12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2 Part 2

[elaineteresa]

Is this a K class? Wow, Samantha's preschool has already gone through the alphabet for the year.


Lisa - out of curiousity, why are you against uniforms?

We had a non academic pre-school. The teacher really believed in sending the kids to K socially mature. This left the kids craving the academics. Now we are in a K school where very few of the kids come from a socio-economic background where they can afford pre-school and thus they are learning everything for the first time. It is painfully slow - my kids are almost 6.5 and still reviewing the alphabet because that is what the whole class is doing.

 

[goofyforlife]

We had a non academic pre-school. The teacher really believed in sending the kids to K socially mature. This left the kids craving the academics. Now we are in a K school where very few of the kids come from a socio-economic background where they can afford pre-school and thus they are learning everything for the first time. It is painfully slow - my kids are almost 6.5 and still reviewing the alphabet because that is what the whole class is doing.

Elaine,

i think your kids are a good reason why they should allow testing to go into kindergarten rather than just by birthdate alone.

I am an October b-day and by today's methods of allowing kids into K (sept b-day cut-off) would have had to wait an entire year later to start K.

The funny thing is that i was so advaced... that from 1st grade on...There were 3-4 of us kids who were placed into the next grade up. (Only for learning purposes. I was still in the lower grade on paper.) My mom had the option of moving me up a grade but she never did it.

I think your kids were probably ready for K last year but their birthdate's probably dictated differently in your school system.

 

[elaineteresa]

Elaine,

i think your kids are a good reason why they should allow testing to go into kindergarten rather than just by birthdate alone.

I am an October b-day and by today's methods of allowing kids into K (sept b-day cut-off) would have had to wait an entire year later to start K.

The funny thing is that i was so advaced... that from 1st grade on...There were 3-4 of us kids who were placed into the next grade up. (Only for learning purposes. I was still in the lower grade on paper.) My mom had the option of moving me up a grade but she never did it.

I think your kids were probably ready for K last year but their birthdate's probably dictated differently in your school system.

Jaea's class is full of late brithdays. Our cutoff is Dec. 1. The girls are silly and the boys misbehave. I think many of them are being recommended to stay behind but the parents feel the teachers have failed their kids when this is suggested. The attitude is "do your job" instead of seeing it as an opportunity for their child to really excel by being the oldest in the class next year by repeating K.

I just want Jaea to get moved into a group of kids that are closer to her age group and will push her to do her best.

 

[elaineteresa]

Angie - are there Fastpasses for DL?

 

[lillygator]

We had a non academic pre-school. The teacher really believed in sending the kids to K socially mature. This left the kids craving the academics. Now we are in a K school where very few of the kids come from a socio-economic background where they can afford pre-school and thus they are learning everything for the first time. It is painfully slow - my kids are almost 6.5 and still reviewing the alphabet because that is what the whole class is doing.

Oh my - I didn't even think about this....Samantha due to her late bday will be at preschool again this year and won't go to K until 2008 - so she will be reviewing the alphabet again and if she has to do it again in K, that could be a problem.

 

[bubbasmom99]

Sarah's pre-K class is doing alphabet -- they do one or two letters a week. In Kindergarten next year, they will be required to know 100 sight words. They have spelling lists of 10 words a week. Vocabulary and comprehension are already introduced at this stage... but they also push into a 1st grade curriculum at this school (private). Nick went there for kinder and it was a good jump start -- then he moved to our local public school for 1st grade.

Nick's class this year (2nd grade) has 25 spelling words per week. The homework varies, but it's usually like "write a paragraph using 5 of the words" or "write a letter to a friend using 5 words" or "alphabetize all the words"-- sometimes it's just write each word 3 times. This is in addition to the writing homework. He is not a big fan of language arts and always blazes through the math homework before the English....

 

[Bella2000]

Has this been a discussion? I was just reading it.

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writer

May 1, 2007, 9:31 AM EDT

In what company officials are calling the largest single-site resort complex to institute such smoking restrictions, Walt Disney World announced today it will ban smoking in all guest rooms, indoor public areas, balconies and other locations at all company-owned and -operated hotels, and all Disney Vacation Club resorts at Disney World. That is 20 properties altogether.

Smoking will be allowed in designated, outdoor smoking areas only.

"We make adjustments to our operations based on guest demand," Senior Vice President Erin Wallace said. "This policy complements our efforts to provide our guests with the healthy living options they are requesting."

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts initially banned smoking at Disneyland's three hotels in California last year but allowed smoking to continue at Disney World hotels because there was more demand from guests for smoking rooms at the Florida resort than at Disneyland. But apparently there was not enough demand.

