First Day of School 2011-2012: Westfield Elementary

The Westfield Wolves

Alpine, Utah

The first day of school for 1st-6th graders was August 23.  The night before we went to Back to School night where we found the class lists that had been posted on the front glass door.  Trey was in Mr. Jolley's 6th grade class.  Josh and Matt were in separate 4th grade classes.  They had been in different classes since kindergarten and it's worked well for them.  Josh got Mrs. Parker and Matt has Mrs. Fjeldsted.  When Matt found out that Mrs. Fjeldsted was the former P.E. teacher and his quote of the night was, "Well, I hope she likes reading and not just football."  Football is quite the thing around here.  The girls are in the same class.  The only option was afternoon kindergarten and they are on the late track with Mrs. Eldredge.  They start at 12:38 pm, which seemed a bit unusual.  Until I learned that every Monday is an early out day and they start at 12:08 then, unless it's a minimal day (4 times a year) then they start at 11:45 am.  It was no surprise when I showed up last Monday at the regular 12:30 drop off time and wondered why the gate was closed.  I was because we were 30 minutes late.  I seriously can't keep it all straight!!  

We met the teachers the night before and got a supply list.  Trey's teacher said he needed a few items the next day.  We made a quick trip to Salem for our last summer hurrah (and just because we can!) and I made a late night run to Wal-mart when Rich got finished with call.  Seemed like old times running around Wal-mart in the middle of the night.  Glad another lady in my ward was there too and she still had her PTA t-shirt on from Back to School night.  I wasn't the only one.

On the first day of school the boys were up and ready early.  I decided since they are on the late track (9:15 am start instead of the 8 am choice) that I would read scriptures with the kids before they got on the bus.  We started on the first page of the Book of Mormon and are slowing plugging along.  It's been a great addition to my day, since they always read scriptures with Rich at night before they go to bed.  

The bus stop is directly on the side of our house on the corner of Ridge Dr. and Ponderosa.  Trey's good friend Dylan is also on the late track and rides the bus, which was a huge bonus for him.  The girls looked longingly out the window wishing they could go to school with them.  Kindergarten didn't start until the next Tuesday.  They had an assessment with their teacher on Thursday afternoon so they were excited about that.

The boys came home from school bursting with excitement.  They loved the school.  They really liked their teachers and classmates and they couldn't get over that no one on the bus 'cussed' and that the kids that play football at recess were nice!  They are still getting used to the idea that a lot of people around here are LDS.  Josh had a few funny stories.  He and Matt were waiting in line to enter the school after they got off the bus and started talking with the technology teacher.  She asked them if they were new and where they had moved from.  Josh said Cincinnati and she said she was from Lexington, Kentucky.  He quickly told her he had lived there and she then asked him if he was Mormon.  Josh was so shocked that she would ask that!  Then later in class the teacher asked Josh if he had met anyone yet and one class member shout out, 'he's in my primary class.'  Again, he was so surprised that they would talk about our church in school.   It was cute to see how puzzling it was to him that so many kids in the school are LDS too.  It's just never been like that ever before.

The girls finally went to school on August 30.  There is not a bus stop in front of our house at that time, so I drive them to school and then they ride the bus home with their brothers.  They are such social little things.  They love everything about school and come home with so much to share.  They have their new little friends and love being together since they were in different preschool classes last year.  Mrs. Eldredge is not a really friendly, warm woman, but is fair and strict and it's probably exactly what the girls need.  They have enough fun all on their own.  It's time for some serious learning and I can already see the progress they have made.

Zach loves watching the bus come to pick up the boys and enjoys dropping off the girls everyday.  He and I have a few hours just the two of us, which has been really nice.  Last year he just napped during preschool, but this year we run our errands together and he helps me around the house.  His favorite hang out is Target because he's all about the hot dogs.  He even eats them straight out of the package cold while we are shopping in Wal-mart.  Yummy.  Give that boy a hot dog and he'll love you forever.

I am so excited that the boys will be able to take an advance placement test in November and hopefully get into some accelerated programs.  Lexington was so wonderful about that and it broke my heart last year to lose what we had gained because the school in Cincinnati didn't offer anything like that.  

I have been so impressed with the school and teachers.  I got a first hand glimpse when I went into and taught at Museum on the Move (MOM art) class to Josh's class.  It was so fun to be in their with him and see all the students.  They seemed like really great kids.  I also am glad that not that many parents signed up so I can teach 3 lessons to Josh's class and one to Matt's.

Finding the right area and school was our biggest concern moving.  It had to be the right fit for the kids.  We knew we needed to be in a place where the kids could have outstanding friends and I really think this will be a great place for them to grow up and go to high school.  That decision alone was the one I struggled with the most, and yet now, I feel happy and content that we've found a spot to put down roots and stay.  A true answer to our endless prayers.