Makes me smile

Charlie Brown cartoons produce some of the best belly laughs from Freddie.  I *love* listening to him as he watches.  Watching It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is one thing I have always wanted to do as a mama.  Sitting on the floor for a picnic supper watching Charlie Brown on the tube was as perfect as I had hoped.  Happy Halloween!

Kindergarten Search: Interview at Private School B

Future kindergartner heading to an interview on the bus

Just as a recap, Private School B is the international, diverse school with a 40 minute commute.  Charlie and I both really liked this school as a whole and thought Freddie would do very well here.

Charlie, Freddie, and I all headed downtown in the afternoon as Freddie was going to have his "interview" (they call it a play date) as well.  I was expecting an "interview" style meeting for Charlie and I as well, but thankfully it turned out to be more of a meet and greet with the head of school, the assistant principal of the elementary component of the school, and several other families.

We dropped Freddie in a classroom with two teachers and a few other children there for the same purpose.  He was bursting with excitement. And I do mean bursting.  I think his cheeks may be aching from smiling so much.  We stopped to see a friend's cubby and he was wide eyed looking at the classrooms.  When we got to the classroom to which he was assigned he let go of my hand and joined the group without looking back.  He sat at a desk and got involved with the other kids .

While Freddie was downstairs we went to a classroom and listened to the head of school, an assistant principal (who I think is essentially the principal of the lower school), and a teacher speak some about the school and conduct a Q&A answer session.  I *really* liked the administration.  They were warm and down to earth and their commitment to the school and learning was obvious.  Seeing and hearing the administration speak solidified our good feelings about this school.

Some things we learned:

• The first question asked was "What are the kids doing downstairs?"  The administration gave some vague information but asked to keep it vague because they didn't want the process to be invalidated by people prepping.  He continued to speak about how they are not looking for one certain thing or the highest scores because they feel strongly that many different types of children do well in the school.  
• Teachers come from over 80 different countries.  Most are certified in their home country but undergo professional development and training to ensure the rigor and philosophies align with the school.
• Home languages in the school total 100 with 150 countries being represented at the school.
• Students are expected to be fluent in 2 new languages when they graduate in 12th grade.  In lower school they attend foreign language classes daily and in middle school they will attend 2 foreign language classes almost daily (7 of 8 days).  The language classes are taught by native speakers and have 4-6 children in each.  Impressive.
• The attrition rate is similar to or lower than most other private NYC schools at 8-9%.  
• The kids come from ALL over the city.  And Roosevelt Island has more families attending the school than any other NYC zip code.  This made me feel good, as my biggest concern is the commute and distance from the school.  Knowing there are several families living in our neighborhood made me feel we'd still feel part of the school community even though we don't live within walking distance.  Walking distance and neighborhoods are a big thing in urban living, folks.  
• The administration spoke about academics, including homework, and further solidified my feelings that school is progressive enough in their teaching as well as appropriately rigorous that Freddie would be challenged.
• They also spoke about the arts and physical education in a way that gave the impression that Freddie's whole person would be developed and his interests would be valued and he could explore other talents through school

In his closing remarks the head of school referenced one of the essay responses he read when he was reviewing applications.  Guess what...it was mine!  Yep, I'll be available for application prep consultations.  

When we returned to the classroom to pick up Freddie, all of the students were standing in the doorways waiting for their parents but after scanning I didn't see Freddie.  I finally found him sitting by himself in a reading corner of a classroom reading a stack of books he'd gathered.  He wasn't ready to leave but was excited to tell me about his time there.  They played and read books and drew pictures and wrote letters.  "Kindergarten is going to be so much fun, but I didn't know my colors. Mom," he said.  We both laughed. 

Next steps:

• Letters of recommendation for his preschool need to be sent to Private School B.  I signed the record's release.  I wish I knew what in the world these said.
• Our interview at Private School A was scheduled for today, but the school cancelled.  We rescheduled for next week.

Jack-O-Lantern

 The guys *finally* carved the pumpkin we got a few weeks ago.

Freddie has been asking to change it into a jack-o-lantern for quite some time.

