Who’s the Boss?

Beauty in the day: she’s been coming down to the office lately, generally from recess. The kindergartener usually just wants to do a “check” on achy limbs, that sort of thing. Personally, due to her extremely charismatic and precocious personality, I believe she is just “checking out her horizons,” so to speak. She always brings a certain young lad with her; he seems to be her attendant.
Today, she needed the 1,000 Mile Check-up on her legs. She made a dramatic, albeit cheerful entrance, announcing the urgent need to have her legs checked out, dragging them as she went. The decision was made for her to rest a few minutes.
Attendant waited outside the office, and in the busy-ness of the afternoon was rather unnoticed.
After a few minutes, it was time for the little lady to be sent back to class. About this time, the office door opened and Music Teacher stood in the doorway to inquire about Attendant. “Ms. Nordstrom, for some reason, this young man is refusing to come to Music with the rest of his class……….?”
Attendant stood tall and explained: “She (he pointed to Queen-crippled-leg-girl) told me to wait here.”
Eyebrows were raised, and I informed Attendant: “She (pointing to Diva Darling) is not your boss. He (pointing to Music Teacher) is your boss. You need to listen to him.”
Attendant-Turned-Music-Apprentice nodded in appreciative understanding and went with his teacher, gesturing commandingly to the Healed Maiden to follow him.

Perhaps, for one young man at least, it’s a new dawn.

Pink Slip

Beauty in the day: he came in at 8:01. “Miss Nordstrom, my mom thought I was really late, so-”

“Great news!” I interrupted. “You’re not late! Go line up!”

“But,” he began again. “My mom thought I was really late, and she said I need to get one of those pink passes!”

“Good news!” I exclaimed, with great energy. “She was mistaken, and you don’t need a pass! Go line up!”

He turned to leave, but walked s.l.o.w.l.y. toward the office table, his shoulders somewhat slumped.

“Wait, Friend! Don’t go yet!” I hurried to get a pink pass and pen. “You really ought to take this with you, actually.”

Taking it, he practically skipped out. He made the line just prior to the ringing bell.

#pinkslipgetsanewmeaning

Strategizing for Strategy’s Sake

Beauty in the day: they are 2nd graders. One was in the office to take a “break”, something that is a new development in helping with his success. The other has been known to come and sing for me, particularly tunes he deems as “Spanish-Gaelic”, and also likes a little help with his success.
Singer came in dramatically, dragging his leg behind him and punctuating his steps with groans. Upon arrival, he heaved his gangly little body onto the countertop, the back of his hand grazing his forehead. “I hurt my leg,” he managed, with what was clearly almost his last breath. We went to get an ice pack, which he made use of for at least 45 seconds. He was suddenly back by my side, his upper body strewn out over the desktop again. “I want to know if my idea is going to happen,” he said pointedly.
“Your idea?” I asked, following the obvious prompt.
“Yes. I think I could maybe be Strategy Boy, and maybe there could be Strategy Man, or something.” This was a reference to our principals who dressed up as Unity Man and Virtues Boy a short time ago, which was quite a hit.
Someone came into the office, and the conversation was interrupted. It was at this point that “taking-a-break-boy” approached Spanish-Gaelic Boy with a proposition: “If you change your mind, can I be Strategy Boy?”
“Well, you can be Strategy Man, because you’re taller than me.”
“Well, maybe I could, because I’ve been growing a mustache.”
“I think I might be too. I have some hairs…”

#ilikestrategyboyandstrategyman

Ask Jeeves

Beauty in the day: the kindergarten boy’s mom came with a concern. Her son was missing at least 3, possibly 4 coats and/or jackets. She got some assistance from our ITCL with the Lost and Found area. Mom found several coats that she was pretty sure were her son’s, but her politeness wouldn’t allow her to take them without being certain. “Well, how about if we go and get your son to help us?” They went and got him, and on the way to the Lost and Found, they explained what they were up to. “We are trying to find your missing coats.”
“Oh,” he said, running ahead of them. “I know where they are! They are hanging here in the Lost and Found!” He made quick work of pointing out just which coats were his, a veritable ‘voila!’ written across his face. Apparently the Lost and Found was his idea of a personal closet. 😉

Changing Channels

Beauty in the day: there were many moments today, and that’s saying a lot, based on the kind of day it was. But I think that my most favorite moment of beauty was at the end of the day. First-grade teacher who had experienced a very challenging day (one of many-in-a-row) was leading her class to the front of the school for dismissal. I had a message for her, and as I saw her approaching, I went to wait, and she caught my eye, and looked like she hadn’t a care in the world. In fact, she looked – – – tranquil. I gave her the message, and she smiled. “You know how (previous-1st-grade-teacher-team-member-now-out-on-leave) Genevieve​ always looks so serene, even on a bad day? Yeah, well I’m channeling Genevieve.”
Those of us who know Genevieve knows what this looks like. Christina​ nailed it – and I’m planning to practice tonight in front of the mirror.

Like, Actually

Beauty in the day: one 1st grade cutie who actually comes often to talk to me and actually can use the word “actually” so often that I actually forget what she’s talking about.

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

Beauty in the day: want to find a great way to properly celebrate and honor our nation’s armed services veterans? Next year, find out when your local elementary school is planning their Veteran’s Day Assembly. Or better yet, ask me and come out to Ardmore. Those littles sang like they believed it! The Student Leadership kids gave speeches and delivered readings with such heart! 400 kiddos singing the Star-Spangled Banner is good enough, but that didn’t stop them from putting it over-the-top with some more selections, and they were DE-LIVERING!! Super proud and inspired by all our students, their Music Teacher, and our AP, who kept everyone on track. – – Oh, and also, I got the laminator reloaded without trauma.

King Me

Beauty in the day: in this truly harried day, I found several little beauty moments; like the kid who told me that the best thing about a school that collects box tops is that he eats A LOT of cereal; like the kid that showed up wearing safety glasses to go with his safety gloves; but my favorite is the story behind this picture of my (absolutely adorable) granddaughter. The drawing is of a lion, she says, and her beautiful mom (okay, I’m taking a little smidgen of credit for that) reports that Jaffrey is “very into the Lion King”. I’m told that Jaffrey thinks that the song lyrics are “Oh, I just can’t wait to meet The King!”

~Me neither, Jaff. ☺️🎉