My husband and I are meeting with the principal in the morning about classroom placement. I asked my husband tonight if there was anything else he wanted to talk to him about, and he couldn't think of anything.

If you talked to your principal prior to registration, what where the things you talked about? There are a million questions I want to ask him, things like buses and first days and all that, but I am sure these are not things he can answer at this point.

Dawn

Mom to Samantha, Jeremy, Paige and Christian

Born 12/12/03 @ 31w 2d



http://lovinglifewithquads.blogspot.com

Good Luck with the meeting. I think the most important issue is the classroom placement - will they be in the same class or will they be spilt. Some schools have a 'policy' in place so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say - hope it goes well!

BGB - Born December 2000

We went in prepared for resistance, but not looking for a fight. I had heard that he likes to separate multiples. But we have the benefit of having an older child so I had an idea about multiples in the school and how the first day goes, etc. I browsed the family directory and determined that 1/2 the twins were separated and 1/2 were together- and gender mix had no bearing. So I was encouraged.

You'll probably get a better feel for busses, 1st day from neighoborhood parents. But I learned more of that logistical stuff when my oldest went to K through the parent orientation meeting they do in April.

We were pleasantly surprised when we met with our principal. He came right out and said "you know your children best- we don't know them". So, he said they will have more to say about placement after a year of K, but he feels we'll be having an annual discussion, with input from the teachers. He also said that he didn't think I'd ever split them into 4 classrooms- for my sanity. We are his first quads, but not the first triplets...and there a bunch of twins.

Ask about how the teachers coordinate their units. You may have decided that you want them all together this year. But you'll want to know if they "team teach" or if they do a lot of the same things at the same time. While doing 4 animal reports at once is a challenge, it's better than doing 2, then 2 weeks later 2 more, then the paper comes home for another. This will have some bearing on how you think about future placement. Heck, I'm already thinking about how our girls will be divided next year.

Your principal may put you off on some of your logistics and general questions until then. Since you talked in other posts about your own separation anxiety , you might ask about volunteer opportunities. You don't have to mention your nervousness about letting them go. I only give each of our 3 classrooms 1 AM per month. When I'm lucky enough to get to do more than photocopy for the teacher, I really enjoy being in the classroom. My girls are quite independent, but still love the hug and to see me there. It was really fun (and enlightening) when I quizzed kids on their sight words and other learning targets. You get to know their classmates and the teacher a bit better.

Good luck with your meeting. I'd love to hear how it goes.

MonsterMom6
10 year old ^b^ b twins @ 30w5d (1 survivor) and
8 year old gggg quads @ 32w0d

there should be a kindergarten meeting later this year to cover that. they go over rules for the school, the teachers talk about the classes/curriculum, reasons for the prang paint vs. crayola (cheaper), bus rules, healthy lunches and the hot lunch program etc.

The thing you need to be prepared for, google search this, is about keeping or separating your kids. whatever you choose is what you should get. they are your kids and you know them best.


Karen

Mom to 5 Beauties
Allison,12,Grace,8
Margaret, Melissa, Michelle (6/20/02--34weeks 1day)

Showing other MOMS how to stay home, BE HEALTHIER and earn extra income!
www.ImagineBALANCE.com/TakeChargeNow

So we met with him this morning and it went well. This school has never had anything more than twins and in his 30 years in various school systems, he has never had any thing other than twins. No triplet, quads, nothing.

With that being said, I liked him, until he told me he wanted to seperate them 2 and 2. Dan and I have talked about this at length and we decided together that we wanted them to stay together for kinder, and then re-evaluate for 1st grade. Well, after listening to the pincipal Dan wants to split them 2 and 2. He has given me his reasons, and they are sound. He has also told me who he thinks should be together, and I agree with him, IF we have to split them. HOWEVER, I don't want them split. I am not sure why I feel this way, it actually makes me want to cry to think that they will be doing things apart from each other. I also feel that I am being unreasonable and that there is no reason they can't do great 2 and 2.

