The First Day of School

Today was the first day of school in my neck of the woods. What do you think greeted us in the media?

A school in Los Angeles that cost $528 million to build.

A nearby district that would no longer allow its teachers to have microwave ovens in their classrooms. (Something about microwave popcorn setting off alarms. As a fellow teacher suggested: why don't they just have an inservice on making popcorn in the microwave?) (And PS: This was the same district that tried to CHARGE teachers for having mini-refrigerators in their rooms a few years ago.)

A district having to remove anything that covered/decorated more than 20% of the walls after carefully applying bulletin boards for a week.

What should they have been reporting about?

Well, how about what I saw coming down my ramp today?

Kindergartners on the way to their parents after their first day of school ever.
I peeked out of my door to see what all the commotion was, and this is what was waiting for these newly initiated K-ers:
Can you see down at the end? I rushed in to my room to get my camera because it was the cutest thing: every parent down there seemed to have a camera or video running. Some were standing on benches and chairs for a better shot. I'm not so sure there weren't some in the trees. It looked like Channel 8 was waiting at the end of that ramp.
But the best part? The look in the parents' eyes as they watched their five year olds march out of the building. I know how quickly time will pass. They'll be watching those same children  marching across a stage and reaching for a diploma in seemingly no time at all.

Parents, today you picked the good part: the part that cannot be taken away from you. And I hope you are treasuring these moments in your hearts. The children saw the pride and excitement in your eyes on their Big Accomplishment of making it through their first day. And I know they'll come back with that same excitement tomorrow.

Thanks for reminding me why I love to teach.