of completion from the Kindergarten program she’s currently in, the will permit her to start first grade in the Fall after all.

We are still exploring the possibility of homeschooling, and no decision has been made yet, but it’s nice to finally know that if we do choose to send her to public school she will at least be able to progress to the next grade.

She is doing exceptionally well in Kindergarten, and amazes us regularly with her progress.

Jena is currently reading on a 3^rd grade level, has finished her first chapter book, and informed me that all the books we have at home are “too easy”. So the search to expand her library at home is on.

It’s my understanding that her math skills are currently at an end of 1^st / beginning of 2^nd grade level. She adds & subtracts numbers up to 100, does “carrying math” (ie. carry the 2…), and is progressing in her understanding of money & time.

Handwriting is still her struggle point, but we have seen huge improvements since the beginning of the school year.

And she’s such a little nerd. In a good way. She knows that she will go to a different school next year (she’s currently in a private preschool that ends after Kindergarten), and she knows it will either be the “big kid school” or homeschool, and that Mommy & Daddy haven’t decided yet.

When I explained to her that she wouldn’t go to school this Summer, she was confused. See, she’s gone to preschool every year, including Summers, since she was two.

She asked if it were because of the baby. I told her yes, since Mommy will be staying home from work after having the baby, Jena will just stay home with us too.

{{ insert frowny face }}

She then asked why we couldn’t at least do homeschool during the Summer, even if she were going to big kid school in August. Because she likes school. And she likes work. And she doesn’t want to not go to school all Summer.

And I love it.

I guess that’s all on her for now. Thanks for checking in!