This School Rocks!

Today was a bittersweet day as we sent our kids off for their first day of school knowing this would be our oldest son's last year in elementary school. Everyone always told us that time would go so quickly once the boys started school, but we didn't realize just how fast it would go. It seems like only yesterday when we walked him into the Kindergarten classroom and hoped beyond all hope that he would have a positive school experience.

As my oldest son starts fifth grade and my youngest starts second grade today, I have to say that we are so appreciative for our school and the environment the staff provides for our children. I know a lot of people must think their school is "the best", but I truly do believe our little elementary school has something special. Whether it's camaraderie among the staff, the teacher-student relationships, the communication between parent-teachers, the community involvement, the extraordinary field trips, or perhaps it's a combination of it all...whatever it is, they have definitely developed a culture within the school that makes it wonderful to be a part of!

Both of our children, with the help of the teachers and staff at the school, have developed a love of learning. When my oldest son was going through his "reluctant reader" phase it felt like a pivotal moment. It seemed as though my son could have easily learned to hate reading and been frustrated with school in general. However, his teachers were right there guiding him to books that were perfectly suited for his interests and skill level. We worked together and I'm happy to say that as he heads into fifth grade he now loves to read and has become quite a bookworm.

What the school has done for our kids really does go beyond the classroom though. One thing I love about our school is that they value their community and encourage the kids to be involved. Over the years the students have collected money for cancer patients through the "Pennies for Patients" program, purchased groceries for local families in need, donated school supplies, the list goes on and on... Teachers and staff often go above and beyond when it comes to providing opportunities for our kids to practice good citizenship and for that we are thankful!

We honestly can't say enough about our this school. I know we will be eternally grateful for both the educational foundation and the lessons in citizenship they have provided the boys. We couldn't have asked for a better environment for them to be in through their elementary years.

Thank you, NHE! Here's to another fabulous year!

And because we think our "school rocks" I thought I'd go with that theme for today's lunch. The lunch includes: peanut butter lavash bread sandwich (you could use sunbutter for a nut-free option), strawberries/blueberries, grapes, string cheese, gluten-free Snickerdoodle cookies, cucumbers