THE OBAMA GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL TODAY

It remains awfully difficult to catch a glimpse of First Kids-to-Be Malia and Sasha Obama, but at least we can say for certain where they are this morning: getting to know their new classmates at the Sidwell Friends campuses in upper Northwest Washington and Bethesda.

The president-elect moved his transition operation to Washington yesterday in order to be with his girls as they started at their new school. Obama, who will meet with congressional leaders today to discuss an economic stimulus package, did not accompany his daughters to school this morning. But transition officials released these photos of him saying good-bye to them at their hotel suite.

Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, left the Hay-Adams Hotel with their mother, Michelle Obama, at 7:10 a.m. Their motorcade emerged from a security tent that has been erected outside the posh hotel, and they drove off with nary a wave to the throngs of cameras or the waiting crowds.

Malia, a fifth-grader, arrived at Sidwell's middle school in the 3800 block of Wisconsin Avenue at 7:30 a.m., a full half-hour before the school day began. The motorcade bypassed the main entrance to the underground garage at Wisconsin Avenue and Rodman Street NW, opting instead for a side entrance adjacent to Fannie Mae's James A. Johnson Housing and Community Development Center.

Whatever Michelle Obama did to settle Malia into her class, it didn't take long. At 7:41, the motorcade exited another driveway slightly to the north, adjacent to the Friendship Post Office.

As their SUV slipped back onto Wisconsin Avenue, Michelle and Sasha were visible from the rear passenger window. Sasha, a second-grader, wore a look of wariness and fascination as she eyed the row of television and still cameras filming the motorcade, which included a D.C. police car in the lead, followed by two black SUVs, a minivan, another SUV and a Secret Service uniformed division car.

The youngest Obama had had a little more time than her sister to yawn away the Hawaii jet lag and Chicago time change. Sidwell's lower school, located a few miles away on Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda, doesn't ring the opening bell until 8:30. The Obamas arrived at 8 a.m., again plenty early, and the motorcade again used a side garage entrance, away from the rest of the drop-off crowd.

Sidwell's campuses also stagger the end of the school day -- middle school goes until 3:20 p.m., while lower school is dismissed at 3 -- which means that the motorcade should have no problem whisking Sasha from Bethesda this afternoon in time to pick up Malia.