Back to School!

"Back to School" is a phrase that simultaneously exhilarates and brings on the jitters.  I admittedly felt a little queasy this morning as I climbed into my car, last minute supplies (marshmallow towers, anyone?) stuffed into flimsy plastic bags.  This ill feeling was fleeting - and did not temper my excitement.  The queasy feeling, I think, had to do with the ENORMITY of a school year.


One year.  To meet new brilliant minds.  To figure out quirks and iron out wrinkles.  To develop inside jokes and creatively work and collaborate to the point of exhaustion.  One year to analyze ocean zones and build robots; to teach the beauty of a good hink pink and to inspire research skills on par with lofty academics in ivory towers.


One year to face obstacles and to misplace lunchboxes.  One year to deal with scrapes, proverbial and physical.  One year to instill confidence in young learners while nurturing risk taking and encouraging creativity.


One year to become familiar with rhetoric and use these new talents against an unsuspecting teacher.  One year to grow so closely as a school family, through tricky math problems and glue sticks and microscropes.


It is daunting to think of all that is ahead of us.


Daunting and so, so exciting.


After a jam-packed day spent in the company of incredible friends, volunteers, and thinkers, my queasiness is gone.  Bring it on, new school year.  Our class has got this :)

A little bit of sugar in the morning never hurts the level of enthusiasm.

Our first science unit centers on oceans.  The kids will each research and create their own ocean animal report.  They'll also try their hand at dioramas.

Diego and Austin do a little detective work to determine what makes our school a community.

Relaxed while simultaneously hard at work!

Mr. Powers lets us tour his cramped office... all of those supplies are donated and will be sent to families displaced by a fire.  School community in ACTION!