june 15, 2010: schools out!

bureaucracy...

It is a good thing school is ending this week because it forced me to finish my school search!  This week I started with an 8am meeting at the local elementary school.  I met with the principal and ESL person.  Both were extremely nice and eager to help.  There is one ESL person available in the town.  Apparently we have 15 English Language Learners here in Newburyport.  Who knew?  She would have some one-on-one sessions and also spend some time in the classroom with her.

The principal seemed to have the notion that the district would want to place her in the age appropriate grade.  I had inquired if it might be sensible to place in the 3rd grade vs. 4th.

Pros of placing in 3rd grade:

- Would be less behind with curriculum, particularly important in reading and writing

- Less stressful

- Big curriculum jump in 4th grade

- The public school puts 3rd grade in Lower Elementary school (k-3); 4th is in Upper Elementary with 5th grade which is also the same building as the middle school :(

Pros for 4th grade:

- age appropriate

- The school thinks this is better from a developmental perspective...

- ?

So, one might say that I was disappointed that she would be placed in 4th grade (probably).  They would like to assess her when she comes in.  This would be an oral examination....so I inquired if a translator would be appropriate.  No.  OK, so asking questions in English to someone who only understands Mandarin doesn't seem like a very illuminating process to me but apparently this is required.  

I ran into my neighbor in the hallway.  She is a 3rd grade teacher and offered to have me sit in on one of her classes and to help Lili when she starts school.  That's one more plus on the third grade side of the ledger!