Report Cards & Homecoming Dance

First quarter report cards came home for all three kids last week.  No surprises on any of them, though, as I check their grades daily online.  Half the time I know what they scored on something before they do because the teacher enters the grade online before handing the papers back to them.  My youngest is in 2nd grade and they still don't get "real" grades, as in A, B, C or F.  They get "O" for outstanding, "S" for satisfactory and "N" for not satisfactory.  She got all "O's", which I was so happy to see.  She is one smart little cookie, but oh my goodness, she is a pill!  My 4th grader got one "C", which I was thrilled with as it was in spelling and I truly thought he would get an "F"!  That kid just. can't. spell.  At all.  He also got one "B" and the rest were "A's" so I was super proud of him, too.  And Alex... two "C's", two "B's" and two "A's".  I think I'll frame the report card and the next time she tells me school is too hard I'll knock her over her head with it!  Now starts second quarter where she is going to need to learn to manage her time a bit better as she will be *very* busy with Dance Team, the dance studio and soccer.  I really hope she can keep her grades up so she doesn't have to drop anything.

Alex had her first high school dance on Saturday night.  Two of her friends came over beforehand so they could all ride together.  It was really nice to see her with friends.  Alex looked lovely, as usual.  She was being a little bratty (or maybe embarrassed) and wouldn't pose for a decent photo, but here she is:

She said she had a good time at the dance, and it was much better than the 8th grade dance she had attended in May.  One of the girls that came over before the dance stayed the night and went to church with us the next morning.  

So far I feel like Alex is transitioning fairly well into life as an American high schooler.  It was very difficult for her at the beginning of the school year because high school is serious business, and putting the language barrier aside, it is vastly different than her school in Ukraine.  My hope for her is that she can continue to succeed in school and truly enjoy this time in her life.