First day of School

 That was Tuesday. For Middle and Youngest, anyway.

It was also the first day of 8th grade for Kimo and Kala.

Kala found a sunbeam very conducive to studying Nap Theology 102, while Youngest figured out her first day of HTH virtual school. The school plan that Youngest is on this year allows for her to eventually progress to face-to-face education, when the district determines we are able to. (We were hoping she could start the school year that way, given her educational programming, but she didn't qualify.) Youngest is actually being taught by her classroom teachers, and has a point person to help her in areas when she needs it, so we're hopeful that this is going to work out better than last year's fourth quarter did.

Kimo took a chair next to Middle, and will be doing year-round Permanent Virtual Learning this year. Middle said, upon hearing the warning that there's a pretty steep learning curve for this education format, that perhaps the district should adjust their curve, rather than force the students to adjust. (We secretly agree.) Middle (and Kimo) must complete five lessons each day for a full day's attendance to count, and she's taking a full load of five courses this semester. She's enrolled in this through the school district, so as far as they're concerned, she's still in school through them, but she isn't working with any of the Middle School teachers like Youngest is. She can also work at her own pace and on her own time frame. She just has to get the five lessons completed. Kimo's favorite subject so far is lunch.

Oldest started back to school on August 24th, and I don't have a picture because, well, uniforms. She's attending a career tech school for the fall semester this year (she's in 10th grade now; I'm old), pursuing graphic communication and design. It wasn't her first choice--she wanted cosmetology--but she is a very gifted artist and we think she will do amazingly well. She's excited to be learning about Adobe Photoshop and InDesign and all sorts of other cool tools. She has both a Windows laptop from the career tech school, and her standard Chromebook from our home district. She's in class in person one week, and then works virtually the next week, and her schedule alternates like that.

Special Edition is taking a break this semester from college, with our full support (and that of Mr. Nurse). She and her BFF are going on a road trip so that Special can see some of her extended family and do some sightseeing, and then she and BFF are just going to relax and spend some time together, and she plans to love on BFF's two little girls. They're right around the age of when our three youngest came to live with us, and frankly, I'm a teeny bit jealous.