The First Day

22 nervous faces watching you. Wondering what you're going to say . . . what you're going to do.

Will you be kind or mean?

Stern or permissive?

Easy or hard?

Funny or serious?

Miss Nelson or Miss Viola Swamp? (book reference anyone?)

Wondering what they can get away with . . . how far they can push you before you snap . . . how easy it is to get you off on rabbit trails.

It all goes with the territory of the first day of school.

And as first days go, it was a good one. There were no tears. There was an appropriate amount of chatter . . .  and giggling . . . and trips to the restroom . . . and redirecting. And everyone went home with a smile on their face.

All in all, I'll call it a success.