She's Ready, Promotion, She's Ready, Promotion!

(Only Sponge Bob fans will truly appreciate this title)

At Valley View elementary you only have a parent/teacher conference if you or the teacher requests it.  So when I received a request from Natalie's teacher, I thought, "Uh-oh...something is not going well!"

Imagine my surprise, then, when she recommended that Natalie be promoted out of Transitional Kindergarten (which is for 4 year olds born between Oct 1 and Dec 2) to regular Kindergarten.  She is doing so well that her teacher thinks she should move up!

My plan was to send her to TK this year then to regular Kindergarten next year.  As you may recall, I chose TK over a second year of preschool because I thought she was ready.  I guess that was a good decision.

I told her wonderful teacher of this plan and she said she would be surprised if Natalie needed to repeat Kindergarten. She offered to write up testing results and a recommendation attesting to her readiness for first grade at the time of her application to Sacred Heart if appropriate.

I have mixed feelings about this, but am mostly leaning toward the happy side.  I know she is sharp and that she likes to be challenged.  I certainly don't want her to fester and grow bored when she is so eager to learn.  On the other hand, I skipped a grade myself and graduated from high school at 16.  I grew up a little faster than my peers and am not sure I want that for Natalie, although with a December 1 birthday she will not be nearly as young as I was.  I'm sure the correct answer will be obvious come Spring when I need to decide.

Whichever way it goes, I am happy she was asked, so I just had to share it.

Puzzlement

Here in Lancaster for several years:

Recently opened right across the street:

How do you choose?!