posted on June 1, 2001 03:43:28 PM new
We just returned home from my 8th grader's last day at the school she's attended for the last 9 years. On to High School (how time flies!).
It was Honor's Day & I was caught quite off guard at all she had accomplished. Math Team, Science Team, Champion Speller in her class (this one I'm STILL not fully believing), VP of the Student Council, Yearbook Layout Editor, National PE award, Honor Roll but the very best was she was named Top Scholar in the graduating class.
This despite being away from school for 5 weeks this year while she showed her horse in Florida.
I just wanted to say I'm proud of her everyday (okay..okay, there ARE a few days I'd give her to the first passing gypsy caravan) but I was especially proud today of how seriously she's taken her studies.
I know there must be LOTS of proud parents out there this week, so come on everyone, share your proud stories.
posted on June 1, 2001 05:10:15 PM new
Wow! Congratulations! You've raised a fine young woman there.
Nick didn't do much in the way of awards this year other than coming in second in the math contest they have. BUT - he completed a full year of fourth grade level math with straight A's. Pretty cool, considering he won't be officially in fourth grade until this fall. All his grades in the third grade classes were A's, too, but I'm damn proud of that math score.
Thank God for the ability of this school to let even the young kids go into a class where they aren't bored.
posted on June 1, 2001 05:54:46 PM new
Congratulations to you, Eventer, Shadowcat, and Kris. That is terrific news!
My daughter has been struggling to keep up since first grade. She was assessed at the beginning of the year with a visual learning disability and was reading at early mid first grade level this year. She is completing second grade now, and we were pretty much resigned to having her repeat it next year. We knew she was improving with private tutoring and school resource help, but at our February conference it was understood that she was still significantly behind and a small miracle would be in order for her to improve to the level where exiting second graders were expected to be for promotion to third grade. Today, at conference with her teacher, we learned that testing last week confirmed that she is EXACTLY at the level expected for second graders to be for promotion to third grade. Not above, but no longer below!! No scholastic honors for her, but I feel as proud, no prouder of her than if she won every award in the school. We are enrolling her in a 5 week summer school session to help prevent "summer loss", and her teacher told us that with the extra summer school help, she may even be reading at 3rd grade level BEFORE the 3rd grade. Her teacher told us that she never expected this kind of improvement, and that she just "took off" between February and now. I've been so stressed over this for the past year, and now I feel like I'm walking on air. I'm so very proud of her!!
I was on a Dean's list in college but I suspect the one your kitten is on is a LOT better than the one I was on! BIG CONGRATS! You must be VERY proud.
twinsoft
Thank you! No DW for her, she'd just spend the entire time riding the carousel. But she gets to spend another week in Florida training. Maybe we can wave at it as we go by.
toke
She (and I) should wish! Her druthers would either be in Canada w/Ian Millar or Germany w/Marcus Beerbaum. She'll have to settle for Florida & I'll settle for a beer.
Antiquary
Now if I could just say the same about my husband.
Kris
Wow! All A's in math...quite the feat! I agree, a school that encourages kids to expand is priceless.
KatyD
I think your news is the best of all. I think sometimes children just have to reach a certain point to "come into their own". Sounds like she reached her point & now everything is possible. I know you are proud, but I can't help thinking how excited she must be and the boost of self confidence this must have given her!
I gave my daughter a book today which is a traditional "graduation" gift for high school seniors but I really wanted to her have it now & read it often. It's Dr. Seuss' "Oh, The Places you Will Go".
If you haven't read it lately & have children, I encourage you to pick it up & reread it.
posted on June 1, 2001 07:16:19 PM newCongrats to all of you who have those "go getters"!
I was jumping up and down for joy not too long ago myself....my "pride and joy" (26) just got his first real job!
For awhile I thought he was going to be a professional student! He changed his major 8 times! I had friends who's youngsters were being handed their Master's and one her PHD while mine was still working on his BS!
I knew I was going to have trouble with him when between kindergarten and 1st grade he told me he had decided he wasn't going to go to school anymore. He was so mater-of-fact about it, and I thought it was "cute". I told him he had no choice in the matter, the law said everyonehad to go until they finished the 12th grade (I figured what he didn't know about that wouldn't hurt him). He asked me: "WHY??? Then went on to inform me: "I know how to write my name and count to 100, what more do I need!?!?!?"
When that book "Everthing I Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten" came out I thought of my bouncing baby boy and his "words of wisdom" to me at age 5! LOL
posted on June 1, 2001 07:19:37 PM new
Congratulations to you all!
No kids here, so nothing to report, but I've enjoyed reading this thread.
KatyD, it's fantastic that your daughter is learning to enjoy reading. My brother had some learning disabilities all centered around math, and though a brilliant talker and reader, struggled with math always. He ended up going to college and getting his degree, and never even applied to get the math requirement waived.
Also, these kids don't do it without good parents, so a pat on the back to you all!
posted on June 1, 2001 07:40:40 PM new
When Hayley was in Kindergarten she came home one day and announced she was quitting school. After all, she knew everything that she needed to know. It seems the other kids were learning how to color and cut out things with scissors. Well, my little darling already knew how to do that - and paste
Pretty cool, considering he won't be officially in fourth grade until this fall. All his grades in the third grade classes were A's, too, but I'm damn proud of that math score. 
BIG CONGRATS! You must be VERY proud.
He changed his major 8 times! I had friends who's youngsters were being handed their Master's and one her PHD while mine was still working on his BS! 