Six Weeks

There are 6 six-week periods that make up the school year for my kids.  At the ends of each 6 weeks there is a little awards ceremony.  Grades K & 1 don't receive letter grades but kids can get awards for attendance, being on time ("Never Later Gator"), for working extra hard in class, or for one of the "character counts" awards.  Grace and Andre are absolutely sick to their stomachs if they are ever late or have to miss a day of school.  So, they have always had awards.  They have also been chosen through out the year for their good character qualities, hard work, and in Grace's case, her grades.  She has always at least received "All 'A' Honor Roll" or often the coveted "Principal's Award" which is reserved for children with grades above 95% in all subjects (not average, but ALL).  I make it to these assemblies, always at 7:30am on Friday mornings, but am usually somewhat disheveled with the babes and don't have a camera--so I just snap a few terrible shots on my phone so the kids know I see them and am proud of them.

The week I pulled Addie out of school there was just such an assembly. And I actually did bring a camera.  I was worried about how Addie might feel coming to the school with me, but she was happy as can be.  We had already missed the second grade portion and she had  been the only one in her class to receive Principal's Award.  The Principal, whom I really love, saved the certificate for her and gave it to her in the office along with a big hug, a congratulations, and a few tears that Addie was no longer attending the school.  Sweet, right?   Addie was very happy and her role as sole big-sister in the house for the majority of the day with some responsibilities for caring for the babies has really given her a lot of confidence.

Andre received the award from his class for being Trustworthy.  I think he could have won the character counts every time--but they gotta let other kids have a turn, right?

 Grace received the Principal's Award.  Ms. Blaha is the teacher handing her the award.  Grace ADORES her teacher.  She is truly wonderful and loved by all of the kids.  Next year will be difficult even if she has a great teacher because there just doesn't seem to be many Ms. Blaha's around (oh, and I thought the kids were joking when they first told me her name is pronounced "Blah-Hah". But it is.

I know this sounds like a lot of bragging, but I am so proud of my children and the effort they make in school to always do their very best work, to be obedient, and for being good friends to the children around them.  And even though they may sometimes save their best behavior for school and then have to let loose to back talk a bit or fight with their siblings at home, they really do love each other!