Hans wasn't as interested.

 But he did have to come over and check out the light.

 The boys both love it lit up at night.

And we've been crafting some other decorations.  These are a favorite which we will definitely make again...

More Costuming

Posing in front of the door Freddie and Dada decorated

We hosted a Halloween Masquerade for Hans' play group.  Another reason to get dressed up!

The boys' favorite music teachers came to perform on the lawn.

Costumes + Junk Food = Win

It's hard being a little brother

Watching Freddie at swim team, and asking to get in the pool with his swim cap 

A List

Freddie and Hans have been poring over the stacks of catalogs in our mailbox each day.  I remember being so excited when the Sears Christmas "Wishbook" catalog arrived to our house when I was a child and the time Christian and I'd spend flipping over and over through the pages, so I can relate.

Freddie has a huge case of the wants lately, even before the catalogs arrived, and my standard answer has been ask Santa or we'll have to empty your piggy bank.  I think we're going to have to empty the bank soon, make a purchase and make another trip to the bank to deposit the rest.  These money lessons  need to be more frequent so he gets it.

Anyway, he decided to make a list of some of the things he likes.  He did this all on his own as he sat and discussed everything with Hans.  It was pretty cute to listen to their discussions and hear him repeat words to sound them out.

I'll translate the best I can:

• SDE is a submarine.  See the little picture next to the word?
• FATM YSG is "fast passenger train" and there is a little train to the left of it.
• nSAS is actually skates (or sometimes he says skateboard) and I think he's written it backwards.  And of course a little picture to go with it.
• Then there is the curvy line with the letter L under it.  That's a looped race car track.  He got distracted there and never returned.
• BTnTn is "bowling" and that little triangular picture above it is a bowling game.
• And then his name.  Oops, forgot a D so he squeezed it in.
• Last, but not least...LOeS is "legos" along with some of the lego sets he likes.  The Lego catalogue has gotten the most love this week.

Considering we're not yet in November I am sure there will be more catalogs and further installments to this list.  

Halloween Preview

Firefighters *need* binoculars, right?

 Freddie and Hans have been so excited to be "fighter-fighters" as Freddie says.  I think someone corrected him this week though, sadly.

The island hosted a Halloween party complete with junk food, bounce castles, and costumes.

Freddie's buddy, Alicia.  He's been known to steal a kiss from her!

The boys spent just about the entire time in the bounce castles.  I really need to see about renting one for a day.

Both were braver than I thought and really didn't need me along.

We've been enjoying the crisp fall weather and are hopeful winter holds off a bit longer.

Kindergarten Search: Private School B

Today we toured the second private school to which we've applied.  It's a busy week for us.  Next week we have interviews.

Some notes:

• The commute is about 40 minutes door to door.  It involves a train ride and then a bus ride. 
• The school does offer bus transportation from our building for an extra cost.  The cost is about the same as I'd pay taking the subway roundtrip twice a day to bring and pick him up.  The school bus ride would be about an hour, which makes for a very long day for a five year old.  But, if you ask Freddie about kindergarten, riding the bus is on his list of top exciting expectations.  
•  The school is downtown and along the East River.  The campus is new, modern, gated, and enormous!  It houses about 1300 students in grades K-12.
• There are two gyms, a beautiful auditorium, a library, a great playground, an art studio, music classes, a science lab, and Charlie's favorite...a room called "Colabaratory"....it is filled with legos and wires and batteries and tools for building anything the kids can dream up.
• There 5 kindergarten classes with about 18 kids in each class.  Each teacher has an assistant and there is often a third teacher in the room as there are floating assistants and resource teachers in and out of classrooms.
• School takes in at 8.45am and lets out at 2.45pm.  This seems like a short day to me.  I need to compare it to other school times but I thought most schools had a 7 hour day.
• This school has an EXTREMELY diverse, international student body.  I'd venture to say we would probably be one of only a handful of families that doesn't speak at least one other language or have citizenship in another country.
• This diversity contributes to a theme of peace, friendship, and social awareness in all classes.
• We didn't meet the principal.  The tour was given by a parent.  
• Everyone was warm and friendly.
• Because the crowd is so international, students do tend to leave the school, although the parent giving the tour said most students tend to stay for at least 6 years.  One third of the high school graduating class began in kindergarten.  
• Tuition is $29,000.
• Although the cost of tuition is high, more than half of familes are eleigible for a 75% reduction in tuition through their employer (not Charlie's employer sadly...the school is associated with a large international organization).  This means the school has some socioeconomic diversity since more than half of the families aren't writing a $30,000 check for tuition.

