Won't be long, and this little guy won't be sportin' the Visitor sticker anymore -
Soon, my baby will be in school.
Hardly seems possible - but it's true.
In less than five months, both of our kids will be in school.
School.
Ugh.
School.
If you live around here, or perhaps, even if you don't - You might have heard that our school district is in some major turmoil. All school districts need help by way of the budget, at least I would guess they do. Our district just seems to be in it's own unique crisis.
First, there was the quarter million dollar payout to make someone go away -
And now, the proposed schedule changes to the school year.
I won't bore anyone with details nor do I feel like getting into a pissing match about what is right and what is wrong. You can google the situation and find yourself reading hundreds of comments (mostly against) the proposal. I have read far more of these comments than I care to admit. Is there anything that can make a person lose their faith in humanity faster than reading the comments on a public news source?
I honestly don't believe there are any clear winners here.
I am not however, opposed to the proposal on the docket.
Is it ideal, that our kids lose 17 days of schooling if this should pass?
Maybe - Maybe not.
So many of the arguments I've heard though, are about the 'daycare' issue, should this pass.
What will WORKING PARENTS do with their kids on those days?
Our current school day runs from 9:15-3:40.
Can you tell me how that schedule is conducive to working parents? If I were to drop my kids off at school, I'd get to work at 9:45. I'd need to leave no later than 3:15 to make sure I picked them up in time.
The proposal, in my opinion, is not changing things from awesome for working parents, to not awesome for working parents. It's simply altering the inconvenience at our house.
Of course I want my kids to be in school and learning as much as they can (and should be!)
But I also don't want my kids to be in a classroom of 40+ kids either.
Especially, in our very diverse school where many of the kids need extra attention.
And, if I can get a few extra days with my kids instead of having to pack life into the evenings and two days each weekend we currently have, well then, that's just fine with me.
I have lots to say on this issue, but I just can't. I get a headache just thinking about it.
The things you don't know or don't think about when you have kids.
Aye. Aye. Aye.
You take a chance picking their school - do you go to your zoned school or open enroll in one of the many many other options? Do you roll with the changes or do you speak up and take a stand? Do you choose to stay where you are or look for the greener grass on the other side of the fence?
Is it like this everywhere or are we just lucky enough to have landed ourselves in this district?
We are facing a major, major budget crisis.
Our kids' futures are at stake.
I find myself wondering - what else can they put on the chopping block?
Upper exec salaries?
What if we weren't using styrofoam trays every single day in our schools,
how much money would THAT be saving?
Maybe not a million dollars - but I have to think it would be saving something ~
Chances. Changes. Choices.
