Not sure how I always end up so overwhelmed in the Fall. For one thing, school starts at the beginning of August, which, in my head, is still summer. So it catches me off guard.
Busy Fall.
Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
What’s Up with Me
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009Red Alert: Dogwood Girl is Beyond Angry
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009So, I have some questions about the magnet program at my kid’s school. I cannot get the Dekalb County director of the program to reply to my emails or phone calls. I cannot get her assistant to reply. I have left multiple messages on the numbers that I can find listed for those folks and the department. I have called the main office to be connected to that department, and the Office of Student Assignments. Evidently, Dekalb County schools are being run by computers. Computers that spit out incorrect schedules for thousands of Dekalb County students.
Luckily, they have humans to make sure that your kids are not wearing flip flops, have a hole in their jeans, or God forbid, have stitching on the pockets of their pants. Because that, that would have to be dealt with by putting the perp into ISS for hours on their first day of sixth grade. Because every young girl, on her first day of middle school, needs to be held up and ridiculed for her clothing.
I am so thankful (and this is NOT sarcasm, promise) that the wonderful folks at my kid’s elementary school are so helpful and really wanted to help me work this problem out. However, they basically told me there was nothing they could do, because THEY can’t get these folks to reply to them either.
So, I am kind of feeling sorry for Dekalb County now, because they are going to be really sick of me. If I have to go down to that office in person and get Pat Copeland to respond to my questions, I will do so.
I just love meeting new people. I think she is really going to dig me.
Wanna get scared about Dekalb County schools? Read this watchdog blog.
Or AJC’s Get Schooled.
Or this Teacher’s advocate blog.
Bee Sting Trumps Pledge of Allegiance
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009Rollie started Kindergarten yesterday. I took him to school, deciding to forego the bus on the first day, so as to avoid any mishaps. Ha! Joke was on me. I parked on a side road near the school. (First day of school is complete and total mayhem!) We walked through the wooded path on the backside of the school, and just as we were coming out of the trees, it happened.
Beesting.
Rollie got stung by a mother-frackin’ bee two minutes before school started on the first day of Kindergarten. So, there i was, wiping his tears, and carrying all his stuff (backpack, lunchbox, plastic Kroger bag of school supplies), and trying to find out where the nurse’s office is, then finding out that the nurse was on vacation. I finally gave up and went to the cafeteria and got him a plastic glove of ice from the lunch ladies. So, yes, while everyone else was quiet, hand over heart, saying the Pledge, and having a moment of silence, that was me leading the sniffling bee sting victim through the halls and into the cafeteria. Bee sting trumps Pledge of Allegiance, people.
We were late to the classroom of course, but I got him settled in, made sure that the teacher knew he had been stung, and dodged insinuations that I should be room mother again. I kissed him goodbye and headed out for my coffee in front of the school.
Turns out he did fine all day and had a good time. Me? I think I might make it, too.
I am Busy, I am Bad
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009So, this week has been crazy. I started back on Weight Watchers. I started training for the Thanksgiving Half-Marathon. Todd and I are trying to plan our basement renovations. I am writing the first monthly newsletter for my kids’ school. It has to go to the printer the same day that school starts. I am babysitting my nephew tonight and tomorrow.
Got off to a terrible start this morning when I showed up at the open house registration with the wrong paperwork. The list of required documentation said “Proof of Residency, such as a utility bill, deed, et.” I brought my Comcast bill. They said they needed a utility bill and that phone didn’t count. Since when is phone not considered a utility bill!? Luckily, Todd had one in his car and ran out and got it, but I am pretty sure that I will be known in the future as “that bitchy Mom that got all huffy over the Comcast bill.” Oh, well. I have been called worse. And would it have killed the folks at the school to apologize to me for the confusion? Am i off base here?
We proceeded to get Rollie squared away, and found his new Kindergarten classroom. His teacher seems nice, but I would be lying if I didn’t wish that her grammar was a little better. (Not sure if that makes me a snob or what. Is it too much to ask that my child’s teacher be well-spoken?) I do believe that what kids learn at home trumps what they learn in the classroom, though, and so I am sure he will be fine. And I do like that she seems kind of old school otherwise.
