Another change

Austin was recently tested for the ALPHA program in his school district and qualified. I may have already said this but it is a program for gifted/talented students that is self-contained, instead of the kids being pulled out of regular class to do enrichment work.
Tony and I went to a meeting for prospective parents last night and learned a lot, go to meet the 4th grade teachers and a few of the other parents (that we don't already know). After the meeting, we finalized our decision to send him to the program. We really think he will thrive in that type of environment, and while I am sure there will be frustrations (esp. in the beginning) he will end up really liking the harder work. His teacher this year is amazing, but he is still bored a lot in class. They just can't teach to all the different levels of learning at once. In the ALPHA program all of the kids in the classroom are fast learners, and the teachers make the students go more in depth when answering, always asking "why" instead of just filling in the blanks on a worksheet.
So next year, he will be doing 5th grade math, 6th grade language arts, reading novels in class, finding Greek and Latin stems every day (yay!) and going deeper into social studies and science.
Oh also he will probably come home and cry when he walks into the door the first few weeks. He has such high expectations of himself and is very critical of himself (where does he get that? no idea) and the cutest thing to me is he will NOT let himself cry at school when he is frustrated. So he walks in, I say "How was your day?" and the floodgates open. Last night the teachers were talking about the kids being overwhelmed at the beginning, especially since 4th grade is a big adjustment no matter what school the student goes to.
Feel like I am rambling but let me wrap this up. He is going to ALPHA next year, which means switching schools (again). He is not so happy to leave his new best friend behind, but I told Austin they will be together again in middle school. Another friend from soccer and basketball has been accepted into the program also, so I think that will help Austin adjust. The principal and teachers seems great at the new school and although he will be pushed, I know he will excel once he gets into his groove.

Totally unrelated - I FINALLY turned in my application for the nursing program! I should find out mid to late May if I got in. I'm not really worried about it since I have all A's in the pre-reqs, but then again you never know. We will just have to wait and see. In the meantime, Drew and I are going to the zoo tomorrow for the first time this year. He has only been asking to see his horse (the draft horse at the farm) every day for about 2 months! Tomorrow should be a beautiful day to visit the animals. :)

To Preschool or Not to Preschool

UPDATE:

We have decided to wait on the preschool. The church I was looking at is more than I want to pay for 2.5 hours a week, and others I have checked out start at age three. Guess we will have to play with more friends instead!

Original post:

I saw the other day at a church near our place that they offer preschool to 2 year olds. Drew misses the 3 year old cut off by 7 days, but no problem there. It will get him around kids he will be in elementary school with, and he will always be one of the oldest kids in class.

I haven't called for prices yet, but Tony and I think it could only be a good thing for Drew. It will get him around more kids on a regular basis and he will learn new things. The church is also only about 5 minutes from us. We can choose one or two mornings a week.

My only reservation about sending Drew to preschool now is that he is still so young. I know we waited another year to start Austin, so he had only 2 years of preschool and Drew would have 3.

Will update when we decide . . .