The first week of August, I went over to the school to transfer the Goob in from the program she'd been doing on line last year. They said the school secretary was on vacation and to go back the next week. (Like no one else is qualified to handle a kid's paper work? I wonder about many things having to do with the school administration here.) Second week, there I was, filling out paper work and providing all sorts of ridiculous documentation and it was all mostly good, and then the secretary mentioned that school started for the kids on August 23.
Huh.
I'd stupidly assumed it started near Labor Day (first weekend in September), because, well, they always do. And, in my defense, a lot of schools around here aren't going back until today, or even next week. IT IS NOT MY FAULT.
This revelation led to me running around like a lunatic for two weeks, because the Goob, as always, had timed a growth spurt to something important, and none of her clothes fit. Literally. None. We've outfitted her from the skin out. Shirts, pants, sweaters, raincoats, shoes, socks, outlet malls, malls, Target, Target again, mall again, Target AGAIN.
We did get her sent off successfully on the 23rd, wearing clothes that fit. I only sort of lost her once. (I met the wrong bus; oops.) I still owe the district a couple pieces of paper, including something that needs notarized (seriously?) and I keep getting more documents to fill out; I think they've got my contact info in ten thousand different places now. I'm tempted to just have it tattooed to the Goob's forehead.
The Goob has taken to it like a duck to water, even though she inevitably caught a germ the first day and is a big old puddle of snot. I've been sitting on the back porch, all surrealed out, wondering what in fuck and when having a kid is going to feel normal. (Yes, surreal is a verb in my world. Don't argue with me.)
The only person not loving it is Sekhmet. She's been drooping around the house, all sad and pathetic, during the day. Because she misses her bald kitten.
Now I get to go write a letter regarding the summer reading program. You know, the one the Goob wasn't enrolled in because she wasn't IN THE SCHOOL until three weeks ago. I got a very strongly worded, all-capital-letters note about it last night. I'm sure I can compose something suitably... polite.
Oh, and they asked me to join the PTO. ...the fuck?
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11 comments:
Yeah. I have a notarized form that I have managed to forget so often that today is her first day and it sits empty on the table. Oops. It isn't even "real" school, so I don't get it.
I am glad the Goob is enjoying it.
Don't worry about the reading program. Kid reads, and these things happen. Sometimes people even move to new cities and school districts over the sumer. The horror.
Our school district starts the first or second week of August, which really throws people off. I'm sure the Goob will have a great year!
In Michigan, none of the K-12 schools start until after Labor Day, because of the hit to tourism if families can't vacation on that week/weekend before (of course, universities start the week before). But my sister lives in Phoenix, and they always start mid-August. My niece has been in school for a couple of weeks now, and my son doesn't start until next Tuesday.
we're in indianapolis. grandgirl went back aug. 6. so did kids in the "year-round" option in another district. they'd gotten out 6/24. parents can choose that calendar or one that starts as early but gets out before memorial day.
welcome to the wonderful world of public-school parenthood. here's wishing the goob a great teacher and a great year!
Maybe they asked you to join the PTO because you are obviously passionate about your child's education (although a little shaky on dates you didn't know were passing, and paperwork you didn't know you needed, of course) and thus would be a good addition? Because you'd obviously fight for what's right for your daughter and everyone else's wold be along for the ride?
Or maybe they need more parents for the PTO. Either one ;-)
I'd pay to attend a PTO meeting you're at. I think the principal and PTO prez at my kids' elementary school shared a pitcher of martinis when the last one moved to middle school. Go ahead, be THAT mother, it's a blast.
I hope she doesn't get bored, or in trouble for being smarter than her teacher, or beat up by the mean girls.
PTO? What's that? It's always been "PTA", for like generations, back to Laura Ingalls Wilder!
Dude, welcome to the weirdness. My cats grieve, I go to six thousand retail stores for clothes and supplies, and I too piss off teachers! Enjoy!
Hint: When you fill in the forms, make a copy and make it your "master" because next year and the year after and the year after, etc., they are going to want the same stupid information again. And the question is, "do they clean out all the paperwork every year?" No. It is all in your kid's folder. Doctor's name, dentist, orthodontist, etc.
My son started on 8/22. The upside is that they are done June 4. My husband is laid off so he is getting the kid on the bus. We have a chart. He is composing the letter to the transportation department. I can hardly wait. Its usually me being the vocal parent.
And it doesn't matter if it is public or private, schools are not run like a business but are full of complicated bull pucky. Like, why would the secretary be off so close to school's opening. I do know that at our kid's school the secretaries and principals are in the buildings from the first full week of August.
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