Christmas Activities at School

The guards here are never consistent. There are rules, but the rules aren't always enforced and sometimes they are too enforced, like how Andrew got yelled at yesterday for loitering. Or how it took me a good 10 minutes to get into CAC this morning for Megan's class party.

Rachel and I went to CAC three times this week. The first was to watch Jessica perform in a choir soiree--it was wonderful, if not a little strange to hear them singing about the first snow of winter. We got inside without any problems from the guards. I just told them I was waiting for a student to check me in, Jessica showed up, and we walked through--and got completely stuck in the turnstile with the stroller. Oops.

These pictures don't have anything to do with Jessica's choir concert. They are pictures of the dress she wore to introduce the character Mrs. de Winter to her English class. We didn't watch her present but she loved the dress she borrowed from the theater department and modeled it for us at home.



On Tuesday night we went to watch Emma's puppet show. Before she had even flashed her ID card the guards opened up the big gate for the stroller so that we wouldn't get stuck in the turnstile. No problems there. We went and enjoyed her puppet show. Her class is studying Native Americans right now and they retold the story of Where the Buffalo Begin. Emma has this habit of speeding through everything she has to say but when she was narrating the story she enunciated beautifully. It was a good thing her group presented first because Rachel only barely made it through their presentation before getting too fidgety; after Emma's group was finished we spent most of our time in the story corner reading books.

Introducing the story

Emma's turn narrating

Today was Megan's Christmas Openhouse. Megan would have been absolutely crushed if I didn't make it, and I almost didn't. Today, of all days, the guards at CAC decided to not let me through those gates. Jessica used up her morning break to help me try to convince the guards that I was just the babysitter and wasn't going to blow up the school or kidnap any children. They insisted that she needed permission from the principal to let me onto the schoolgrounds, which is slightly silly considering Megan's teacher knew I was coming in and didn't say anything about needing to obtain permission from the higher powers that be.

The guards had Jessica talk to the Middle School authorities who said that they couldn't give her permission to let me in since I would be visiting a kindergarten class. We then phoned the Elementary authorities who had me explain the problem not once, but twice! Grrrr! While I was in the middle of explaining the problem yet again a mother from Megan's kindergarten class walked by.

"Are you Megan's babysitter?" she asked. "I've heard all about you? Will they not let you in? Sheesh. She's my guest; she's going to my classroom. Let's sign you in, here we go."

Apparently this mother, Ms. Bridget, is an aide in Megan's kindergarten class and lucky for me she showed up just in time to let Jessica get off to class in time!

I'm glad I went because the children each got a pointer to show their 'parent' around the room--showing off all their artwork, offering them treats, introducing them to their friends, etc. It would have been pretty lonely for Megan if I hadn't shown up! She had a great time showing us around. Rachel was so excited to be in her classroom! They have a guinea pig, two budgies, and some fish. They had decorations and projects set up all over--it was like a museum! Megan read all the Christmas poems and songs hung up on the wall and showed me everything she had made and all the stations they have in their classroom.

Eating treats

Opening stockings

We even got to stay for story time in Spanish and English. Rachel sat on Megan's lap for most of that!

Megan, sporting a French ponytail, and Rachel listening to the story

Thanks for letting me come to school with you today!

We had a lot of fun, even if the guards were being anal.

I can't help but wonder, though, if we weren't missing some class party information for Jacob. Emma had to bring in treats for her Arabic class Christmas party and had her puppet show/pizza party and had to bring in presents for homeroom. Jessica had a bunch of things going on with the Middle School Performing Arts Week and had to bring treats for her choral soiree. Megan had to bring treats and presents for her class party. But Jacob had nothing of the sort. Either he's in the most boring class in the whole world or forgot to relay some messages.