During the last five years, guest demand for smoking rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort has been declining steadily. Currently, less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World's 24,000 resort rooms are smoking optional, Disney reported in a news release.
Copyright © 2007,

 

[MrsMork]

Angie - are there Fastpasses for DL?

There are and you do not have to use them in the time noted, you can use them later-just not earlier than the listed time. Last July I collected fast passes for all the rides we wanted to go on, then late in the day we just went and rode. Roger Rabbit is not "tied" to the other fast passes, so you can get Space Mountain and RR first thing, then go ride the Pirates (my family went and got in Pirates line while I ran over to get the FPs), then go on Indiana Jones, then get a FP for Splash Mountain. (You just have to wait until the time that you could use the SM FP before getting Splash). Then ride Big Thunder Mountain, The Jungle Cruise. The FPs in CA are not "tied" to DL either, so you can gather FPs for Tower of Terror, Soarin', Calif. Screamin' and Grizzley River also. There is a technique to this. Someone posted on the DL board a whole plan. Last July was the first time I used it because it was hot and crowded in July. Our DSIL was "Thank you, Mom, Thank you, Mom" as we walked onto all the rides in the early evening.

 

[elaineteresa]

Carla - while I have been making lots of reservations with chain hotels in Calif. since we will be moving around several times - I have found several major hotel chains that are implementing a policy like this - some had May
1st rollout for their program. I guess it is another one of those one up kind of things among the giant chains.

_____________________________________________

Has this been a discussion? I was just reading it.

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Scott Powers

 

[elaineteresa]

There are and you do not have to use them in the time noted, you can use them later-just not earlier than the listed time. Last July I collected fast passes for all the rides we wanted to go on, then late in the day we just went and rode. Roger Rabbit is not "tied" to the other fast passes, so you can get Space Mountain and RR first thing, then go ride the Pirates (my family went and got in Pirates line while I ran over to get the FPs), then go on Indiana Jones, then get a FP for Splash Mountain. (You just have to wait until the time that you could use the SM FP before getting Splash). Then ride Big Thunder Mountain, The Jungle Cruise. The FPs in CA are not "tied" to DL either, so you can gather FPs for Tower of Terror, Soarin', Calif. Screamin' and Grizzley River also. There is a technique to this. Someone posted on the DL board a whole plan. Last July was the first time I used it because it was hot and crowded in July. Our DSIL was "Thank you, Mom, Thank you, Mom" as we walked onto all the rides in the early evening.

thanks Angie - I haven't read the Passporter too carefully yet but I didn't see them mentioned there. I think they may have rushed that book out - I see lots of typos in it and some areas are not covered very well at all.

I already told the kids not to expect to ride too many things since we will be there on Sunday.

 

[elaineteresa]

Sarah's pre-K class is doing alphabet -- they do one or two letters a week. In Kindergarten next year, they will be required to know 100 sight words. They have spelling lists of 10 words a week. Vocabulary and comprehension are already introduced at this stage... but they also push into a 1st grade curriculum at this school (private). Nick went there for kinder and it was a good jump start -- then he moved to our local public school for 1st grade.

Nick's class this year (2nd grade) has 25 spelling words per week. The homework varies, but it's usually like "write a paragraph using 5 of the words" or "write a letter to a friend using 5 words" or "alphabetize all the words"-- sometimes it's just write each word 3 times. This is in addition to the writing homework. He is not a big fan of language arts and always blazes through the math homework before the English....

that sounds rigorous but also a good basis of comparison - our half day K has 25 sight words for the entire year. I would think the spelling words become sight words just from the exercise of looking at them to get the correct spelling.

thanks Joy!!!

 

[MrsMork]

thanks Angie - I haven't read the Passporter too carefully yet but I didn't see them mentioned there. I think they may have rushed that book out - I see lots of typos in it and some areas are not covered very well at all.

I already told the kids not to expect to ride too many things since we will be there on Sunday.

They can ride lots of rides if you use the FPs wisely. Like I said, we were there in July, height of the season and it was very crowded. We rode most every ride every day we were there. We do skip the Fantasyland rides for the most part though. We do the Teacups and Carousel and Small World in Fantasyland so that save LOTS of time for the rides we enjoy more.

 

[elaineteresa]

Oh my - I didn't even think about this....Samantha due to her late bday will be at preschool again this year and won't go to K until 2008 - so she will be reviewing the alphabet again and if she has to do it again in K, that could be a problem.

yes keep an eye on this Vanessa because I think motivation is important and even though I have been supplementing at home on a daily basis, Jaea especially is with a really slow group and she is BORED. I probably should have asked earlier about extra homework to drive the point home that some kids are being left out because the curriculum is moving too slowly.