Is this my own issue? How do I get through this? I am excited for them to go to school and grow and learn, ad I have mentioned this before, but I know I am going to have trouble letting go. I think this is part of why I want them to stay together. Anyone have any advice about this? What do I do for myself to be prepared for them going to school? I have been concentrating on getting them ready and I think it hit me today, that I am not ready for this. Oi!

Thanks for listening. I think I am rambling today!

Dawn

Mom to Samantha, Jeremy, Paige and Christian

Born 12/12/03 @ 31w 2d



http://lovinglifewithquads.blogspot.com

I think my response to the principal wanting to split them 2-2 would be to ask how he proposes to decide who will be where. If you really wanted to get his goat maybe even suggest that they change classes each quarter so they can all have a chance to be together at some point. Of course, that might make more of a fight I guess. It wouldn't hurt to ask him why he thinks the split would be best though. He might see that as you being willing to at least think about his idea, even if you still want to keep them together at least you will know a bit more about how the principal thinks.

My triplets will start kindy in the fall so I am right there with you on the whole letting go. I am hoping to keep them together the first year since they will be going from 3 hours three times a week to 8 hours 5 times a week including close to a hour(round trip) on the bus.

Andi
g/b/g
triplets
born Aug. 2003

His reasoning is simply that he thinks 4 kids from the same family in the same class will be too much on the teacher. Dan and I have talked about it, and we have decided to split them 2 and 2. The principal has said that he will let us decide who is together, and that is good because his thoughts on who should be together is so WRONG!!!

Also, I thought that if putting them all together doesn't go well and it is a battle for the teacher, then he is not going to listen to me at all for first grade. He has already told me that they prefer to split twins up in the first grade, and that is what they would want to do with our 4. That is so not going to happen. I don't want them completely split for a while and I want to have some room to fight with him over this.

Dawn

Mom to Samantha, Jeremy, Paige and Christian

Born 12/12/03 @ 31w 2d



http://lovinglifewithquads.blogspot.com

Not sure what state you are in, but in PA they past a law this past summer that gives the parents the right to participate in and be part of the final decision making on placements of multiples.

My triplets are in KD this year in the same class. It is the best situation. They have 5 KD classes in our school. None of them do the same work at the same time. My kids have their own friends, are not assigned to the same groups in the classroom and are doing great together.

With that being said once they hit 1st grade they seperate in our school by ability. If I want to do my kids justice I am going to have to seperate them. I have one that is way above kd, one that is doing really great, and one that is just not keeping up with her siblings but is doing fine overall in KD.

Chrsisy

I would suggest not deciding what should happen in first grade before your kids have even started to kinder. Things change, and the dynamics change. Your kids may have differing educational strengths and weaknesses which aren't best served by being together. My kids are all straight A students, but one is in gifted and talented. He over shadows his siblings, and can't help it. Being in the same class would be detrimental to the other two.

Lisa
Mom to Aidan, Christian, and Rachel (10.03.01 @ 36wks)

>His reasoning is simply that he thinks 4 kids from the same
>family in the same class will be too much on the teacher. Dan
>and I have talked about it, and we have decided to split them
>2 and 2. The principal has said that he will let us decide
>who is together, and that is good because his thoughts on who
>should be together is so WRONG!!!
>
>Also, I thought that if putting them all together doesn't go
>well and it is a battle for the teacher, then he is not going
>to listen to me at all for first grade. He has already told
>me that they prefer to split twins up in the first grade, and
>that is what they would want to do with our 4. That is so not
>going to happen. I don't want them completely split for a
>while and I want to have some room to fight with him over
>this.

I think his reasoning on 4 kids from the same family being too much on the teacher is hogwash! Why???? I thought this was what is best for the CHILDREN!!! UGH. My gang is in First Grade and yes they are still together (homeroom anyway..they split up for Language Arts & Math). Anyway I think it should be the parents choice not the principal or teacher who doesn't know your kids from Adam. But that is just MHO.


Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

Our KD teacher LIKES having three from one family. I ask her at every conference how they do in the room and on the playground and if they are exclusive - she tells me they never choose to play together and that she sees no reason to split them in first grade, so I'm not.
HTH!
Ali

formerly aliandbob
DS 7/2001
BBBs 7/2003
DS #5 coming soon!