New Quarter

For most of the students this is just another Monday. We just don't have that many changes at the quarter. The grades are final and everyone starts over today. But one day and one quarter builds on the previous. The important factor is what was learned that first quarter and not necessarily the grade for that quarter.

The biggest impact on today is that is bright and sunny. We are just not used to that this time of year. You can tell that have been out running around all weekend which would be normal considering how unusually warm it was this past weekend. Yes, we a bit more excited and a bit more silly and a bit more all over the place and that is a function of the weather. I which we have the power to harness that energy and move it into educational directions.

The Sadie's Dance is upcoming. That always leads to its own thrills. In the spirit of the name Sadie Hawkins - which the vast majority of our students are way too young to remember - the girls ask the boys. That in itself is a buzz for the younger students. Girls at 13, 14 and 15 are light years ahead of the boys in maturity. So this is a big deal for the girls. For the boys - many of them - the concept of noticing a girl is still a novelty let alone being asked to a dance by one.

So we have that to deal with on top of the warm weather, a Monday and new quarter. Give me some cold weather and snow and we might have a change at competing for focus.

But then there was the first official graduating senior assembly today. The class of 2010 is really getting measured for caps and gowns and thinking about ordering announcements, etc. For many this is the wake-up call. Graduation is real and the year is flashing by. It has a tendency to be a somewhat somber assembly even though we try to play it off.