First Week of School Musings

I'm celebrating my 12th first week of school at my job in a middle school office. That is particularly noteworthy because, remember, my birthday is coming up on 12/12/12. Big day. Oh rats, I just corrected my math, and that's not even true. (Not the big day, that part is true.) I actually completed my 12th year on the job on July 31.  Oh well, it was fun celebrating for a few minutes. Weird to think that kids who were born the year I started will be in 8th grade this year!

The point is, school started this week. Some things never change. The same alert parents who came in last year on the Friday before or on the first day and acted surprised that school was starting and they needed to register their kids, did it again. Excited 6th graders and their parents were in and out since receiving their schedules at registration to decorate and fill up their lockers with fresh new school supplies. Teachers started trickling in a few weeks before they were due back to spiff up their rooms and make plans.

This year, the daughters of some friends started 6th grade. I can't believe these sweet babies are middle schoolers already! I was delighted to catch them in the hall after they came in, and got to be in a first day of school picture!

It is so much fun to see the eager 6th graders looking so important and grown up in their darling new outfits on the first day. The 7th and 8th graders join on the second day and the fun really begins.

With over 600 students, some who do and some who don't ride buses, it's always a challenge to make sure everyone knows what bus to ride. No matter how hard you try, the office is always full of kids AFTER the final bell rings. Ten minutes BEFORE the final bell rings, we get on the intercom and ask anyone who still doesn't know their bus number to come on down, and lots of kids do. But there are always those who straggle in cluelessly later, not even knowing their address. We now have a computer program where we can type the kid's name in and viola, it tells us what their route number and morning pickup time is.  When technology works, it is beautiful!

This morning, lots of those cute 6th graders were in the office asking for a copy of their schedule, which they forgot to bring or lost. One claimed his sister flushed his schedule down the toilet! Of course, then they also need their locker number and combo, and likely their lunch number also. After you give or hear the lecture about "You're in middle school now so you need to be responsible blah blah blah" it gets really BORING!!

All the kids who lost their locker combos get sent to see me, and I had a steady stream of 6th, 7th and 8th graders all day. I found myself starting to get a little irritated. There seemed to be an excessive number of airhead kids! Wait a minute. I can empathize with airheadedness. I vaguely remember that possibly I used to slightly have some of those tendencies. Anyway, I just decided to have fun with it. I started telling kids they couldn't leave my desk until they repeated their combo silently 10 times. "Silently, not quietly!" "I need to see your lips move!" "This is shocking, you are the very first person who has ever locked their combo in their locker! Amazing!" They were all good sports and it became a lot more fun.

We have a 7th grade student who was diagnosed with cancer last year and had a tumor removed from his leg. After surgery and through chemo, he came to school as much as possible, even if only an hour a day. Sadly, the cancer is very aggressive and is now in his lungs. He was fiercely determined to come for the first day of 7th grade, and we were all disappointed when he wan't there this morning. When I looked up and saw his mom bringing him in mid-morning, it was the highlight of my day. It's sad to see him in a wheelchair, but he was present for a couple of classes! He is very well liked, and kids were excited to see him when he went to class.  I have so much respect and admiration for his spirit and his courage. His family's faith and fortitude during this time is amazing.

He is a very special part of our student body, and his life impacts and touches us all. It boggles my mind when I think of 600 students and all their stories, most of which I will be unaware. To consistently show respect, compassion and kindness to all of them (and their parents), even those who are much less lovable, is my daily commitment. (Note to self: Remember respect, compassion and kindness when the same parents call every Wednesday and ask if it's an Early Release Day. YES! After today, every Wednesday is an Early Release Day! Remember, Airheads need to be treated with respect as well as a dose of humor!