Back to school it that what the title of this blog post says? Isn’t it almost Christmas? What the heck Anjahni? Yes yes yes. The ten week strike that ended at the end of October took almost everything out of me. With my commitment to the bargaining committee, running a hardship fund for those on the picket lines, being on the strike line myself as well as being a steward; all these things took everything out of me for ten long weeks. I’m still recovering. I’ve been thinking about when I would have the energy to get back to the blog and document some of the milestones of my two small gems. This morning at 5:15 AM I woke up, inspired at last to get to writting. So yes, back to school is this blog post, written in December.
This August Havana and Amara started 8th and 10th grads respectively. Let's start with Ms Havana as she had a quite a big change. Havana started school at a new school, The Canyon School. We pulled her out of Montessori family after six grade and put it into a public school for seventh grade. For a multitude of reasons, it just wasn’t a great fit. Teachers left early in the year and never came back, the kids were not kind and a little too grown up for Havana, who operates from a different place. She started telling us at the end of the last school year that she was refused to return to Steward but we had no choice at that time to let her know she would have to return to the same. school. But at the same time, we put it out to the universe to please find a place for Havana to go to school, if it was for her highest and best good.
And apparently it was
Two weeks before the start of the school year, I happen to be in front of my computer late one evening, and this email popped up, saying that there was openings at The Canyon School. The Canyon School as a public Montessori/Waldorf style school in Canyon California. It sits in the redwood forest just outside of Moraga. I has put Amara on Caynon's waitlist when she was four years old. It was not meant to be for Amara but when I saw that they had an opening for 8th grade, I couldn’t believe it. Canyon is a very coveted school, with only 75 children, with mixed age classrooms. I immediately sent an email to the school and long story short, two weeks later, Havana was starting school in this precious little school house in the redwood forest. I personally felt so relieved that she was going to be able to finish up her middle school years in a Montessori type setting. I always loved Montessori family school and was sad when we had to leave when Havana finished upper elementary. Returning to a Montessori inspired school felt like the universe supporting Havana in a place where she learns well as well as having closure to finish her last year before high school in this academic environment.
The school, because it is public, adheres to much different standards than the private sector. So we are seeing improvements in area of math and other areas. She did learn a lot in her previous Montessori environment, but math was always lacking and she needed support in other areas as well. Havana could definitely apply herself a little bit more in school and that would help her but this new environment has given the academic structure and lessons to allow her to really move forward.
While the academics have been up to par, I know that the social environment is equally or more important at this age. Havana’s 6/7/8 classroom has allowed for a bigger pool of friends. The school just happens to be a little bit bigger. There’s eight kids in her grade and 26 total in the class, Havana has found a little group of people and she has told me she feels much more comfortable with the type of students that attend Canyon. She told me “they have hippie moms too.” When I asked questions around what that meant, she told me that the other kids seem down to earth and more approachable. She’s gone out on multiple social outings with her friends after school on weekends and even felt comfortable to have her first sleepover ever. Havana has always done things when she’s ready and apparently this year she was ready to do have a sleepover and having the right school environment with friends that were more aligned with her supported that. We hope that the rest of the year goes smoothly for Havana and that she is well prepared for high school come next fall.
Amara, has started 10th grade, which I can't wrap my head around. She started school with a bang, joining what seems a million clubs and signing up for two art classes, making her schedule quite full. She decided to try out tennis this fall and continues to fill her social circle. She’s learning who her friends are and who aren’t. As Amara comes more into herself, she’s learning more of what she appreciates in others and who she enjoys spending her time with. She is still finding her way with who her peeps are at Bentley but a few girls have remained in her inner-circle and she remains close to her two pals from MFS. Amara is a social person so having a balance between school and social activities is important for her. Even with sports, being on a team, those things nourish Amara.
For Don and I the new year has been an adjustment. Getting Havana to her new school and Amara to her school has been quite the challenge. Tons of driving and with the price of gas over five dollars a gallon, well it’s been hitting us financially as well. I don’t think the kids are able to quite appreciate the sacrifices we are making. I’m seeing that teenagers are very much all about themselves but we do get the occasional thank you and the fact that they are doing well in their respective schools shows, and have healthy social lives, makes it worth it.
As we get close to Christmas and the first here half of the school year coming to close, both girls are very excited about trips in 2023. Amara was selected to go to England in March to study Shakespeare. To say she is excited is an understatement. She’s preparing to do some work over the winter break to help support her trip.
Havana's school sends the 8th years to Costa Rica for 10 days each May. The cost is covered by the school but we do have to prepare her mentally and emotionally to travel so far from home for that long. She’s not quite there yet but she’s getting there. I think the fact that she’s been to Costa Rica and she feels so comfortable with her school will support her and making a decision to go.
So there it is, the back to school blog post completed in December. I trust that the girls will both have great rest of the school year. And next year Havana goes to high school and Amara will be a junior. I just can’t believe how fast they’ve been growing, how fast the years go by.
So here’s to the 2022-2023 school year, a little late
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