We found out a couple weeks ago which school Arthur is going to next year–Clara Barton Open School. In Minneapolis you can choose which school you want to go to, or at least request it. Some schools are very tough to get into and others, like your neighborhood school, are guaranteed. Unfortunatley our neighborhood school is not so good (I wish is was and hate to think about how some public schools are so bad and others so good).

Anyway, we visited many many schools and labored over our decision. Whichever school Arthur goes to is the one Lewis, Netta and Bailey will, too (siblings get priority enrollement). So it’s a really big deal for our family. In fact, the child of our neighbor got on the waiting list for a couple schools so they’re actually putting their house on the market and moving this summer. I hate to think of it but we may have considered the same had we not gotten into Barton. It’s a lottery system, so it’s total luck of the draw. And for some reason, we drew lucky!

Test score-wise Barton is really high, but it’s the style of education (open education–which don’t entirely understand) that seems like it’d be a good fit for our family. Jessica, a smarter person than I when it comes to child education (MASTERS IN EDUCATION FROM COLUMBIA) was especially impressed with Barton. They group two grades together at time and teach to each kid’s level, not the entire class as a whole. Here’s a little blurb from their website:

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The other especially cool thing about Barton is that it’s Kindergarten through 8th grade–meaning there’s no junior high! Neither Jessica or I have fond memories of our junior high experience so going straight to high school is fine by us. It also means Art will be in school with his sisters for three of four years and with Lewis for six years…Isn’t that wonderful?!

Also, the school is close and entirely bikeable (and the bus picks up a block away). The one drawback to Barton–and something we originally considered a deal breaker–is the 7:30am start time. Ugh. That’s early. It will be a hard transition for two parents who often stay up too late doing pointless stuff (Papa especially). But, as a Barton parent said during our tour in an attempt to dissipate our early-rising-fears, everyone in the family will adjust fine and the kids will be home early in the day with plenty of daylight left for after school activities and playing around the house. But still, 7:30….

One of my favorite things about the school is the building itself. It’s one of those big old school buildings with beautiful wood floors and bright huge banks of windows. In the center of the school is a really big performance space that used to be the courtyard. Band, orchestra, dancing perhaps? I dunno, but it sure is lovely.

Just last week Art and I biked to the school and played on the playground and talked about kindergarten a bit (May 5th is orientation). After a little convincing Art went into the school with me and peered into a kindergarten room (it was after hours). He let our a tiny shriek of excitement and said, “Papa, they don’t have alot of toys in there. Probably cause I will be older.”

Unfortunately, Art’s friend Si won’t be going to the same school:( Art mentioned a few times how he wished he and Si were going to kindergarten together. I know we’ll all be diligent about making sure they still get together and play.

But, Evva is! Yes, Art’s friend since diapers is going to the same school (which will mean we’ll be seeing more of her parents, too, our good friends). I’m especially happy for Art and Evva, who admittedly could likely care less right now about being at the same school. But as Evva’s grandmother once said, “Art and Evva seem to have a special relationship.” And it’s true. They’re constants in eachothers’ lives. Wherever the go, there they are. Art and Evva. At ECFE, preschool, and now, kindergarten and beyond. I feel like it’s a real gift our children are going to Barton, and an extra special gift that Evva and her family will be there, too.

Art and Evva at preschool today.

This just in from arts preschool teacher.
–sent from my handheld device–
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: “Jen Boss”
Date: Apr 20, 2011 10:40 AM
Subject: Art lost his tooth. Everyone is in a dither!!
-Jen

Today was the resumption of a family tradition. Morning bike ride to the May Day Cafe and then a couple hours of lazy play at Powderhorn Park. Amazingly all SIX of us rode bikes to the cafe. Figure that one out… I wish we had gotten a photo. Here’s how: Me on my bike, Art behind on one of those trail-a-bike things (that I just bought off craiglist) and then attached to the trail-a-bike was the bike trailer carrying Netta and Bailey. Then, Jessica on her bike with Lewis squished into the bike seat on her bike rack. I had wondered if it would be possible to form a train of sorts with my bike, the trail-a-bike and the trailer. And it actually works really well and will prove to be a useful way to all bike somewhere as a family.

Anyway, Powderhorn is such a lovely park and the people are often so friendly. I brought a tiny piece of bread to feed the fish and we quickly ran out (as Lewis often throws HUGE chunks or ALL chunks at one time). There was a couple feeding the ducks and they offered Art and Lew a slice of bread (I watched from a distance). When Art ran out he went back over and asked he could have another. After they gave him one he gave me this shy sort of amazed look of, “Papa, can you actually believe it, these nice people just gave another piece of bread for the ducks!” Eventually they even started pre-shredding the bread for Lewis and putting it in a little pile on the pier. Sorta feeding Lewis to feed the ducks.

We stopped by Bubbe's house on a bike ride today (she's doing alot better with more energy–just regular old Bubbe except tethered). After we left her house Art said, "Papa, I remember when I was little I used to go on walks with Bubbe and look for flowers."

Yesterday Art was invited to a birthday party at Chucky Cheese for his friend Benji. Si, Art’s very best friend, also went and his papa Jeff kindly offered to take the two of them. Art had never been to the place and, when he saw Jessica and I, enthusiastically tried to explain all sorts of unexplainable stuff. Something about roller coaster that’s not really roller coaster. It’s just a TV. If your turning you go Ahhhh! And something with a propeller that you sit in an goes to the ceiling. Art often talks more when his body than his mouth, using every appendage to make clear what he’s talking about. It actually really fun to listen to him try to describe something he doesn’t quite have the words for.

Here are two hilarious photos Jeff sent me from the day.

Si, left, and Art.

Arthur and Lewis have never been to a movie theater. They’ve lived sheltered and simple lives of theatrical deprivation. So today, on a whim, I made up for the glaring deficit in one fell swoop, by taking them to see a show in 3-D(!) on the enormous IMAX theater at the zoo. We watched ‘Born to be Wild‘, a beautiful 45-minute film about orphaned orangutans and elephants. It was really spectacular. A few times I’d notice the kids reaching forward trying to grab an elephant’s trunk or something. The footage was just incredible, flying airplanes over mountains, wrestling with a baby elephant in beautiful afternoon light, all with Morgan Freeman’s deep soothing voice. Art and Lew barely moved. As Jess and I like to say, they were on ‘record’ mode, just soaking it all in.

After the movie we walked through the zoo’s tropical area.