Derek L. McCoy

 After months of planning and preparation, we’ve finally opened our school for the 2012-2013 school year. Opening the school year is exciting! My anticipation builds every year. At our first leadership meeting, my new superintendent says he doesn’t sleep the night before the first day – that is exactly how I feel. I may as well have spent the night at the school this year.
 Our first days have gone incredibly well! I want to thank the staff, students and parents for all the support and contributions everyone has made to contribute to this GREAT opening. In all the conversations with staff members and students, I am hearing consistently that this has been a great start. Everyone has their own standards for measuring a great start whether it was getting to class on time, going over all the classroom rules and expectations, learning names or meeting a new friend.

These two pictures capture my measurements of a great start.

1) As I visited one classroom and popped in on a ‘getting to know you activity’, I looked over the shoulder of one young lady as she was making notes about her summer and her day so far. Her hand is partially covering up the leading statement, ‘What is one thing I like about my school’, but you can see her response – ‘everyone is nice.’ When I asked a question or two about her summer and her day, her face lit up with genuine excitement about starting the new school year. What a comforting thought to share with a parent – ‘Please don’t worry, our kids think that everyone at the school is very nice.’

2) This picture was taken at the end of the first day, when teachers were walking students to their buses. I was a late with the camera but what prompted me to take the picture was the four groups of friends and the teachers in the back who all had big smiles on their faces.

I hoping and praying that all the schools who’ve had their first day or week have a similar experiences. We do a lot of planning for a smooth operations, I’m going to hold on to these pictures for a while and try to remember to plan for these good measures.