Science Club

Natalie started in her school's Science Club today. It all happened in a very roundabout way.

A few weeks ago, we received a flyer from school about "after school clubs". There was not a great of information, other than they started on February 28 and would run for 6 weeks. here are the clubs, pick the one you want for your child and submit the form. So I signed Natalie up for K-3 science club, and I sent the form back to school with Natalie the next day.

A few days later, I get a form letter from the school stating that Natalie did not get in to the program, and that even if we submitted the form right away, there are not enough spots for everyone that is interested.

So I wrote a note on the "parent communication" form that we can use to communicate with Natalie's teacher. I asked what the selection criteria/procedures are for the science club. I honestly did not know if I need to drive to the school and get some sort of date/time stamp on an after school program form, etc. I learned a lot through the summer camp process, maybe I could apply it for these clubs, too!

Well, someone from the school called our house that day and told DH about the "selection criteria" for the science club. The only way a student gets in the club is if the teacher that is coordinating the science fair knows that the student is going to submit a project for science fair. Okay, I kind of understand that, but I didn't even know about a form for science fair, and certainly nothing about a "deadline", forgot about even seeing that "prerequisite" on the after-school program form.

So I emailed the principal a few days later. I said in my email that I wasn't looking for anything for this year, and that I was just pointing out that the communications could be a bit better. She replied almost immediately, saying that she was going to have folks check into the issue for me.

DH and I went to the assembly last week and the principal sought me out to ask if anyone had contacted me yet. I said no, but I wasn't out to "ding" anybody, etc. A few minutes later, the teacher that coordinates the K-3 science club came up to DH and I to introduce himself. He explained how the process normally works, and that he is assisting the science fair coordinator by handling the younger kids projects -- and that Natalie is very much welcome to join in their already-identified experiment. I thanked him for the offer and said that Natalie would love to join in.

So, she went to science club today. They are growing bacteria (hardly a first choice science project for her! LOL!) and she already checked out a "germs" book from the school library. She is very excited and told DH that she wished science club was for two hours instead of one.

So we have a budding scientist in our midst!

And speaking of science -- a friend of mine shared this tidbit with me -- on March 17, the Smithsonian will have a Women in Aviation and Space Family Day out at the Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (out by the Dulles Airport). We will definitely be there! (We are not saying anything so Nicholas is not disappointed. Plus he has swim class that day.)