New Beginnings: The First Day of School 2015

With last night being Open House at Crestridge Magnet for International Studies, it feels like the school year has officially started.  Time to share some photos from the first day of school!  Here are Talia, Eli, and Brooklyn posed in front of our own open house.

Can you tell they're excited?  Talia laid out her outfit (and matching nail polish) weeks ahead of time.

They might be a little bit scared, too.

Mostly they're just goofballs.

Brooklyn (5th grade!) is definitely a big kid at the school by all standards.  She's excited because this year she will get to play trumpet, cello, and sing in the choir.  Her class will be one of the last to spend 6th grade at Crestridge since they are switching to K-5.  She likes her Spanish teacher, Señora Cruz, but is most infatuated with the energetic Mr. Wiles and his incentive programs. 

Talia (3rd grade) moved out of the building and into the portables this year.  Both of her teachers, Mrs. Zulkolsky and Señora Jacome, are petite blonds, but Señora Jacome speaks Spanish like a native after teaching for eight years in Ecuador and marrying an Ecuadorian. 

Last but certainly not least, we have our kindergartner Eli.  This little guy was so excited to start school!  He's been counting down ever since kindergarten roundup last spring.  Already a familiar face at Crestridge after tagging along so many times, he's handling school like a pro.  Yesterday Ms. Prisbell, the librarian, told me how she and Ms. Seger, the art teacher, get together and chuckle over lunch at the latest Eli-isms.

Off to catch the bus.  Eli may not have been teary-eyed, but I was!  Okay, at least a little bit.  The rest of me was giggling about how his backpack dangles down to his knees.  Oh, I hope I never forget what it was like when they were little!

Eli was so excited to ride the bus that he never even remembered to turn around and give Mom a hug!  I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.  Besides, I know that Craig, the world's best bus driver, is watching out for his "blond bombers."

While Eli may have insisted on riding the bus on the first day, we went ahead and followed along behind to greet him at the school.  Here's Annika waiting for the bus to arrive.  (Good to at least acknowledge that we have one more child.)

Checking in with their PE teacher, Mr. Satterly.

At last, Eli is united with his kindergarten classroom.  This year his teachers are Ms. Yaro(limek) on the English side and Señora Hofsommer on the Spanish side.  Señora Hofsommer is out on maternity leave for another week, so Eli's gotten to know the substitute Señora Flores as well.  Señora Flores was Brooklyn's third grade teacher, but is now in charge of dual language at Crestridge.

Getting to know his classmates.  Apparently Eli greets nearly everyone with a hug.  (We won't talk about how he did or didn't kiss Natalie on the bus.  Uncle Justin, you may need to have a talk with him about this.)

At the end of the day, I drove back to school to give the crew a ride home and let them know how much we missed them.  Brooklyn and Talia were happy to pose for a picture but Eli had other things in mind.

He was desperate to call cousin Alesia. :)  So to Alesia, Callie, and any other teachers out there, thanks so much for making school special!