Tuesday, July 29, 2008

My 5 Year Old's Mail

Technically, the mail was addressed to me (and my hubby) but my daughter considers that the mail that came today was hers. School must be approaching. We got two pieces of mail from them today.

While we gave in the 10 post-dated tuition cheques some time ago I knew there were more fees to be paid. We actually have 3 more cheques to give in by the beginning of school. The first is a $35 fee for school supplies. Throughout the primary grades the kids use communal supplies that are kept at various stations in the 2 classrooms they use rather than buy their own individual pencils, crayons, etc.

The second is a textbook/field trip fee for the student agenda, a math workbook and field trips. That's another $33. But I'm not going to pay $70 for a Tanach (Bible), especially when it says on the form that the 5 books of Chumash with Rashi are the better (and more expensive) option. Why? Because I already own a perfectly good set of linear Chumash with Rashi (the ones I learn from every morning). [This is the first five books of the Bible with the Hebrew on the right, English on the left and Rashi's commentary at the bottom of the page.] For that matter, I have a Tanach. It's just a weird size with really small print.

The third cheque is for $240 and is for the school service requirement. Each family is required to give at least 12 hours of time to the school and there are all kinds of different opportunities throughout the year for fullfilling the 12 hours. If you don't put in the time by June, they cash your cheque. My goal is to put in our time and get my cheque back!

The other mail was a copy of the student handbook, a code of conduct and the schedule for the first week of school (when they don't go for the full day). Starting the 2nd Monday in September school runs from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The first week is going to be difficult, especially with our various schedules, only 2 vehicles between 4 adults and the little girls to shlep around too.

Not to mention that we'll be entering foreign territory in terms of getting our little owl to school before the time she normally wakes up! Basically, she needs to get up an hour and a half earlier than she does now and she has just over a month to get used to it. I've done this before and it's not fun. My #1 Son actually went to a half day kindergarten that started at noon. All the other kids had lunch before arriving at kindergarten. My son had breakfast and then had to hustle to get there on time. We don't have the option of half day kindergarten, so we're just going to have to get it together. Unfortunately, waking DC up means that every side of the bed just became the wrong one, whereas we have an even up chance if she wakes by herself.

1 comment:

Dolly Iris said...

I remember my mother waking us up early a few weeks before school started to get us used to it. I hated it but I know she meant well, lol.

That is interesting about the fee regarding putting time in at the school. I think its a great idea to get parents involved!