Charlie and I both liked this school quite a bit.  This is exactly what we had in mind when thinking about schools for the boys.  It is a good balance of academics and play, although I have heard the high school program isn't as rigorous as many would like.  It is more traditional than private school a but not as traditional as the Catholic school.  It offers more "extras" (art, music, foreign language, PE) than the Catholic school but not as many as Private School A.

Looking strictly at the approach to education at the three school Charlie and I both felt strongly the school that would best fit Freddie was Private School A, the progressive school we toured yesterday.  But both of *us* felt more comfortable at Private School B today.  

Next steps:

• We have interviews at both private schools next week.  
• We haven't decided if we'd apply to the Catholic school. Need to figure that out soon.
• I am scheduling a tour at a public school near Charlie's work.  It is not our district school, but admits students through a lottery.  Although we have "preference"because Charlie works in the area, there are typically 450ish applicants for fewer than 100 spots.
• I toured our district public school a few years ago.  I am hoping they are offering tours this year as I'd like Charlie to see it. Rereading what I wrote I'm relieved to see that I thought he'd be fine here.
• Freddie will be tested for public school G&T program in mid January, although results aren't known until April, three months after private schools require a deposit. 

Kindergarten Search: Private School A

Today we toured a private school.  It is one of two private schools to which we applied.  Both schools were recommended by the preschool director based on my criteria of convenient and of course a good fit for Freddie.

We arrived about 8.15am for the 8.30am tour and got to watch the students as they came in for class.  It was a diverse, hip mix of families.  The school is downtown which has a more laid back feel and this plays a part in the families at this school.  The school also has a very progressive approach so that compounds the hip family factor.

So some notes about the school....

• 25 minute door to door commute.  The school is downtown but just steps away from the metro station so it'd be a quick ride on the F train from our building to school.  
• The school has children 2-13 years old..preK-8th grade.  365 students, two classes at each grade.
• The campus is made up of 7 brownstones which have been beautifully remodeled.  
• There are a few "yards" so the children have time outside.  I also think there is a gym down the street, although we didn't see it.
• We didn't meet the head of the school.  
• The admissions director gave a great presentation outlining the school's philosophy of teaching and learning.
• Building a diverse community is very important to the school.  Several of the questions on the application involved diversity and how we would contribute to the diverse community.  I will say the student population didn't stand out as particularly racially diverse.
• It is a place where I think I'd enjoy teaching.  A lot of the methods align with my teaching philosophy, although I strongly believe there are many, many, many ways to educate children successfully.  I also don't think that using one method over another produces better citizens, thinkers, artists, or people.  
• I think Freddie would love it here.  And I mean LOVE it.  The schedule, materials, and classrooms looked fun.  Building, actual physical as well as metaphorical building, are at the core of their program and this is totally Freddie.  
• The nature of the instructional set up means there is a lot of overlap in subjects and true "thematic" teaching.
• Some of the progressive pieces that I'm not sure I totally love are the students calling teachers by first names.  This isn't something anyone spoke about but I did here a little girl refer to her teacher by her first name.  I am a bit more traditional than that.  There aren't "grades" in the lower school, and I'm not sure when/if they ever get grades.  Although I don't feel grades are the only way to communicate progress I do feel grades are part of the larger school community most kids eventually experience and I wonder how that transition into a more traditional environment will be.  The presentation did touch on the wide range of high schools students go on to and find success after this experience.  
• The tuition is $34,000.  Yep, $34,000.  

Charlie liked it.  He said, "I think Freddie would be very happy here and do well here."  I agree.  Overall I really liked it as well.  

