Maggie's first day of school

Maggie returned to Christ Academy Preschool today. I loved the school after our experience last year, and I think this year is going to be even better. She's in a mixed class with older 3-year-olds and younger 4-year-olds, but they're following the 4yo curriculum, which I think will be more challenging for Maggie. In addition to the school-wide "Letter People" curriculum (basically a letter-of-the-week type system), they're doing a new curriculum called "Starting with Stories." This curriculum is based on a theory by Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard, and is based on children's books that support multiple intelligences.

They will also be doing a show-and-tell every Monday, based on that week's letter of the week. On Fridays, the kids will be sent home with a bag marked with the following week's letter. Over the weekend, parents and kids will work together to find three things that begin with that letter. Monday's circle time will involve the kids sharing what's in their bags -- the three items they found over the weekend. Not only does it give a connection between spelling and letters, but it also gives the kids practice speaking in front of a group. Other days' circle times involve the calendar (learning months, days, etc.) and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. On Fridays, Maggie's class will be joining the preK class for a unit on cooking! They'll also go to once-a-week sessions for music, chapel, and PE.

Here is Maggie being silly this morning after I dropped her off. She was a little clingy, but she knows several of the kids in her class either through church or because they were in her preschool class last year, so she adjusted really quickly.

Here is Maggie with her teacher, Mrs. Dana. Mrs. Dana's daughter was in Maggie's class last year, plus their family goes to our church, so Maggie is already familiar with Mrs. Dana. Her room is right across from Maggie's old classroom, so Maggie gets to see her old teacher too, and that brought a smile to her face.

I won't always walk with her into her classroom--she does better if I drop her off at the door--but I wanted to take her inside on her first day (and also take pictures!). When we entered the school building, Maggie was greeted with big hugs from the director, two assistants, and the PE teacher ... and that's even before she got to her classroom! They asked about her summer, told her they'd missed her, and gave her kisses. I love that it's a small school, and very much like a family. I know she is loved and well taken care of while she's at school -- what more could a mom ask for?