Thriday

As I peek through the broken slat in the mini-blind, I see gray and gray-green, which means it may rain. That's usually good news in South Carolina, since we seem to exist in a perpetual drought state. We can't figure out how one can be "below normal" for 20 years, but it works for the education system, why not the weather?

Speaking of education, the public charter school which I helped start and which my son has attended for the past three years was authorized to have 6th grade --- YAY! Unfortunately, the change came late in the year and there aren't enough students interested to have a 6th grade this year. There will be next year, but for now, I have to take care of my son.

First, I have signed up for him to take three days of advanced placement testing. That should help him build stamina for the bar exam. Aside from having to take a week from summer to do this, he isn't worried about the test. He is very bright, relatively relaxed, and confident.

Next, I have to get him transferred from the school to which he is zoned to another school. I am a big supporter of public education and will do everything I can to make sure that all children have an excellent public education that fits their temperament, interest, and learning style. I will not send my child to a middle school in which half the students haven't met the 'basic' level on the statewide test and where the schools answer is uniforms and more accelerated reader. I was wavering, until I got the AAP summer reading list from this school. It asked the kids to read one book from a list of eight. Of the eight, the most challenging was Charlotte's Web, and Mark read that in 3rd grade. This school is not succeeding, & I can't sacrifice my child on the altar of minimally adequate education.

Other than that, we are moving along, doing what we need to do, trying to get ahead. And now, i guess I'd better do what I need to do at work.