First Day of Second Grade/ Last Year of KiTa

Wow- this summer flew by! Compared to the States, it’s a shorter summer break here for students. The kids only get 6 weeks off, but they make up for it by giving them a two week vacation in October.

August 20th was the first day of the school year. The girls were excited to see their friends again. There were no nerves this year because they both are in the same classrooms, with the same teachers, with the same kids, as last year. In fact, it will be that way for Quinnie for the next 3 years! Once Kiera starts at that school it will be the same for 4 years! How great is that?!

 

Kiera wanted special first-day-of-school “Rainbow Nails”, and Quinnie wanted “Silver Sparkle Nails” (to match her new glasses….that she didn’t wear).

Quinnie’s backpack with decorative key rings

I just realized that in last year’s first day of school post I never talked about what the kids at Quinnie’s school bring to school. They are supposed to bring one of these fold out pencil/supply cases (Q kept her dragon one from last year)…

There’s also supposed to be a little ruler in there. Need to find that…

Her workbooks (Homework books that they sometimes use at school as well). The little black book is how parents communicate back and forth with teachers. There is also an English language workbook that Quinnie just received yesterday, so it’s not pictured here. English lessons begin in the First Grade, for a few hours per week. We pay 23 euros a year for workbooks and learning materials. We also pay about 40 euros a year for Kakao geld (money so that your child can have chocolate milk with their snack every day).

Both of the girls bring these little Brötchen boxes for a snack at school (the boxes only cost about 2 euros). Most kids put a Brötchen in it (a roll with butter and cheese or meat on it). My girls prefer snacks like string cheese (hard to find here), pretzels, cut up fruit, veggies, yogurt, hard boiled egg, etc. Lots of Quinnie’s friends love the snacks she brings (maybe it’s a novelty to them because it’s not a Brötchen?), so I pack extra since she usually ends up sharing with them. After school, Quinnie walks to OGT (her after school program), where they serve her a hot meal. Kiera also gets a hot meal at her KiTa/ Preschool.

Quinnie also brought gym shoes and gym clothes for gym class (that she leaves at school).

Kiera REALLY wanted a backpack this year (even though she doesn’t need one). I let her have Quinnie’s old one, and she is THRILLED. She even got to put her own decorative key chain that Grandma bought her on it.

 

She mostly uses it to contain her “treasures” that she collects every day. Things like a random barrette she found, bottle caps, all sorts of plants and flowers, feathers, pieces of string, pebbles, rocks, twigs, beads, sequins, etc.

And she is very careful to knot the backpack straps across her belly so that the backpack won’t fall off (lol!).

Here is the post from last year about what Kiera has to bring to school (since it’s the same things this year).

Last first day of school from The Weckschnapp…

Look how bundled up they are. Lately the weather here has reminded me of New England in that only a few weeks ago it was pretty hot and humid, but now it’s often around 46 degrees F in the morning (but warms up to around 70 degrees by noon).

Off to start another wonderful school year on their scooters! Papa likes to ride his wiggle skate board to the subway station with them. It will be nice once we move (in one week!) and have a MUCH shorter commute to school and work!

On the way home from school (they had a GREAT day!) we were treated to the smell of freshly cut grass. Something you don’t get very often living in the city!