11:05 herald the half day kindergarteners release to their waiting parents. More parents wait for the little ones this year than years past. The half day is free but for the little ones to go full day either you have to be on free lunch or pay a fee.
90 dollars a month for those on reduced and 300 for regular students. The federal government has deemed kindergarten only is needed for half day. Working parents have to pay 300 dollars on top of the 80-170 dollars a week of child care for after school. Even a dollar or 2 over income guidelines finds yourself spending so much that you would be making less than the free lunch students parents. Education is a right. Guilty feelings over whelm me for short changing the extra reading and math work shops available to the other kids. This January I am trying to juggle bills to fit in the first months fee plus 70 dollars because they count how many school days are left in the year and it must be paid up front. Personally I will miss our time together, yet I know his handwriting and small motor skills will improve without fighting with momma over doing the work. His reading rocks and he loves it, excels. Yet a simple thing like holding a pencil or using scissors causes melt downs. With him there all day we may be able to get the district to place him in occupational therapy. According to the teacher it is a hard program to get into. It is over loaded, and time is limited. It will be worth the fight.
That 11:05 dismissal brought my little angel out with a small paper bag. Open it now! Don't you want to wait for Christmas? No, I want it on the tree now. I knew what it was since his big sister had the same teacher 2 years ago. Opening the primitively marked bag I found his bright red Christmas ornament. A small white hand print cupping the bottom with the long finger prints decorated with brightly colored hats and scarves. His sisters was controlled and deliberate but there is so much beauty in the chaos in my little man's because I know how much frustration and effort went into its creation.