What a year it was!  Daniel and David each had an excellent school year, with Daniel in 4th grade and David in 2nd.  The growth, academically and socially, was phenomenal and they both seemed to enjoy themselves quite a bit.

By the end of the year, they had each tested out of ELL (English Language Learners), meaning that their proficiency in English is no longer a barrier to learning other material.  Completing this program in less than two years is almost unprecedented!

Academically, Daniel is approaching – or at – grade level in nearly all subjects.  Considering he started school in the middle of 3rd grade, this is quite an achievement.  We expect him to continue to make steady progress toward the goal of “catching up” by high school.  He seems ahead of schedule, and he pushes himself appropriately.  We’re thrilled with his growth.  David, having started in 1st grade, had much less catching up to do.  He is at or above grade level on every single line item on the report card!  Both of these boys are incredibly intelligent, and they are motivated to make the best use of their God-given abilities.  We are simultaneously proud and humbled.

In Accelerated Reader (AR), David was in the 20 point club.  To earn points, kids read books at their level and then take a test to prove comprehension.  We are very proud of David.  Daniel read the books, but chose not to take the tests; we’re hoping he will take the tests next year.

Socially, they fit in quite well.  Perhaps “fit in” understates things a bit because they are quite popular.  David is much more outgoing and it seems that everyone in the school (K-6 plus staff) considers him their friend.  He gets hellos throughout the halls.  Daniel is much more reserved and doesn’t realize how popular he really is.  He has a great heart and tremendous smile that draws others to him.  He enjoys other people but seems a bit tentative and is reluctant to form strong bonds.  This will take time and healing.

Athletically, they are amazing.  We’ve posted a bit about baseball and basketball, and I think everybody is aware of their love (& skill) at soccer, but we haven’t yet written about their running talents.  Expect another post soon that details success on the track – I’m running out of adjectives!

We’re looking forward to a great summer (it started with a vacation to Phoenix and to Disneyland – more on that later) and then jumping into 5th and 3rd grades.  These kids are doing very well.