Collegio San Giovanni

Peace & tranquility behind these thick doors

Buone notizie! We enrolled Max in a new school: Collegio San Giovanni. It's a small Catholic school, run by nuns, in between our house and SYA. There are only 12 students in his class -- one of whom his his pal Savannah (the English teacher's daughter).

OK, frightening photo, but it's the only one I have of them at school

We warned Max that there would be some "disadvantages" to moving to a new school: he'd have class on Saturday mornings, he'd have to wear a grembiule (smock), and he'd have to take religion (probably more our issue than his). Max's reply was: "I can live with that."

Happy Max, getting in some game time before school

So he's been there for  2 weeks and seems quite happy (hooray)...and I'm 100% happier not fighting with the public school system -- although they do continue to haunt me. I've already been back twice to request a transfer and to pick up the "release." They actually asked me to come a third time, to bring back a receipt relating to his books, but that's not going to happen...

I know you're dying to ask, so here it goes: yes, they have mensa tickets at San Giovanni too. BUT you can buy them right at the front desk at school -- from a nun who looks to be 90 -- and actually, they have told me not to turn them in until Max starts eating. They found his diet of fruit and bread to be a bit meager...If anyone can make him eat, it'll be Suor Gabriella.

Suor Gabriella is awesome. She a friendly, rotund nun from Romania who has been living in Italy for 18 years. She uses her smart phone like we do -- to look up translations, to text and to...wait for it...send emails letting us know about things Max may not have understood in class. There's a change!

Best part about the new school? Their after school program is called Il Laboratorio dei Compiti. The good suora makes sure that all the kids get their homework done before going home. No more fights at 8:00 pm. No more: "Why do I have to learn cursive?"  Aaaaah....

All around a great decision. Not to mention all the great stores/restaurants we've discovered by going this new route!