Whole clan leaving to bring my first - Kaitlyn (15) to my sister Kris's house in NC where Kaitlyn will be attending High School. After performing at sub dead peoples level in her attempt at Franklin High School, we'll be restarting our high school academic career in the old south. Kris and her hubby Dennis both teach at Forsythe Country Day School outside Winston-Salem and the program looks superb. Kaitlyn has some learning issues that couldn't possibly be addressed in a public school with 2000 kids in it. This one is expensive, but she needs it and if she is gonna go somewhere, I'd rather have family involved. Having said that, knowing my lovely daughter, my sister may never speak to me again in a few months. I'll keep you posted on her progress - beginning with how she is fairing running 1100 miles a day in the cool breeze that North Carolina is known for in August. Kaitlyn only runs if the cops are after her, so this should be interesting. Kris is the field hockey coach, so Kaitlyn will be practicing with the squad. I think (except for the running part), that she's looking forward to it - you can deck people in that sport, and she was hoping to play ice hockey if she remained here. She's a tough hunk of kid.
BTW, in no way is this an indictment of the Franklin school system - well, it is of the High School - but the middle schools in my town have been truly superb in every way. The high school is a whole other animal. None of my kids will be attending that, unfortunately, which means I'll be poor even earlier and for even longer than originally anticipated. They tried (some of them), but it took me 20 visits and 6 months just to get them to agree to send me an email once a week so I could help support their efforts. Communication went from proactive in middle school to non-existent in High School. Jess even offered to make each teacher a web site which they could put their assignments on, at my expense, and the school said no.
The best part is the schools' on premise "criminal catcher" is Tommy Gately. I went to the very same high school with Tommy a hundred years ago. It may be one of the best hires ever, as Tommy was THE kid in high school skipping every other class, smoking anything and everything, drinking in the bathroom, etc. Those kids won't get away with anything - there is nothing that guy hasn't already done that they could come up with. I'll miss that part.
Far as Kaitlyn's new school, she doesn't know it yet, but she won't get away with anything. If it's not bad enough that both Kris and Dennis teach at the school, Dennis is one of those folks who literally knows every single living (and dead) person within 200 miles of Winston-Salem - from professional athletes to the leaders of every church denomination going. He's the virtual mayor of North Carolina. She doesn't stand a chance.
P.S. the picture was one of the few on her MySpace account suitable for a family blog. The girl is gorgeous, but try to tell her she doesn't need a boob exhibition in every photo.....
