First Day of School

September 6 2012 will be my 34th opening day of school.  And my last.  I expect it to be somewhat bittersweet and nostalgic.  I expect to be a great deal calmer throughout the year than I typically am.

It appears that I'm the longest serving teacher on staff.  I cannot imagine how that happened.  September 1979 is still fairly clear in my mind, even if I did spend the entire first year in some kind of fog.  One very clear memory is from the end of that first day when I had no idea what I was supposed to do after the students were dismissed.  I remember watching from the window as they loaded buses then peering into the hallway to figure out what the rest of the staff was doing.  I didn't know if we were supposed to stay until a certain time or if we were free to leave.  Just seemed too simple to just go to the car at 3 o'clock, but off I went.  Then I got on the highway going the wrong way: driving east automatically toward Walton rather than west toward my new home.  "Go West" took on new meaning for me when I realized my mistake.  I had to readjust my daily routine which held me in good stead for the ensuing years.  I wonder if I'll know what to do at the end of the day on the last day of school in June 2013.  Let's hope I don't take a wrong turn!

I don't have many clear memories of my own first days of school--even the first day of senior year at the new school in Walton.  I can only imagine the relief our mothers felt along with a little twinge of uncertainty about the required school supply list we'd come home with.  Those were the days when you didn't get that information until you actually got there.  Those were the days when Back-to-School shopping did not generate special inserts in your Sunday paper.

I thought you might enjoy this First Day of School picture from the year Ryan entered as a 7th grader and Amy was a new junior.  Looks like they didn't mind having this picture taken (unlike some other years!).

This series of pictures tells quite a story.  Of course, fashion sense is one story but the story of our home is also present in the background, so it's fun to go back and review these once in a while.

Happy September--special Good Luck wishes to Drew for a wonderful year.  Glad to hear he's safely arrived in England.  Happy Birthday Mallory, Hailey, Sarah and Cheryl this month.