One Week to Go!

Cape St. Claire Elementary

Exactly one week from today, the doors of Cape St. Claire Elementary will open for 1st through 5th graders for the 2010 - 2011 school year, and our kids will leave behind their lazy summer days and vacations for the business of learning.  It's a big day in the year for everyone, but perhaps the even bigger event that marks the end of summer and the return to school is the "Meet and Greet" at the school on the Thursday before school starts - this Thursday for those of you in denial.  This is the opportunity for kids to learn their class assignments and meet their teachers.  Kindergarteners are the only ones privy to this information before then.

In years past, the class rosters were posted on the doors of the school the Friday afternoon before school started on Monday, and as soon as it went up, the school administration would lock down the school and race for their getaway cars.  Parents would start prowling the school parking lot or doing Blue Ridge drive-bys in the early afternoon, looking for any sign that "The List" had been posted.  Kids rode by on their bikes doing the same.  I don't know who was more eager to find out.  Families who were out of town on the all important day left instructions for a friend to get their assignments.  I have been known to photograph the entire List and e-mail copies of it to anyone desperate for the information.

In recent years, the Meet and Greet has been implemented in order for kids to have a chance to not just learn who their teacher will be, but actually meet them face to face.  It's a better system, but for those who are unable to attend for whatever reason, they will not know what class they are in until Monday morning when they march through the front doors of the school.  It would be a nice improvement if the old List could be published online at the school website once the Meet and Greet is over so everyone has access to the information.

Once the Thursday Meet and Greet is over, students and parents wander off to start preparing for the first Monday morning of many to come.  Any remaining shopping for school supplies, first day outfits, haircuts, backpacks and lunch food has to be done in the next 72 hours.  Bedtimes start to get earlier as kids try to sneak in a last few jars of fireflies or beach outings.  It's hard to let go of summer, but most kids and parents are ready for the structure of a regular routine and find comfort in the day to day rhythm of the school week that lies ahead.

This is the first year that my kids and I will not have to find out elementary class assignments as my youngest starts middle school at Magothy River this fall.  We are all ready to leave behind those years but will miss the comforting cocoon of Cape Elementary.  Both of my kids had six wonderful years there, and I couldn't be happier with their elementary school experience.  It far surpassed what I can recall of my first six years of school.  CSC Elementary is fortunate to attract and retain some of the best teachers in the area, and with the added support of a phenomenal PTO and a slew of great extracurricular activities, this makes for one terrific time for the kids.

For more information about the Meet and Greet, visit the Cape St. Claire Elementary website at:

Cape St. Claire Elementary

For those who will be bus riders, the bus schedules were released today on the Anne Arundel County Public School website:

Anne Arundel Public Schools

Here's to a happy and successful 2010 - 2011 school year for all of our kids, wherever they attend school.  It's an exciting time of year!

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