From Sept. 1, 2020: Another First Day of School

 

Another First Day of School

 

September 1, 2020

This week marked my 58th first day of school. I have no recollection of my emotions in the fall of 1962, walking into Warrendale Elementary School, nor many of the later first days from first grade through high school. I imagine that some were filled with hopes and expectations, others with nervousness, particularly as hormones rose through adolescence, and I fell in love with various classmates. College was eye-opening in so many ways, but my most visceral memories of college revolve around dropping off my own children, and dealing with that rite of passage as a parent. None moved into their dorm without my tearing up. I recall my own parents bravely holding back tears as I headed to Washington DC to begin my teaching career in the summer of 1979. I wish I'd asked them about those emotions, but perhaps we all need to experience that sense of loss for ourselves.

After college there were 11 years of the first day of teaching, followed by 30 years as a Head of School. There were butterflies in most of those years, sometimes mixed with sadness, and sometimes with joy. This year, strangely, there has been less anxiety, despite working in a new school as an Interim Head, with colleagues, parents, and students I don't know, and a pandemic raging outside our walls. Perhaps it's due to the furious paddling we've been doing since school ended in June, getting ready for all online, or partially online/partially in person, or all in person school. There's nothing like being busy to take your mind off your troubles!

Or perhaps my mindfulness practice is paying off.

Some students returned to the building this week, in small cohorts, while others will be online full-time. They seem happy to be back, many haven't seen each other beyond screens since March. Having some regularity to the day seems to help everyone as we go through setting up Google Meets and fashioning egg-drop challenges and learning new ways of navigating the building to maintain physical distance. The last will likely be the biggest difficulty, as the natural exuberance of adolescence quickly overtakes the caution we need to exercise, so the year looks to include constant reminders to make space. 

It's nice to have teen spirit back inside the walls, as a school devoid of students is far too silent and listless. Remind me that I wrote that last sentence when June rolls around, as I'll no doubt be ready, once again, for a period of silent and listless. For now though, we forge ahead with Algebra and Makerspace and Musical Theater, enjoying the mysterious process of growing up in a strange world that is daily being reborn.