Anyway, it’s Wednesday, and Rollie starts back to school on Monday. It will be nice to get back on schedule. Even if it means that I am old enough to have a Kindergartner! And oh, my GOD. He is going to ride the bus. I am scared. Very scared. And busy, and I guess kind of bad for being so judgmental about my kid’s teacher.
Wait til you hear about me buying his baseball equipment. Now that is a funny story.
Home Sweet Home
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009Thank God. We are home as of about an hour ago. I feel like I am on tour with Allman Brothers in the 70’s or something. “On the Road Again” has been stuck in my head for days. I put over 700 miles on the car this week. Went down to meet mom and Dad at the hospital in Macon on Tuesday. Drove to Warner Robins that night. Spent the night. Wednesday, drove to the hospital to see Dad then drove back to Atlanta to pack some clothes, pick up the dog, and check on the kids and my Mother-in-law. (Oh, and kiss my husband before he left for Anchorage the following morning.) Drove back to Warner Robins Wednesday night. Went to bed at 11. Got up at 4 a.m., in time to go with mom and lisa to hospital in Macon before Dad’s surgery at 6 a.m. Sat around hospital all that day til they put him in ICU and said he wasn’t gonna die in the next couple of hours. Left Lisa at the hospital and drove my mom back to Warner Robins. Turned around and drove back to macon to be with sis. Saw Dad. Went back to WR with Lisa for dinner, a glass of wine, Xanax, and bed. (Hotel Virginia is awesome: Before bed, everyone got a glass of wine, a Xanax and a hot bath before putting on jammies and retiring to our respective bedrooms, with our dogs lying by our sides and each of us reading books til we fall asleep.)
Got up, went to hospital in Macon. Stayed with Dad for a while, then went on a search for men’s pajamas for Daddy, button front (NOT drawstring) and with matching top. They evidently do not make those anymore – Just the PJs bottoms with drawstrings, and coordinating t-shirts. I went three places. No dice. Gave up and went to bookstore and bought whole Sookie Stackhouse box set instead. Went home, and went to bed. Next morning, got up and packed all three dogs (Quint, Emily, and Malex) and took them to the lake, because i thought their wrestling in the house and the constant barking might give Mom the big one. Drove over to Milledgeville.
Got to the lake and realized how very bad Dad must have been feeling before his surgery; the weeds up by the road and the grass around the house were knee-high. I have never in my life seen that yard not mowed weekly, sometimes more during warm weather. I mowed and cut back some shrubbery that was getting out of control.
Let the dogs go free the weekend, romping in the water, rolling around in dead fish, playing with the country dogs always coming by to see us. At one point, I had eight dogs running around the front yard and in the lake: Our three, two chocolate labs (Josie and Choco – v. original), one unnamed poodle, two yellow labs, one of which they call Lego, but whose name is Legolas (v.literary for Milledgeville) and a pug named Lulu. Oh, that’s nine. Anyway, it was mayhem and it made me happy. It poured down in the afternoon and i sat on the porch and read my vampire book.
Lisa and Dash came down the next morning. I finished the last of the lawn, then we took the boat and the Seadoo out. It was relaxing to get out on the water and cut up on the seadoo and i knew Dad wished he could be there. V. few Memorial Days have I spent with neither my Dad or my husband. Definitely the first one i have ever spent with just my sister and my nephew.
Packed up yesterday morning. Drove to Macon, then to Columbus. If I ever bitch about how boring 16 is, just tell me to shut up and remember the poor people who have to drive from Macon to Columbus. I defy anyone to come up with a more boring drive. From Columbus, cut over to Opelika, then Dadeville to get the kids at my in-laws’. Spent the night over there (decided against driving back to Atlanta for two hours, in what would surely have turned into an 85-roadwork+Memorial-Day-Traffic clusterfuck of monumental proportion). I did get to hang out with my brother-in-law and my niece, Luci, who is cute as can be, and was so fun to watch with Rollie and tiller. They are all old enough now to play with each other and she and Tiller even got into a few arguments with one another. Good times!
Drove back this morning. Had fun discussion with Rollie in car:
R: “Mama, I want to move to Alabama, so that I can go to Sunday School.”
Me: [Laughing out loud.] “Baby, they have Sunday School in Georgia, too. What did y’all talk about in Sunday School.”
R: “We learned about this guy, his name starts with a D.”
Me: “David? Daniel?”
