My son started pre-4 kindergarten this year at a new school. He had been going to an Episcopal daycare and preschool, but we were advised to move him this year if private education was our preference. Evidently, competition is greater for a spot in private schools with the explosion of Common Core. Go figure.
Even if you live in a state that did not originally adopt Common Core standards, most of the textbooks and standardized testing will force it upon children if not properly filtered which is exactly what the Catholic school we selected promises it will do. At the pre-K 4 level, I am not really worried about the heavy reach of government into my child's mind, but I know that in Texas public schools, testing is now required every six weeks beginning at the kindergarten level.So my son and I are both adapting to uniform policies and other foreign rules of a new school. One in particular is the snack policy. Instead of simply providing for your child's dietary needs, this school requires that parents take turns in providing class snacks and have a "pre-approved" list that must be strictly adhered to when it's my turn:
- Whole fresh fruit and vegetables
- Kraft Jet Puffed Miniature Marshmallows
- Sunshine Cheez-It baked snack crackers
- Pepperidge Farm Cheddar Goldfish
- Kellogg fruit snacks, Nutri-Grain Bars, and plain Rice Krispie Squares
- Nabisco Saltines, Teddy Grahams, Fig Newtons, Nilla Wafers, and Ritz crackers
- Cheerios (plain)
- Rold Gold pretzels
- Yoplait Go-Gurt
- Motts Applesauce
No candy, cupcakes, or chocolate may be sent - even to celebrate birthdays was the mantra I learned at last week's parent night where we were introduced to all of the pre-K teachers and the routine of the school. What shocked me, other than the ridiculous list of brand-name required snacks, was that the teacher who lectured on preparing healthy meals and snacks was, I kid you not, bigger than a barn. So, while I'm listening to the presentation, I'm thinking "So, if I feed my kid as she suggests, will he have a future obesity problem?"
And, I would love to meet the parent who would send a bag of marshmallows to school for a kiddie snack. Sarcasm aside - Frog Street, creators of the curriculum used by the school, offers many tips on how parents should prepare meals and snacks for kids. FYI - my kid wouldn't eat any of this "creative" crap.
VIDEO OF THE DAY: Healthy "after school" snack ideas for your kids: http://t.co/af4WjiK4V2
— Frog Street (@FrogStreet) August 29, 2013
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