U-turn

This P1 registration has more twists and turns than a korean drama.

Yesterday KH took the day off and we went to do the registration. We had pretty much decided it would be Canossa Convent. In the morning, after brekkie in Toa Payoh and while waiting for Toyogo to open so we can buy new shoe racks, we had a 'window' of free time - about 20min. So we decided to just swing by IJ TP to have a look - this is the trouble with being too free!

So we dropped by the school. I was swarmed by a group of little P3 girls (very cute all of them!) trying to sell me stationery - pens, pencils, rulers etc. They were doing their own 'business' and it was a class project. I found it all very entertaining to talk to these 'entrepreneurs', watch how they sell, get the change etc. I thought it was a fun sort of exercise.

The canteen looked homey to me. It had a reading corner with books untidily stacked on a shelf, with comfy chairs, two well-worn pianos and a combination of canteen tables and cafe tables/chairs. It was obviously recess time and the girls were all over the place. I liked the general atmosphere.

A check with the lady 'guarding' the entrance to the hall (who issues out the queue numbers and forms) showed that there were already 40 applicants ahead of us. IJ TP had 58 places available for Phase 2B. So gee, we thought, what are our chances? Moreover they needed parent's baptism cert - which I didn't have. So we left, but the germ of the idea of trying for IJ had already been planted. KH drove to Risen Christ to get Fr Adrian to write a letter to 'certify' that we are parishioners of the church but alas Fr had gone for a medical. Then the man decided to drive to St Michael's Church where I was baptised to ask for an extract. But the office was closed.

So what does it look like? This feverish rush from Pt A to Pt B to get documents - like we're trying out for IJ right??

We ended the morning by picking Cait up from school. I sauntered over to Canossa's registration point - which, unlike the IJ set-up, was pretty informal. They were just taking in registrations from the general office - just walk in and sign up. IJ had signages, forms, stations, and a battery of teachers ready etc.

Anyway Canossa had only 4 signed up in the morning. They had 57 places available for 2B. And no, they didn't need parent's baptism cert. We did not register. We were still in a iffy kind of mood.

After lunch, KH said: let's go back to IJ. So that Cait can have a look around before we decide. So off we went again.

All this time Cait is saying: I like Canossa Convent. I want to go there. NOT CHIJ!

And her dad goes: wait till you see the place first!

At IJ, we walked around a bit. Cait is pretty quiet. She thinks the place is big. But still says: I don't want this school. I want Canossa!

So I told her abt the pros and cons etc. She still maintained it was Canossa, so okay, we all pile into the car, got the kids belted in, KH drove out of the lot and I asked: You sure you want Canossa? And then Cait went: Err, no. I want this school.

KH stopped the car. We all looked at her. Repeat conversation. She now wanted IJ. And said: mum, you keep asking me the same question. I want this school!

And why? Transport issue. I had told her that it was harder to get home from CCPS than from Toa Payoh. And based on that, she now wanted IJ.

So we parked the car again, and went to register. At the point of registration, there were 49 places taken (including us). I had mixed feelings. One, while I like the general sense of the school, I feared a lack of compassion/help/support should Cait really be dyslexic or if she under performs. Two, I wondered if I 'forced' her into it with all the talk about transport etc. Three, I wondered if she would really be happy there. Canossa has a nice comfy small-town village feeling about it. IJ did not. I also noted a large number of girls who were from Marymount Kindy. Uh, a bit more of an 'atas' feel than the homey Magdalene's Kindy.

Looking at the numbers, very likely, there would be balloting. We decided to call back today to see what our chances were like.

So here we are today. I just called and as at 12nn, there are 61 applicants for 58 places. Those living within 1 and 2km are already in - 36 of them - so balloting is likely for those living outside the 2km zone (which means us). There are about 25 people who might need to ballot for the remaining places 22 places. That is IF there are no further applicants this afternoon. The school thinks it is likely that there will be and the final number of places to be balloted for might fall in the region of about 18.

KH says: let's ballot. He thinks we can still get a chance to get into Canossa if we are balloted out of IJ. I am hemming and hawing. I still have my doubts about whether IJ will fit Cait. I called Cait and she patiently answered all my questions. When I asked: What will you do if your friends are not in IJ and they have applied for Canossa? She said, very matter-of-fact: I don't know. Find new ones! Mum, she said, you've asked me the same question three times already!

Okay. We seem to be in a c'est la vie mood. Caitlin seems buoyant about IJ. It's really just me. I never thought I'd live through one of these 'balloting' events. But never say never. I just know that at 8am on 25 July (KH's birthday!) that I will be at IJ TP, gripping the edge of my chair!

And by the way, they checked Cait's immunisation records in the health booklet. And hey, no one mentioned anything about the lack of MMR!