There is nothing like the first day of school. If you haven't cried or teared up lately, try watching kindergarten on the very first morning of a new school year. It's a magical moment for the little ones, their parents, and that new lady who is really nice and smells like apples. 7th and 8th grade was a little like that this year as they strolled through the hallways of PPSEL for the very first time. Their new teacher smelled of coffee more than apples, but none the less it was still very magical. We have 20 students, four returning from last year's 5/6 crew, five from the district schools, five from the other charter school in town that only goes up to 6th grade, four previously home schooled, and one very intelligent gal from Oklahoma.
Students seem to like the "de-stressed" environment, and they liked the fact that they got to make more choices in their learning. One student even said, "Colored Pencils, I haven't used these in years!" Overall it was a fun day of getting to know you.
Our biggest challenge as we move forward is building our CREW, protecting our individualism, and identifying with a community of learners. Its not going to be easy. We are all coming from different situations, schools, and in search of something new. The great thing is that we (the students and myself) hold the power. With great power comes great responsibility.
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