First Day of School!!! August 17, 2020 was the first day for Second-Grader Brock and Kindergartner Kade! We made the call to sign both of them up for the first semester of Wake County's Virtual Academy - guaranteed virtual learning regardless of the County's/Governor's plans for public schools reopening. We will make the call in November if we want to continue the rest of the year virtual.
That means new backpack for Kade! A cool glow-in-the-dark Star Wars themed with his first name written in Orange. (His choice all around!) (And new lunch box!)
Brock secured a new lunch box too! (not pictured)
Had to get Moose in there!!
Thank goodness the Kindergartners eased their way into this virtual learning - it was hard enough getting on track with all of Brock's live lessons that first day!
After getting the hang of things the first day from home, we sent Brock back to Goddard, complete with all his supplies and his laptop.
We "met" Kade's teacher the following day with a family Google meet. Kade was so excited, but so very confused. Live instruction from a teacher at an elementary school while he's still attending his preschool? "When am I going to Kindergarten?" he asked me every day at pickup that week. It breaks my heart for him.
But, we are managing through it. A few times we had to walk him through how to turn off the microphone in the beginning of the meetings and explain that the teacher can't call on him for EVERY SINGLE answer (he will raise his hand to every question).
Kade is really doing great through it all. Sure there are days when it takes some special bribes (M&M's??) for him to sit through an entire day of class at the computer, but he really is trying and is thrilled when he earns his Dojo points!
I think one of the best things that helped put a place to a name was during Week 2's carpool school supply pickup/virtual meet the teachers. Kade and I got there at a great time and had about 5 minutes solo with his teacher, talking to her from out the window. So helpful for Kade to realize she wasn't just some lady in the computer!
After meeting the teacher, we parked in the front and took a nice picture on the front steps of their new school.
The second graders went the following day and Brock did the same thing with Brent! Sweet Brock recognized the steps from Kade's picture the previous day and confirmed with Brent - "Kade and I really are going to the same school??" I think up until that moment Brock only understood that we were having him go to a different school than the year before, without his brother! He was much happier after that!
It's going to be an interesting year! Wish us, all the teachers and educators, and all the other parents so much luck....and patience. :)
