Travis will have Ms. Kelly and most likely Mrs. Jackson as his assistant teacher. Travis has been special friends with Mrs. Jackson since he was 2 and playing peek-a-boo with her in the hallway as we’d walk Hallie to class. Ms. Kelly is the most experienced on the kindergarten team and I have high hopes that she will keep Travis challenged. Travis and Oliver will be in the same class, which they are excited about. I’ll be curious to see how that works out, as sometimes they play beautifully and other times they really butt heads. I think they will be a good academic match, though, and that sure worked well for Hallie and Evelyn.

I also heard last week that they will start the AG identification process early for Travis. This means they will observe him closely and collect a portfolio of his work. If they agree it’s warranted, they’ll have him tested by the school psychologist. If he qualifies, he’ll get some extra services and challenges. Up until the formal testing, I doubt Travis will know anything is going on. I don’t care so much about the label as I want to make sure he stays engaged and challenged. I’ve certainly made my case to the (annoyance of?) the principal and AG teacher. Now it will be up to Travis as we watch how he adapts.

After watching some pretty immature behavior from him this summer–usually related to losing any kind of contest, even if it’s just not being the first one to get to the diving toy when competing against 7 and 8 year olds–I’m also looking for him to grow up a lot this year. Until that happens, I don’t think he’s got any business moving ahead a grade, especially if they can keep him challenged with his age group.

It promises to be an interesting year!

This afternoon his friend Oliver is here to play. Every since Oliver arrived there’s been a flurry of activity, with three kids creeping about, communicating by walkie-talkies, and doing lots of scheming and planning. I feel pretty certain I’m the intended target, but so far I have both of my hands free. That may change very soon!

We got lost on the way to the stadium, arrived late, and endured an especially sweaty night, but the family enjoyed the game in spite of the Railhawks losing 0-2. I hope we will see another game soon, even if Hallie isn’t being honored!

Look for more updates soon. Promise!

July 14, 2010

Miss Hallie Turner
1108 Tonsler Drive
Raleigh, NC 27604

Dear Miss Turner,

We just found a note you left for us in the returned book, Young Cam Jansen and the Substitute Mystery. Your note let us know that the book had been assembled incorrectly with the chapters in the wrong order. Thank you for telling us about this. We can return the book to the publisher and receive a replacement copy, hopefully with the chapters in the correct order. We may not have found the mistake without your careful detective work!

Your closing questions, “What are you supposed to do when you find a mystery in a mystery?” was especially thoughtful. We think your question would make a great first sentence for a new book. Maybe it is a book that you will someday write! We could include it in our collection for other young readers to enjoy in the future.

I also want to take a minute to thank you for being a customer of the Cameron Village Regional Library. We appreciate your support of books, reading, and libraries in Wake County. Please let us know how we can help you find the next great book that you want to read.

Sincerely,

Dale Cousins
District 1 Manager,
Wake County Public Libraries

Needless to say, Hallie was absolutely delighted to know that the problem she pointed out got addressed. That’s an important lesson for her: seeing that she can make the world around her better if she takes action. I share her pride!

The note reads:

To: Library

The Book Young Cam Jansen And the substitute Mystery is totally MIXED UP! The chapters should go like this 1,2,3,4,5. In the book, they go 1,2,4,5,3. No wonder it doesn’t make sense! It was bound out-of-order! Somebody already wrote the correct Page numbers in the book. I know it isn’t good to write in books, but What Are You Supposed To DO When You Find A mystery in a mystery?

-Hallie Turner,
age 8

It’s hard to organize them because each notebook covers many months or years, with entries made in arbitrary locations. I do want to try to date and organize them at some point, but that’s a job for another weekend. Right now it’s nice to have places for things to go and things in their places–for the time being, at least!

As I was flipping through notebooks, I discovered something I’m guessing Hallie wrote fairly recently. When she was so down about dynamics with her not-friend, she had a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. I hate that she felt they way these words describe, but I’m impressed at how she captured what she was feeling:

When sleep won’t
come I’ve had my fun
and misery’s come in
my way. When sleep
won’t come, my day is
done and the night is
wasting away. Minutes
are tickin’ by. Passin by
my watchful eye and
I don’t know where to
start. Oh the hours
are passing by. Passing
by my watchful eye
and I’ve got a broken
heart.