Izzy's enrolled in preschool

This morning, I got to get up at 4:45AM and go sit in the parking lot outside the preschool I want Izzy to attend next year, so I could register her when it opens at 8am. Yes - I got there more then 3 hours early to get in line, and I was the 4th person waiting. The first dad arrived at 3am. That's how crazy and competitive preschools are in this area. And this is for the school year that starts 8 MONTHS from now - next September. Last year, people that arrived over an hour early didn't make it in. But we made it, she's registered. And now that we're in, we'll get preferential registration for the following years and when Zach and Emily are ready to be enrolled.

It turns out, North Attleboro has extremely high standards for it's public school system. One of the other parents there today teaches in the elementary schools and told me our standardized testing for 4th graders is what most states use on 8th graders. And the 8th grade tests have students interpreting passages from Tolstoy! Check out what Izzy will have to know BEFORE she can enter Kindergarten:

-know all the ABCs, upper and lower case
-count to 30
-know all the colors
-write her first and last name
-be able to read her first and last name
-be able to write a sentence, copying the letters below (not tracing)
-demonstrate 1:1 relations - i.e. follow directions to count objects on a page, and in doing so point at each picture as she counts
-be able to draw a complete person - with just being told to draw somebody and all their parts, they need to include eyes, ears, nose, neck, mouth, arms, hands, legs and feet
-plus more....

I'm surprised they aren't requiring multiplication tables and long division! Geez - she's got to read and write before she can even get in to Kindergarten! Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad thing, I'm just shocked at how advanced everything is. Guess we better enjoy these last few months of fun before the hard work begins! =)