El Colegio

So our major focus since we've been in Spain is to get the kids in the schools that we wanted. We are in a neighborhood that is saturated with kids, so the schools are very full. Here's how it works here, basically. Primary schools go from 1st-6th grade and Secondary School is 7th-10th, then kids go into a future-driven track, where they choose a school specializing in a trade, or university prep. They put kids into classes based on calendar year of their birth instead of school year, which means that some of the kids aren't in the same grade that they would have been had they been continuing in the US.

The lottery system here for getting into the few openings that are created each year, goes like this. You pick your first three choices of schools and turn in your application to your first choice. On the application is a point system, basically prioritizing the families applying. Points are given for living or working in the district, siblings already in the school, large families (hello! - and THREE kids is a LARGE family here), disabilities, and a few other reasons. Then, after the deadline to turn in this point application, there are provisional lists posted as to who is admitted. And then a couple days for people to appeal, then the final lists are posted.

The other thing that kind of threw us for a loop is that a couple of the kids are at least starting the year in a grade ahead of their US grade level. Jolie, for example is going into third grade! Eva, as she should, will go into 1st, and Kerline, we're not sure yet, either 8th or 9th. There is a chance that if any of the kids aren't cutting it that they will put them back a year, which would be fine with me!

Kerline, since we have no school records for her, and the only real information we have is that we think she completed 6th grade in Haiti, is the real wild card here. Socially, we want her to be with kids at least close to her age. Academically, we want her to be challenged, but not over her head. The school that she liked the best was a very small, semi-private Catholic school, all girls, one class per grade, etc. She and Yana had different first choices, but their second choice was the other's first choice. So they may still end up at the same school.

Today the final list of admitted students for the primary school was posted. When they posted the provisional list, only Eva got in. We all had a good chuckle over that one...of all the kids, they got EVA!!!! But today when we went to check the final list, Maria, Elena and Jolie all got in too! WOOHOO! We're not sure where Bronson will be yet. He might be happy to be separate from the girls for a good part of the day.

We find out about the secondary school lists in July, but we're pretty sure that Kerline, at least, is getting into Altaviana, her first choice.

Whew! What a system, but I guess it works!

Yana and Kerline started summer day camp yesterday. It goes 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, except Tuesday is all day and they go on a field trip. So yesterday we show up and it is ALL boys! There's a good 25 boys in all, oh, and Yana and Kerline. LOL! They were really good sports about it even though some of the boys were younger and/or annoying. So this morning they got ready for a beach trip to El Saler. It is supposed to be a really nice beach just a little south of Valencia. We took them to the bus and right before we left to drop them off, another girl showed up! The boys probably all thought that their chances just went up 50%.

They're not back yet as I write this, so we're all waiting to hear how it went. It is really nice that Kerline has Yana to not only do things with, but also so Yana can show her the ropes as far as doing things kids their age do in our culture, and now the Spanish culture. This is her first little day-long venture out without mom or dad, or another related adult with her. Just her and Yana, well, and the boys! And I must say, the camp coordinators look only a few years older than the campers! At least they're girls.

Next week, the other 5 kids go to day camp 5 days a week 9-2. So we'll have some time each day with NO kids in the house...er? What's THAT like?

In other news, I got my first spontaneous hug from Kerline yesterday, since she's been home! Usually, I initiate a hug and she will hug back, but yesterday, she came up behind me a gave me a hug. So, it was from behind, baby steps! I'm thrilled anyway...and that was AFTER she got home from the "all-boy" somewhat tolerable summer camp!

I actually sense us getting closer each day. She enjoys playing board and card games so we try to do that every day together. We've been reading a young adult fiction by Edwidge Danticat titled, "Behind the Mountains." It's about a 13 year old girl who lives in Haiti and then moves with her mother and brother, to New York to be with her father, who has been living and working there for five years. It's in English but I think she understands the basics, and I try to sum up each section in my lovely Kreyol to make sure she's getting the important parts.

Oh, it is time for siesta...nap time after the big meal of the day. We eat around 2-3pm and then everyone has a rest until 5:30 or so. Love it! The kids then stay up until around 10 and aren't crabby. That's something else we're trying to get used to...staying up late. Dinner is at around 9 or 10 here, so kid are up late, even past midnight sometimes! Sheesh, I can barely stay up that late!