Time to catch up...

I've been busy..OK. Miss 11 Almost 12 commenced secondary school. I got my dual year and amidst all the hoo-ha have,yet again,managed to encourage other to think outside the square. I'm in a primary setting and secondary setting one day each a week and with two days of classes leaves me with one "free day" a week apart from weekends. This free day is spent on planning and ACP and assessment tasks and essay and research...but it is nice to have my Saturdays back. I was apprehensive of this dual year but now realise that it was not offered to me because it was an ideal scenario but because I was one of the ones would could pull it off for others to follow.

Mr 8 has become Mr 9 with a massive Star Wars Lego for his birthday and Miss 11 will soon be Miss 12. I have learnt who my friends are and who to trust more. The school has lost a principal and a new one appointed, some change is in the wind and some arses will be booted into gear one would hope.

Our lives are changing and we are adapting, I love what I am doing and if it allows 2IC to switch to something more productive later on then that is a good thing for everyone. The campaign for saving VU has moved along nicely but I still am unsure of the intentions of some who want a TAFE...when student and educational diversity is a major issue in the Western suburbs, some want to bow to the western suburbs stereotype of working class, trades people. If we want to move up, we need to move on...get over the A-typical ideal of what the town needs. We want our children to have choice...real choices not something foisted upon them because this of some misguided, misogynistic people who think they represent everyone and know what everyone wants.

I have been remiss...

Christmas and NYE have come and gone and ans we enter into another school year, I am in awe of my kids (AGAIN). Christmas supplied the boys with Lego and Meccano sets and almost the entire school holidays have been taken up with construction of nothing short of engineering genius. Mr 8 got his coveted Star Wars Lego, he has amassed such a collection that I fear annihilation by Jedi fighters if I enter the area formerly known as the main lounge. He enlisted the help of 2IC initially for some of the construction but eventually demonstrated the type of perseverance that is shining through more and more, and completed the ship himself. Since we got some great deep, colourful drawers to store all the Lego in for each of them..he has built and re built, and redesigned ALL the ships in his set, including the not as popular Mars series.
Mr 6 is growing up all too fast, with a wicked sense of humour, contagious laugh and devilish ways...he is becoming a real boys boy. He scares me with the lack of fear he has for all things physical, so unlike Mr 8.
Miss 11 commences secondary school next week and apart for getting books, uniforms and ensuring all and sundry are labelled to within an inch of it life....she is ready but are we?
Now starts the really responsibilities of lockers and uniform code and books and subject variations...how she will cope depends on how we react and act towards the issues that will arise and they will arise. She has already indicated her concerns about having enough time to change books for the next classes or what books to take to each class. This we will take in our stride, one step at a time as we have with all changes in our lives.
Me? I am waiting to hear from the those who weld all power for subject credits to apply my credits to my current area of study, then I await the powers of the PP to allow me a dual year of study in one year. After the 6th we shall know more...