No More Open Houses

Tonight, thankfully, was our last back to school open house. We faithfully attend these every year, it gives Larry and I a chance to get a good look at our kids' teachers.

But, they are a royal pain.

Understandably they are held at the beginning of the school year. Unfortunately they usually conflict with at least one child's practice schedule.

Max and Rebecca's went without a hitch. Larry did the open house (It is a rare opportunity for him to meet the teachers) and I shuttled Jake home from practice and took Max off to his and dropped off Nate at football. Larry after the open house was able to swing by the football practice field and collect Nate at the end of practice which matched up nicely with the end of the open house.

Nate's Open House was a scheduling nightmare. Max had a 6 pm doctor's appt. Jake had his first game with a special post game parent coach meeting and Nate had Football. We ended up getting Meryl to take Max up to Richmond for his appointment. Somehow we made the rest work although I was a bit late for Jake.

Tonight I went to the middle school open house. Again the timing was tight. I had to collect Jake from his soccer game, drive him home so he could have dinner and then drive right back to the school. Of course the team bus was late, so I was late for school. Luckily all I missed out on was Jake's gym teacher, the rest of the teachers I did get to see. I think they are all very good, but I was appualed by the overcrowding. Jake is in straight honor's classes and yet he is in the largest classes, 33 per class to be exact. I live in a fincially coservative/tax phobic county, but this is ridiculous. How can kids learn in such a crowded envirnment?

I think my county needs a kick in the pants about te school situation.

I've been saying for years we need a minimum of three more elementary schools (5 would be ideal) and now I must add a bunch of middle schools are needed as well.

Maybe we need the county board of education and budget to sit in on an open house or two. Either way I'm just glad we're done with it until next year.