Hobos & Little Birds

On a Tuesday
Our daughter was born on december 2nd. 1:59 am. In new york, the cut off date for kindergarten is december 1st... can you believe that?! I don't know where they came up with this date- and there will alaways be a mother saying the same thing somewhere- I know. But our Hazel is ready.

After 2 years of preschool- we hate to send her to a third year of the same thing AGAIN! She started at a smaller school- where the classroom was at least 12 kids. She was a shining star, but there were many kids and with only 2 teachers- we felt that she was getting bored. Especially when there were a few kids who misbehaved on a constant basis or ones who just needed a little more care, when I would come in those specific kids were always with the teachers getting one on one while the more adjusted kids played happily (I might add). So we switched to a school with a smaller classroom kids and size, where they get a fair amount of one on one with teachers and play with kids. However, this year she was in a 4 year class and next year aside from maybe having a different teacher- she'll be learning the same things again. I suppose one can never know the alphabet well enough or their numbers, but we feel she doesn't need to revisit this again. But it isn't just us! My husband's family has 2 K-1 teachers and 1 middle school and they all feel she is ready. As does my own family of day care teachers and college adjuncts!
So we wrote to our elementary principal- we were immediately told their is no evaluation for kindergarten, because is they don't make the birth date there is no question. Um Ok thanks... so after more thought and conversation with family, we realized we are tax payers dammit! We want to explore this and it would be really helpful to our budget if we could free up money for Hazel's school towards bills. (Of course we spared the principal our financial woes)and chose to then write the superintendant. We've heard through the grapevine that the school and the disctrict really have the power to decide. We wrote the email a week ago. We were told that the superintendant would discuss it with the principal. I worry that we have created a scarlet letter situation and now we will forever have BIG RED K's on our chest- but we all have to advocate for our baby bears! So now we are in a waiting game. Honestly, what will be will be and I am all ready(and excited) to try and homeschool her for kindergarten. Between the several teachers and friends we have in education as well as some wonderful online resources, I am looking forward to this if it comes to be.