Reflections on the First Day of School

Last Wednesday sure was a whirlwind of a day.  We began with a cafeteria packed full of early arriving students who were incredibly eager to get back to school and reconnect with all of their friends and teachers.  It was tough to hold them back until the 9:00 bell rang, and when it did it was invigorating to feel their energy fill the hallways.  Soon the sixth grade students were out in the hallway trying out their lockers for the first time—some with more success than others—and then our real work began with our first period of the day.  I tried to get to as many classes as I could on Wednesday, and I loved how often I saw teachers who were not going over rules and regulations, but were engaging their students in opportunities to connect with each other, think critically and problem solve, and, most importantly, to get excited about the school year.  When I talked with kids during lunches (which were packed full, to say the least) they all had stories to tell about the classes they were already excited about.  Each one loved something different, and I didn’t walk away from one conversation where I didn’t feel like we had gotten off to a strong start with that particular student.  The day turned extra-long when the busses weren’t able to arrive until 4:15 and we had a lot of worn-out kids who were ready to get out of here.  It was great to see how many of our staff members showed up at the bus loop to help kids find there way despite no one asking them to come on down.  By 4:30 the busses were rolling and day one was in the books.

The first day of school is always special.  Each of my first days at Henley have reinforced for me time and again what a talented, dedicated staff we have.  They work hard and get kids excited about learning.  They bring something fresh to them each year.  They let them know that they care about them as people.  They have all laid the groundwork for a wonderful year.  Last week I encouraged our staff to “start strong” and all of them rose to that challenge.  I can’t wait to see what this year will bring.