It has finally come: the end of summer, the beginning of a schedule, the return to early morning wake-ups, backpacks and homework, and the excitement of a new year of learning in front of us. While I am hesitant to say goodbye to summer, my two little students are ready to go, and happy about being off to school.
Jonathan will be at school every day of the week for first grade, a substantial increase from two days a week last year (though he will still enjoy short Mondays and Fridays), and is thrilled beyond measure to be under the tutelage of the same teacher Abigail had in the first grade. Of course, Jonathan thinks every year that he will have whichever teacher Abigail previously had, which is hardly a given with three or four classes in each grade. But so far we are two for two, and he thinks that is just the way it ought to be! There are only eleven students in his classroom, which feels very cozy, as well as very conducive to learning. Here is a pic with him and his teacher, as well as one with a couple of his school chums:
Third grade feels like a pretty big year too: Abigail and her eleven classmates were sort of shy and quiet (highly unusual for this group!) as they got out their very large binders, tab dividers, composition books, and looseleaf paper. As a third grader, Abigail will begin studying Latin, as well as staying for full days, every day for the first time in her school career. Mommy is a little sad over this development (the longer days, not the Latin!), but knows Abigail is in good hands and among sweet friends. We didn’t get a teacher picture today, but a friend took a shot of Abigail and I:
As we do at the start of every academic year, the entire family attended all-school opening chapel for what promises to be the last time in our rented synagogue facility…ground has been broken on the new campus, and we look forward to the entire K-12 school relocating there within the year. How exciting! We continue to be so grateful for this community of families whom we love, and for faculty who are nurturing and teaching our little ones with grace and excellence.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and oversee my first grader as he unpacks his Spiderman backpack and attends to his first afternoon of homework!
Great pictures, though I must confess a moment of confusion before I saw your parenthetical statement (teacher pic forthcoming)and thought that Jonathan’s teacher looked as young as her students! Just another typical senior moment.
Hey Mom – sorry for the confusion! Our WordPress was down, but Jay has it fixed and the pic is now up.
Great pics of the first day of school. Happy studying to all the little scholars at your house.
I am so glad everyone is well and able to enjoy the first day of school! Your pics are adorable. 🙂
Thanks, Mom, Jennifer, Steph for your kind words. We’ve almost made it through the week…hooray!
oops, that was me, Tricia, not Jay on that last comment!
So. Cute. Love the sibling love! And both of them look so eager for school to start!
I love how you make the first day so memorable and document it for posterity.