Visit....

We went by Ben's new school yesterday afternoon because they wanted him to meet his homeroom teacher and give us some things he would need.

I was excited before, but after this visit,  I am even MORE excited for him and 100% sure we made the right choice.

His teacher, Mr. B.,  looks like he's about 15... so Ben was immediately very comfortable.  LOL. He's really nice and was so welcoming. Showed Ben all around the classroom. He already has a desk with his name on it! Ben was really excited to see that it was next to a kid he already knows from basketball and two desks down from the the kid from his class who switched to this school at the beginning of the year.

His other teacher, Mrs. W, popped her head in too. He'll have two other teachers in addition because each classroom has two teachers.  Life-changing, I tell you.

They gave him a new agenda and a homework folder and explained the binder system they use. The entire operation seems set up to help kids like Ben succeed. After they showed me the binder organization and the checklists they put on the kids' desks,  and mentioned "organization workshop" the kids can go to in the morning before class, they asked if I had any concerns about them making the accommodations Ben is supposed to get at JES through his 504-Plan. I laughed. I've been doing my best to keep my criticisms of JES's fifth grade to a minimum;  but in this instance, I had to be honest.... basically, Ummm... NO.... he'll be getting more NATURAL accommodations (as in, they just DO these things for everyone) here than he is getting with a legal document in place at his old school.  (his teachers are basically ignoring it this year)  The class size alone is going to make a huge difference for him. I counted the desks in his homeroom and there are 19, which is fantastic! But some of his actual classes will be even smaller than that... the day he shadowed, the math class he saw had six kids in it!

They said the kids in the class are SO excited he is coming and I think that made him feel great. They said they've had a lot of shadow visitors lately and the kids are thrilled one is joining them! I think he'll feel very welcomed on Monday.  There is also another new student starting Monday too, so he won't be entirely alone in his newness! It's a fourth grader... which makes me suspect some other parents had the same reaction to American Education week that we did.  Now I super curious if we know him! LOL.

When we got home, his uniforms had arrived. Perfect timing to keep him excited!  We unpacked everything and hung it up. I have to admit, I am giddy about the uniform. Oddly, he is too, which surprised me because he generally shuns the golf shirt and khaki pants look. My life is about to be 1,000 times easier in the mornings with him. He is ridiculously picky about clothes and which shirts he'll wear.... this will end those arguments! Not to mention, the uniform is adorable and he looks SO cheek-pinchingly handsome. :)  (picture to come! ;)  )

I'm not usually one to embrace change so wholeheartedly, but I think this is a good one. A REALLY good one.  :)