Go towards the light...

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

First of all, tomorrow is the last day of school. While many parents across the nation look forward to this day, those at our school have extra reason to relish the end of the school year. You see, Young Son and Teenage Daughter both attend 'MCA' (or as I frequently and affectionately refer to it the hippie school); the only whole-child focused, parent-participation, K-8 school in our school district. What that really means is that they use fewer text books and concentrate on hands-on learning instead. There is little homework; when students do have homework it is either because they didn't finish work in class, or it is an extension of what they are studying. And to answer your next question- yes, as students get older, daily homework is issued so that they don't go into shock when they get to high school!

Instead of the one or two field trips that a traditional classroom might take during a school year, classes at MCA average 2-3 a month. Students on field trips are chaperoned and transported by parents (no school buses here!). Parents are also required to aide 4 hours weekly in their child's classroom (or 6 hours for parents of 2 or more students) and hold a classroom job as well as a school-wide job. Oh- and we attend evening class meetings each month. Throw in a 3 day beach trip in the fall (again, parent drivers and chaperones needed), an annual talent show (parent run), a class play (lots of parent help needed), and a spring trip (3 days to three weeks depending on the grade and teacher)-and it all begins to really add up.

Since it is not a neighborhood school (they have a lottery process for admission) I also drive 30 miles daily just to get my kids to school and back (two round trips).

Anyway- what it all boils down to is that I am totally fried by the end of the school year. As much as I love the school- I probably look forward to summer vacation more than my kids do...

Second (keep your fingers crossed) we have a new receptionist starting at work tomorrow. Hopefully that means that my hours will drop back down to the occasional day here and there instead of the 20-30 hours per week that I have been working since Easter. This is, however, the 4th receptionist that we have hired in that time. Since none of the others have worked out- I am understandably trepidatious about it. I am really hoping to get to work tomorrow and see a new face sitting there, but I'm taking it all with a grain of salt at the same time. We'll just have to wait and see!

So I am looking forward to (and hoping for) a few weeks of peace and quiet. Well, at least as much peace and quiet as I can get with three kids home for the summer!

Oh, and just in case my son's teacher, C, happens to read this post- be assured that the teachers at the hippie school are even busier than the parents. In addition to all the field trips, class meetings, class plays, talent show etc; they have all the usual teaching duties- curriculum planning and execution, classroom management, staff meetings, etc. On top of all that, they get to deal with parent aides in the classroom on a daily basis- something that's easier said than done...