March is always a crazy time as the old school year winds down and prep for the new school year, which starts in April, collide. This year I am feeling a little whip-lashed by the collision.
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Last Friday (4th) Kei graduated from junior high. Her school includes elementary, junior high, & high school and all together there were 13 graduates.
(I cannot post any pictures from the actual ceremony)
Afterward we went out for lunch at a new restaurant. (I think I could eat there every day!)
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Saturday evening the moms from Joshy's school got together for a graduation party. There are 3 students in the B/C courses (C course is for home-bound students) graduating this year and the moms take any opportunity to party.
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I got a call from a preschool and had a meeting with them about teaching 1 or 2 times a month. Not sure about my sanity is agreeing to do this, but it will open doors.
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Third time's the charm... I have been attempting to get something worked out so that Joshy can stay at school all day next year. There is no bus service in Japan so getting special needs students to & from school falls on the parents. There are a few services that will pick the child up & take them to a care center, but then the parents need to pick the child up there. My work schedule does not work well with this set up, so this year I've need to pick Joshy up before lunch 2 days a week. I went to one support area and was told they couldn't do what we ask, even though a teacher had directed me to them. At the moms' party, one of the moms who uses the service assured me it WAS possible and gave me the name of the person to talk to. I went back, managed to get to the correct department, explained what we wanted, and set up an appointment to fill out the paperwork. Everything is now set and Joshy will be picked up from school 2 days a week, will then hang out at the care center, & this center even provides a ride home!!!
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Today Kei went to high school for a practice day, for lack of a better translation. She needed to take one packet of paperwork to turn in. Paperwork for schools is rather daunting. Add all the formal Japanese... even our secretary was confused by some of it! (There is a 2nd packet that needs to be turned in the day before her entrance ceremony, but Joshy will need most of the same paperwork filled out so I will do both at the same time.) After school Kei walked home!! For junior high she was not allowed to walk to or from school, but from high school this is an option. She sent me a text saying she was leaving - like I ask her to. She walked part way with a new classmate and arrived home in a timely manor. She was also discretely followed by a teacher, who wanted to make sure she followed the safety rules. (I haven't gotten a phone call so I assume she passed.)
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Today was the official graduation celebration for the B/C course of Joshy's school, too. This is something Joshy's school does, but Kei's school does not do. The C course graduate was not able to attend and the other junior high boy was also absent because he is still recovering from the flu, so our group picture is missing 2.
This year we had a room at the new preforming arts center. We had song time followed by a rousing game of Fruit Basket.
Next was craft time, where we made necklaces for the 3 graduating students. Some of the students were more into destruction than construction, but it was fun.
Then it was lunch time. (Sadly it looked better than it actually tasted.)
The day finished with a slid show commemorating the graduates & speeches by the graduating moms.
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I'm a little afraid to look at the schedule for the rest of the month...
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