21/52

This week was Z's last day of fifth grade. To celebrate we got sandwiches from Oliver's and took them to Steelhead Beach. In August Z will start sixth grade in the junior high classroom, grades 6 through 8 I believe. It will be nice for Z to be with the older kids, I'm hoping that being with kids whom are slightly more mature will have a good effect on him, but I really have liked the teacher he has had the past two years. I can't say there has been a staff member at the school that I haven't liked though, so most likely I will like his new teacher as well. We've been through so many struggles with teachers whom were a bad fit though, I guess I'm always nervous when Z starts in a new class.

It's hard to believe that Z is going into junior high already. I'm glad that he will be at the same school, just next door to his old classroom. Baby steps seem to be the best kind for Z. I feel fortunate that Z doesn't have to go to an actual designated middle school. I work in middles schools; Z would be eaten alive. This week he was invited to an 18 and under club by a former classmate of his, a boy two grades older whom will be starting high school this year. I felt relieved that we were busy so I had an excuse to tell Z he couldn't go, because I would have been biting my fingernails the whole night. Z has at least a couple years until I would feel comfortable throwing him to the wolves of teenagers. He's grown a lot in the last two years though, and has shown huge progress towards being able to socialize with his mainstreamed peers. I think that he will be ready to go to things like under 18 clubs given a little time to mature. Of course, I probably still won't be ready.