Comparing it to the Catholic school option, I'll say the facility is far nicer.  The"extras" like art, music, movement, field trips, were more plentiful than the Catholic school option. 

But, I think the chances of Freddie being accepted are slim.  The school receives many applicants and I think the openings for next year are fewer than 10.

Tomorrow we tour Private School B.  

NOLA

• Park visits
• Duck feeding
• Zoo trip
• Family
• Friends
• Food
• Street car rides
• Snuggles
• Sunshine 
• Showers
• Curls
• Gumbo
• Sandals
• Green
• Blooms

Apple Pie

The fruit of our labor.  Mama is the only one who really enjoys apple pie though.  She ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degree Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water and sugars. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.  Put bottom crust in pan. Fill with apples. Cover with lattice crust. Pour sugar mixture over the crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350. Bake another 40 minutes.

 

Ferris Wheel Ride

Just as much fun as two years ago...

Lovin'

• Face painting....it never gets old
• Family time
• Pumpkins collecting on the window sill
• Fall colors
• Sweaters
• Soup
• Hot chocolate
• Packed bags
• Snuggling
• Kisses on my lips
• Swim lessons in a warm pool
• Rest

A Date

All dolled up...

It had been a while since Freddie and I had been on our last date.  Some one on one time was much needed.  

We spent time on the island checking out some murals and then off to lunch.  Freddie picked Subway.  

Apparently we need to eat out more often and develop his culinary tastes.  We pass Subway almost every day but never dine there, so there must have been a certain mystique calling Freddie.

He had pizza, chocolate milk, and a cookie.  What's not to like about Subway, right?

Down to the F train

Then we were off to the Lincoln Center to hear the New York Philharmonic perform Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Ode to Joy.

Exploring Avery Fischer Hall

When the musicians began, Freddie got a big smile and turned to me and said, "This music is so pretty."

He enjoyed watching for the different instruments to play, especially the drums and the triangle.  He wanted a better view of the French horn.

Our seats were ok, especially for $12.  We subscribed to the children's concert series so our seats have been assigned based on the price point I selected.  Next time I may opt for a bit of a better view.  

He did well for the first 40 minutes.  The final 20 minutes were a bit tough, but thankfully the chorus signing in the finale engaged him.

Afterwards we explored a bit around Columbus Circle and found a spot to enjoy a waffle.  Freddie suggested we keep the waffle a secret because Dada would be jealous.

Throwdown Waffle with chocolate sauce...yum!

Having just him meant we got to have conversations about things which interested him without distraction.  He seems to have some heavy topics on his mind, specifically death and wondering about the boy who is lost (flyers are plastered everywhere and I am possibly regretting answering Freddie's questions honestly about the flyers).  Makes me realize how important it is to have this time to connect with him.

A great afternoon with my guy.  He held my hand a lot and gave me lots of kisses.  A perfect date.

He loves street musicians

We have at least one date a month between now and February.  Looking forward to getting more time together.

Sounding out

Question of the day at school:  What's the weather like today?

Freddie's response:  "ens"

Can you read it?

Flip it around and it is "sne".  Can you read it now?

Sunny of course!

And then there was this one...

I don't remember the question but it was Halloween related.  That would be a T-O-G, and then reverse it and it is G-O-T....ghost!

He's sounding out more and more words.  He always gets the first sound and usually the last, but the middle sounds are tricky, of course.  I love this stage of writing when a whole string of letters can carry such meaning.

He's taken to writing things backwards sometimes.  He doesn't very often, but I've seen him do it to his name.  Sometimes he looks at it afterwards and realizes he's done something not quite right.  He commonly reverses S, Z, 5, and 2 which are pretty typical reversals.  I don't think he'll have the b/d reversal because he does so many Ds with writing his name.  He's pretty into writing some letters in only capitals though.

I really enjoy watching his literacy developing.  So amazing.

Make a wish

Mama:  What'd you wish for?

Freddie:  A tree in our backyard one day.

Surprised me considering he had just advised me to wish for a chocolate horse shaped cake.