Back-To-School

I took a day of vacation today. Guess what? It was important, but it wasn't vacation. It was filled with volunteering for the school PTA. I happily do so, but I also am craving some time away on a beach with a book or two and no obligations. I am guessing that won't happen now that school is starting on Thursday.

I eerily had almost no new email messages when I had to take an unexpected day off to take care of an ill child on Friday. I haven't checked my work email today. Once school starts my average emails rise from 20 per day to 100+ per day and I keep my inbox virtually empty. I am wondering how many new rather important messages I will have when I login tomorrow, but for today, I enjoyed time with my son.

I walked into the school this morning, dropped my son off in a kindergarten classroom for Kindergarten JumpStart. The friendly teachers of @JSAMagnet greeted us and we made connections between brother and sister and I disappeared to do things that a PTA mom does like man a registration table. Then kindergarten parents were ushered to a different part of the building and were given a tour, told the importance of letting kids be independent, and the critical nature of sleep. I went to see if there was anything I hadn't heard before (after 15 years in education, I am pretty versed in education-ease, so nothing super surprising).

My son was excited to see me, nearly two hours later, and he came out smiling. He found his picture of Ms. Bindergarten and came running toward me. He was not at all unhappy to be there, but he wasn't at all unhappy to leave either.

We did some errands, ate lunch, and he said he wanted to pick up his sister. So we did. Then we packed backpacks up for Back-to-School night. I didn't have all the supplies, but they are communal supplies anyways - so when it is February and they run out, I'll send some.

So at about 2:30 this afternoon, we headed back to school. Armed with a Microsoft Surface tablet and an iPAD, my grandiose idea of having prospective PTAers fill out an online form was partially great and partially a fail - because technology is great - when it works, but with WiFi not working and the HotSpot not picking up more than 2 bars, the ability to complete the online form was not super powerful within the school. (Even the IT expert [husband] could only troubleshoot that it was a connection issue).

From 2:30 to 4:30, I sat at the PTA table. I tried to have people fill out the online form and it worked about 10 percent of the time. Many people opted to just leave their emails with the paper form and it is hopeful that they will go ahead and fill out the online form anyways.

At 4:30, I found my way to the kindergarten classroom and second grade classroom. I introduced myself to the teachers, caught up with other parents and grandparents that I knew from the community and spent time chatting with another mom that have children in daycare with my two and who will be riding the same bus.

By the end of the day though, I am tired. I am ready to wind down and I still had to do bedtime. But we got it all in and I don't think any tears were shed.