FIRST WEEK

It is DAY SIX and all systems are GO!

It is tempting to say "it's as though we never left"…but truth be told, this first week of school atmosphere is a different kind of feeling. There is nothing like snazzy shoes, a sharp pencil, great attitudes, a fresh start in the next grade level, and the faces of 81 brand new student friends to get those brain cells firing in a back-to-school kind of rhythm. 

I was privileged to catch up with second grader Rebekah Hillman this week.  Her response to my well-worn first-week-of-school question, “So…how do you like second grade so far?”gave me a small heart failure before it made me smile.  She was thoughtful and matter-of-fact. “I don’t like it.”  Uh oh…. There was pause enough to make my eyebrows raise before she finished her thought aloud.  “I LOVE it!” Her convincing grin followed.

Mrs. Hadden’s four-year-old class happily shared their favorite parts of the school day.  While Makenzie loves the playground, Caleb (still sporting his awesome summer haircut) says nap-time is great because he can play quietly by himself instead of sleep!  

(This aversion to naps will surely change in the second half of your personal century, my young friend….)

With no coaxing or inducement from our school librarian, Avelynn energetically reported that her very favorite school activity is reading books! 

Kate and Sam (both kindergartners in Ms. Price’s homeroom) voiced how much they love to sing with Mrs. Litzenberger during music class. I did not ask for a recital but had the feeling they were willing to start crooning if the opportunity arose.

Young Naomi is a fan of physical education!  On Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Longacre taught the kindergarten children to safely maneuver through space by driving their hula hoop cars around the small gymnasium.  Making things even more realistic, I was told that some of the cars were making "burning out" sounds as they jockeyed for position.  Perhaps we should send our energetic PE teacher to our high school campus to help direct newly licensed drivers.  Navigating actual cars into parking spots during the early morning hours is no small feat. Especially for novice drivers who have not yet fully extracted themselves from summertime sleep schedules.

Kindergarten Friends! Ms. Price's class. 

Five year-old Khloe described fun with the color purple during her art class this week with Mrs. Bergey.  The students listened to the story of Harold and his purple crayon as they tested different forms of coloring media during their introductory class period.

Bravely representing the middle school end of our building, Madelyn Lewis, grade 7 admits she may not have been QUITE ready to return to school when the calendar page turned to August 25th....  But now that she is back, she is glad to be with her friends again. 

Watch for blog entries at the beginning of each month during this school year.  A small square PEEK icon is accessible on our school website and with each edition of the weekly Penn's View newsletter. The icon is a speedy way to access the school blog. The PEEK allows parents and friends a small window into the school day.  

Every single minute, there are wonderful opportunities for learning and growth on the Penn View campus of Dock Mennonite Academy.