Friday, April 25, 2014

Kindergarten bound

Biscuit is officially registered for kindergarten. And it took more paperwork than buying a car!

The first step was finding out which school he would go to.

Jeff and I have been looking around town at the different education opportunities, and believe me, in a city this size, there are many!

When I started school, your parents would call the school district office and give them your address. Then the school district people would tell you which school you go to.

Here, we have our choice of public, private, religious, Montessori, magnet or home schooling.

We checked into all the options and decided that at least for the time being, the public school will be just fine. (Despite the fact that Jeff and I didn't know if we'd even have kids when we bought our house, we sure did move into a good school district!)

I was working from home today because I'm working on a special project at work. So I thought that during my regular commute time, I would run over to Biscuit's kindergarten school and get the paperwork taken care of.

I had to fill out:

  • Health assessment form (half filled out by me, half by Biscuit's doctor ... they charge $10 per form to fill them out)
  • School application
  • Two emergency contact forms, including the names and phone numbers of anyone who is allowed to pick him up from school
  • A form saying whether or not he would ride the bus
  • A form saying that English is his first and only language (unless you count numbers, colors, body parts and a few other words in Spanish)
  • Two forms with basic information about Jeff, Biscuit and me ... address, phone, email, etc.
  • A form asking if Biscuit would need any special assistance for anything - physical, like a wheelchair or academical considerations, like dyslexia or ADHD.
  • And a form saying the school had provided me with some other forms

I had to provide:

  • A certified copy of Biscuit's birth certificate
  • A utility bill to prove residency
  • Biscuit's immunization record

Yes, there were way too many papers to fill out, but the worst part was having to hand write them. I spent so much time on computers, and I can type like the wind. But you put a pen in my hand, and after my signature and a few other words, my hand is tired. Plus, I don't remember my handwriting being as bad as it is until I saw it on the forms!

Every form required:

  • My name, address, home phone number, cell phone number, workplace, work phone number and email
  • Jeff's name, address, home phone number, cell phone number, workplace, work phone number and email
  • Biscuit's full name, address, home phone number and birthdate
Then I saw the "2014-15 Kindergarten Supply List." Oh boy!
  • 12 glue sticks
  • Two or more thin-tipped Dry Erase markers
  • One box of crayons, no more than a 24-pack
  • Two plastic folders with pockets and prongs (red, blue)
  • One standard size pencil box
  • Fiskar scissors
  • Six No. 2 pencils
  • Three stitched composition books
  • Two highlighters (one yellow, one orange)
  • One standard size pink eraser
  • One set of headphones or earbuds.
I don't know what's more frustrating, the fact that the list is so specific or the fact that there were several grammatical mistakes on the list. (I'm an editor by trade. I can't help but notice.)

It feels like I've jumped over a big hurdle. All I have to do now is sign him up for his screenings. I'm not sure what that involves, but I guess we'll find out before August.

I told Biscuit that everything is taken care of, and he is very excited. Looking at those photos I posted yesterday, I can't believe that Biscuit is old enough to start school.

It'll be a new adventure!

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