Dearest Harper,
August 10th - Because of the pandemic, this school year began virtually. You meet with your whole class on Zoom for about 30 minutes each day, then your teacher, Mrs Wofford, breaks you into groups of 5 or so to work more one-on-one. Your group meets from 12-1245, which is terribly inconvenient, as it's in the middle of the day, but it is what it is. In between the meetings, you work on math and reading and writing on your own. Well, you're 5 years old, so it's not really ON YOUR OWN, as Mommy and Daddy have to guide you, but you're smart, so it's easy.
(This picture was actually taken about a week or two before school started, when we went to pick up your supplies.)
Mrs Wofford did assessments in the second week of school - numbers 1-20, letters of the alphabet (capital and lowercase, and their sounds) - and you aced it all! Mrs Wofford put her chin in her hands and said, "Well Harper, that's Kindergarten. What do we do with you now?!"
September 21st - The numbers of new infections have been staying low, so things are opening back up, including schools, but on a modified schedule. You go 5 days a week, but the school is split in two - half in the morning, half in the afternoon, to help maintain social distancing. You, of course, are in the afternoon session (insert eye roll here.) Mondays you go from 1125-125, and the rest of the days you go from 1150-220. You still have work to do independently at home, as 2.5 hours definitely isn't enough time for everything.
There are 10 kids in your cohort, and you guys wear your masks unless you're outside. Two kids sit on opposite ends of the little tables, and there is a plexiglass shield between you. Mrs Wofford wipes everything down between classes. You are smart enough to understand the risks of returning to school, and after many talks, we trust you to make the right decisions with your classmates - no physical contact, no sharing, things like that.
We always take you out to lunch to celebrate the first day of school. You were thrilled with your build-your-own ice cream sundae!
You're still doing well in school, but you ARE ahead of everyone else, so you finish faster and get bored and impatient waiting for everyone else. Mrs Wofford has had to talk with you a few times about patience, and now you have extra work to keep you busy.
Although definitely not traditional, so far, this school year is going well. Thank goodness you're an easy going, flexible, adaptable kid.
I love you,
Mommy
