New Schools

AJR started high school this year - who would have thought that he would ever be this old!



MLR's school closed down last year as part of the reform of public education in the ACT! So she too started a new school this year.

AJR graduated from Primary School

Whew it has been a long and exciting year for AJR. Last year of primary, and a graduation to finish it off. In the morning there was a ceremony celebrating all the achievements of the kids in year six.

A CD presentation where each child talked about what they thought about coming to school in Kindy (mum is scared, I am excited/scared) and what they thought about when returning to school in year six (good to be the leaders, good to catch up with friends, only one kid admitted to hating having to come back). After the ceremony we were all invited into the year six area, for morning tea. One of the special things that happened was that Debbie their teacher in Kindy and her first year of teaching was back to see them graduate, we all thought it was fantastic to have her come to say goodbye.

Here are Debbie, Clem, AJR and Isa with their graduation bears.

There was a lot of talk about what everyone was wearing to the graduation (mostly by the girls) and AJR thought that they were over the top in what they wanted to wear and how much it was going to cost. The day before the graduation he decided that he had to have something new after all - luckily the shops were opening late for the pre-Christmas rush and so we were able to find a nice white shirt and black slacks!!! I am sure he will wear them again sometime.


ready, steady, go!!!




Party time

MLR's concert

Wednesday night was Gala night for MLR's school as they finally ran the school concert. It was supposed to happen in the last week of second term, however too many people were sick and it was postponed until now. There are a lot of "gala events" this year at MLR's school as it closes at the end of this year as part of the ACT government education rationale and the 2020 vision.

JSR is now the Master!

Congratulations J, on achieving a wonderful outcome, completion of a masters is a great thing, I admire your determination, tenacity and perserverance.

Not only does J have a masters in IT, but he has an mcsd, mcad, mcp and a mcts!

I am looking forward to next May, which will see us both in Wagga for the graduation celebration.

Love you,
Mondo.

July already

Caught up with TSS this morning and visited Vinnies, where I purchased a small present for my mum's birthday next month. We then adjourned to the Savanah Restaurant, recently reopened in the restaurant strip outside the Hyperdome. Here I had a lovely breakfast, with poached eggs, tomatoes, bacon on sour dough with hollondaise sauce, with a plunger of Cleopatra champagne tea.

Photo courtesy of TSS

While waiting for the food I got to colour in my own place mat, fortunately for me, the food was better than the art. Savanah was a restaurant we regularly had lunch at for work, as well as the four of us as a family on the weekends. It was hard when it closed for renovations, as it was a great place for groups and families, without being a chain food stop. We also thought that with all the renovations, it may never come back, so it was with great delight that I found it open this morning. On weekend's they serve breakfast until 12.30pm, so that has to be a bonus. We meandered back into the Hyperdome and then I went off home, leaving TSS to shop (something she has not done for a month, so she was pretty keen).

At home I took a call from the school, the Principal of Monash Primary was on the phone to explain the process for next week. See here for the background. AJR will be bussed to and from Erindale College and will have access to a great computer lab, but no canteen. They have their own area to use for recess and lunch and have a section of classrooms. College finishes at the end of Monday, so they will only have to share the College for one day. The Principal indicated that they would be doing school work over the next week, for which I am grateful. I really object to the number of video's and cleaning jobs they usually get at the end of semester. The Principal also seemed to suggest that the repairs might take longer than three weeks!!!! Watch this spot.

I used my new convection microwave oven this afternoon, AJR made a chocolate brownie slice and Mondo an apricot slice. I will post more on Aunty A.

Mondo

Where to send ARJ to school

In the ACT all the high schools go from year 7-10 and then you go to college for years 11-12. Each school has a speciality or focus and so kids often go to an "out of area" school. Here is the story of our exploration of the high schools in the ACT.

This last three weeks we have been looking at High Schools for AJR - can he really be that old? Apparently yes. We started with Mackillop Catholic College, which was in favour with AJR as his best friend was going there. I went to the information night (along with lots of other parents I knew) and did not see anything that made me want to send him there more than anywhere else. Apparently AJR's best friends parents had the same thought and now the friend is going to Wanniassa High, and AJR too if he can persuade me. I am not keen. Next I dragged AJR to Lyneham High, this school was recommended to us by Uncle Paulie and another teacher, however in the end I think it is too far from home. Next we all went Alfred Deakin High. We all ended up here because JSR had left work too late and had to go straight to the school. The tour was well organised and the school seems to have a lot to offer. It is closer to home than Lyneham and is well resourced for all levels of student. Last week we went to Melrose High, which is near where we used to live in Pearce. MLR went to LR's for the evening. We were impressed with this school, and we would be happy to have AJR there. As we went to leave Melrose, we discovered that we had locked ourselves into the neighbouring school carpark. So we taxied home and then I went to collect MLR, at nearly 10pm. Our last visit is to Wanniassa High on Wednesday night and we hope to have no new adventures. Wanniassa is the school that AJR has automatic entry to, as Monash is a feeder school for Wanniassa. We have decided to rank the schools, Alfred Deakin, then Melrose then Wanniassa. Hope you found all this illuminating!!! I found it tiring, but interesting.

Captain

Well my son, who is highly intelligent and articulate and "always right" as all 11 year olds are, announced yesterday that he was captain of his house, Gudgenby!!! This is the guy who hates all team sports, whinges when swimming carnival is on and will avoid any sort of sporting interaction at almost every turn. Not only is he captain, but he caused his house to win an extra 200 points yesterday at the swimming carninal, by getting the team chant going and supporting the racers!!! Well done AJR.

Champion

MLR has started her school year well, she got a reading award, a good behaviour award and came second in her swimming race - first time she has ever placed in any race!!!

Well Done MLR