R: “There were three guys and they didn’t like the guy with the D name, so they tried to kill him.”
Me: “Um, okay, can you tell me more? Who else was there?”
R: “Knights and guys on horses.”
Me: “And what happened?”
R: “Well, the d guy, he had a plan. Also, the other two guys had a plan also. God was going to save them from being killed.”
This went on and on for about ten minutes, me trying to figure out what the heck bible story they had taught him, and him getting frustrated because I kept asking questions. Still haven’t figured this one out. Also haven’t decided if all the learning about people being killed is so great either.
Got back home. My garden is growing like gangbusters.
Oh, and Dad went home yesterday. He is driving me crazy, calling every few hours to check on us, tell us things that need to be done (wash the dog, mow the lawn, how is my garden? Don’t forget to fertilize it) and then waiting until we are midsentence in reply, and saying, “bye bye!” and click, he hangs up on us.
Love, Happy to be Home Dogwood
Tiller’s Too Sexy for Church School
Thursday, May 14th, 2009I’m not sure, but i think that a gaunt, horse-faced church lady (using that term loosely) just told me that Tiller’s skirt is too short.
“You know, at elementary school, they say the acceptable length is knee-length.”
She is wearing a jean skirt. She is three. What the fuck?* Does my daughter look like a hooker, or what?
*And yes, there is just a smidge of lingering resentment over the fact that girls in high school must abide by the knee-length rule unless they are cheerleaders, in which case it is apparently acceptable for those who can do a back handspring and spirit fingers to wear a skirt so short they are showing their ass to the entire school.
Vampires In School, Part II
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009Update: The vampire at the school has a name and a girlfriend. His name is Sylar. He lives under the school. Yesterday, at nap time, the vampire was lying next to Rollie and he bit him on the wrist. But Rollie didn’t feel it, because he doesn’t see or feel or hear the vampire; only Tony does. Rollie said it didn’t hurt and upon inspection, there was no obvious bite mark. Then to add to the story, Rollie reveals to me that Sylar has a girlfriend who lives with him under the school: Muchacha. Yep, her name is Muchacha. Like i could make this shit up.
Tony says that sometimes Sylar and Muchacha lie next to each other and kiss for a long time. Um, what the hell is going on over at Tony’s house?! Either way, Tony has an awesome imagination. And Rollie is either really great at suspending disbelief or really gullible.
Either way, I can’t wait to find out what the next chapter in the Sylar and Muchacha saga reveals! I’ll keep you posted.
Where I’m From. Where I’ve Been. Where I’m At.
Saturday, March 7th, 2009I’m a little drunk. Ish.
So, i have been thinking about my neighborhood a lot today. A friend from my old neighborhood is grappling with the whole educating-a-kid-in-intown-Atlanta-schools issue. She asked my opinion on a living in my old neighborhood (EAV) vs. living in my new neighborhood (Northlake Mall/Lavista/Briarlake) vs. living in the real OTP burbs (I grew up in Roswell/Alpharetta. She is considering E. Cobb.)
I thought scads about all the different things that go into choosing what is not just best for a kid’s education, but what is best for a family. And all of that discussion confirmed for me that we made the best decision for us.
Also? It helps when my awesome neighbors call me at 3pm on Friday to bring the kids over to play in the sunshine, swing, slide, throw pine cones, and climb fig trees, while we drink beer and wine and order Mediterranean takeout.
I miss my old neighborhood. I love my new neighborhood. I wish they could meet each other, because, damn, they would get along really well together.
Sitting On the Edge Of My Future
Monday, February 23rd, 2009I am pretty sure that Facebook is slowly eating my blog. . . .
However, here I am. I have been scanning more old photos, and came across a great set of pics from college.
They are mostly from my college graduation. Here is the whole set on Flickr.
A few things that initially struck me about these:
I hated my hair.
We all smoked too much.
I was a stick, but i remember thinking i was fat.
Who, and i mean WHO, let me wear that ugly blue striped dress?
Girls wore a lot of long floral dresses back then.
The day of graduation is really fuzzy to me. I think Scott and I met some guy at the guy’s apartment for pre-grad festivities, which may have involved mimosas. It was nice and sunny. I have lost a great picture of me, Scott, and Katie sitting in the stadium. I loved it, and I cannot find that one. We all look very “The Future’s so Bright, We gotta Wear Shades” and i have lost it.