 

[elaineteresa]

They can ride lots of rides if you use the FPs wisely. Like I said, we were there in July, height of the season and it was very crowded. We rode most every ride every day we were there. We do skip the Fantasyland rides for the most part though. We do the Teacups and Carousel and Small World in Fantasyland so that save LOTS of time for the rides we enjoy more.

that's a good idea Angie - we should all make a list of what we most want to go to and at least try for those.

 

[lillygator]

Ok Angie ---- I am going to copy that DL info into my CA notes!!


JOY ---- long time no hear! How are you all doing?

Well the girls are watching Peter Pan, I know, it's a school night.....but they are being quite. I am going to try my hand at some Minnie inspired flip flops now that the Pirate sneakers are finished.....

 

[goofyforlife]

Oh my - I didn't even think about this....Samantha due to her late bday will be at preschool again this year and won't go to K until 2008 - so she will be reviewing the alphabet again and if she has to do it again in K, that could be a problem.

Some school districts have a loophole that will let you around the late birthday if you think Samantha is ready for K.

Send her to a private Kindergarten (private or parochial) most times the K's you pay for do not have the same cutoff dates as the public schools. Then after she passes K successfully, take her to the public school and since she's already done K they have to enroll her in 1st grade.

Worked like a charm for many people where we lived in PA.

You may want to ask around and see if that works in FL.

 

[lillygator]

Not here.....! The private schools go by the regular requirements.....!

 

[lbgraves]

Lisa - out of curiousity, why are you against uniforms?

Well, for one thing, I already have clothes for the kids thru to the next 3 size ranges. DD is going into 6x and I have 7-8, and 10-12 put away for her. Between hand me downs and clearance deals it hasn't cost me very much at all. I looked at WM.com and to have enough uniforms for the kids for the year it would cost me $500...not counting special shoes, socks, or belts.

DS...6 pants, 6 shorts, 6 ss polos, 6 ls polos, 1 carnigan
DD...6 pants, 3 shorts, 4 skorts, 6 ls polos, 6 ss polos, 2 carnigans.

These are all on sale in some way.

Also beyond that it is the principal of the thing. Besides the fact that these are public schools...the school they go to is falling apart. The superintendant once again went in and raised the roof warning everyone their jobs are on the line if A, B, & C happen again. IMO they are putting too much energy into the outward appearance and not focusing on making what is really wrong with the school right. I feel that it is like putting silk and velvet on a framework made up of toothpicks instead of 2x4s.

 

[Jhalkias]

Has this been a discussion? I was just reading it.

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Walt Disney World hotels are going smoke-free starting June 1

Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writer

May 1, 2007, 9:31 AM EDT

In what company officials are calling the largest single-site resort complex to institute such smoking restrictions, Walt Disney World announced today it will ban smoking in all guest rooms, indoor public areas, balconies and other locations at all company-owned and -operated hotels, and all Disney Vacation Club resorts at Disney World. That is 20 properties altogether.

Smoking will be allowed in designated, outdoor smoking areas only.

"We make adjustments to our operations based on guest demand," Senior Vice President Erin Wallace said. "This policy complements our efforts to provide our guests with the healthy living options they are requesting."

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts initially banned smoking at Disneyland's three hotels in California last year but allowed smoking to continue at Disney World hotels because there was more demand from guests for smoking rooms at the Florida resort than at Disneyland. But apparently there was not enough demand.

During the last five years, guest demand for smoking rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort has been declining steadily. Currently, less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World's 24,000 resort rooms are smoking optional, Disney reported in a news release.
Copyright © 2007,

Can I say Hallelujah!

About time!

(Hope Todd has stopped reading our thread)

 

[lbgraves]

Elaine,

i think your kids are a good reason why they should allow testing to go into kindergarten rather than just by birthdate alone.

We actually have that here and I considered it but decided against it. I would have had to make the decision when DS was 4...to have him skip the 3 year PS class and go to the 4 year so that he would have that prep for Kindergarten. He didn't start reading until he was 5...in the 4 year PS class. The test they give kids to make an exception to the cutoff is so strict. Those kids have to be PERFECT to be approved while you have kids entering K "legally" by age who are way less prepared. Once the kids get into the school system they are essentially screwed because it can be difficult to completely skip a grade of material to make it up later.

Here the cutoff is 10/15. If we had moved to MD when DH was offered a job before DS started K, he would be in the 3rd grade this year.