South Coogee Public School - 1st Day of 3rd Term

Look out South Coogee Public School, here come the Conlins!

They're not properly attired yet, most of these are borrowed clothes from the office because the uniform shop hasn't been open since we've arrived. Molly needs a hat so she can play in the sun at recess (otherwise, shade for her). Daniel has his jumper on with some new grey pants from Target. There's a definite gender inequity in uniforms. Both kids must have the South Coogee jumper and hats, but:

• Boys need any grey pants and a specific colored blue shirt
• Girls need very specific plaid tunic or pants that are very expensive to buy new. Here's hoping there are some gently used versions tomorrow at the uniform shop!
  

Here's Molly walking down the hallway with Mrs. Monkhouse the 1st grade teacher. The 1st and 2nd graders are in Stage 1 and Molly is in a classroom with only 1st graders. Daniel is in Mrs. Stevenson's classroom in Stage 3 with a mix of 5th and 6th graders. She warned Daniel that there will be a reading requirement for homework, and she hoped that wouldn't be an issue. I warned her that reading will absolutely be an issue, when she tries to pull his nose out of all those new Aussie books!
Here's how I spent my day waiting to pick them up after their first day...working at the kitchen table with a Pacific view, wondering if the neighborhood birds regularly perch on our drying laundry while we're way, consuming an entire Cadbury bar when I only intended to eat 2 squares (what did I expect being alone all day long?), and watching the huge jets fly by every 2 minutes on their way from somewhere far.



Day is done with two very happy campers. Daniel was thrilled by the playground dynamics he's discovering. Molly had PE, so she should have had her sports uniform on, oops, where she played Stuck in the Mud (can you guess?). She also had library and brought home a reader, just like Marble elementary school. The biggest difference in the school, so far, is that everything opens up to outside - all the bathrooms are a walk outside. They have a 30 minute recess and an hour lunch all outside. The Sydneysiders are not happy with the 50-60 degree temps and Daniel and Molly are getting lots of sympathy for missing summer and summer break. According to weather.com, they're really missing summer in East Lansing!

Where's Charlie!? Kanga Preschool playing in the tree house, riding bikes, having tea and hot lunch and learning the phrase, "Don't cry mate." They only had to use that on the first day, at least so far! Here's hoping he doesn't chuck a wobbly.