Some of the pictures are from post-graduation, waiting in traffic with my mom, dad, and sister. We were parked right across from Stedman (?), right near the dorms where I lived as a Freshman. (Give it up for Church!) Again, we smoked too much (except for Lisa, who never did.) I love that mom and dad look more proud of me graduating than i look. Now that i have children of my own, i can understand this.
The other pictures are from a graduation party that night at Scott and Zach’s house. I like that many of the folks in these pictures are still really good friends of mine.
The party itself is all a blur, but i know my family was there, which is strange. Honey came into town just to go to my graduation party (she had already graduated) and I love her for stuff like that. Later in the night, there were a lot of people up on the roof. Zach was my boyfriend at the time, and I made out with a completely different guy on the roof. Classy, i know. I still feel sick admitting that, but i guess maybe there is a ten year statute of limitations on cheating-on-your-boyfriend-on-his-own-roof-while-he-is-home-and-throwing-a-party-for-you situations*.
And this is me the next day:
It is me, with Honey’s boyfriend at the time, Luka, in front of my house off Milledge. I loved those red-tinted glasses i am wearing. I still have those Doc Martens and still wear them sometimes. I loved that little house. I was v. hung over in that picture, and my whole future loomed in front of me. I remember everything at that time seeming bigger than life.
It was like sitting on that front stoop on the day I moved away from Athens was just like sitting on the edge of my future.
*Please don’t hate me.
Dear Teacher, Happy Valentine’s Day.
Monday, February 2nd, 2009Everyone knows that i have some serious doubts about our public education system in Georgia. I just don’t have a lot of faith in it, but that is based mostly on my own experience as a Georgia student over. . . well, many years ago now. I definitely felt that I had to give it a try, and see how my kids would fare at the elementary school we have chosen. So far, i am mostly happy with the school – Parent involvement is high, there do not seem to be any discipline issues of note, and there has been zero violence at the school. That being said, when I do post my thoughts on Dogwood Girl, it will most likely be something negative, as the impetus for my posts is usually what i term Pissed-Off-edness.
So, the latest installment: Valentine’s Day is coming up. Remember Valentine’s Day? Yep, it was pretty horrible back in school. All those people, making it very clear who is popular and who isn’t, all in glaring red, pink, white and lacy detail. But go back farther. Yep, to Pre-K and Kindergarten. Even first grade. Before cliques. Before Mean Girls and Queen Bees. Before Dumb Boys who always like the same predictable bubbly blonde. . . Yeah, you are right. That last part never existed. They always like the blonde. Even my own traitorous man cub likes the predictable blonde chick.
I digress and make this about me. This is not about me, this is about Valentine’s Day and public school education.
I asked the teacher how the children could prepare for Valentine’s Day at school. Would they need to make their own Valentine’s day box? No. But she did request that they not address their Valentines to their friends. They should just sign their name to the cards. It would make it easier that way.
Huh? So, basically, they (the teachers?) don’t want to deal with the hassle of making sure that the right Valentine gets to the right kid. Is it just me, or is that dumb as Paula Abdul? (It is probably me. I did get my period for Groundhog Day, which can make one a little pissy.)
How does it make sense to dissuade the kids from writing their friends’ names on the Valentine’s Day cards? Seems to me that 20 four-and-five year olds spending an evening sitting with their parents and learning to write out the letters in each of their friends’ names might be a good exercise: In penmanship, in letter recognition, in spelling, in spending time with their parents in one-on-one instruction, in thoughtfulness, and in good manners!
I can see that it could be a little time-consuming to go through all the cards and make sure they get to the correct student when most of the kids can’t read. But mightn’t that be a decent teaching exercise? And not to make this all about my kid, because I realize different kids are at different levels, but my kid can read, write, and spell. This is an awesome activity for my kid’s reading and writing level. Should my kid be brought down to the level of other kids who can’t, just because it might be a little extra work for the educators? (Which it wouldn’t, because my kid could totally match up his friend’s name on the card with the same name on their little mailbox.)
Yeah, you guessed it. We are addressing our Valentine’s Day cards. I’m not going to dumb down an everyday task, something that will teach my child, just because it will make his teacher’s life easier at the expense of common sense and etiquette.
Signed,
Bitch Mother