First day of school.

You know that smell of fresh pencils? The intoxicating scent of dry erase markers? The squeaky clean waxed floors? It's a beautiful thing for kids on their first day of school. But as today was my first day of school it was an amazing thing for me as well. It was very strange entering into the public school system after having been in a private school for the past two years. It's hard to believe all the stuff you have to do as a public school teacher. Papers to sign, papers to pass out for parents to sign, papers to pass out for kids to sign, papers to take from kids signed by parents to file away, papers that have to be in the office before a certain time, papers, papers, papers! And lest we forget all the wonderful tests and assessments we must perform and track with the kids. Oh, and I have a formal evaluation this year with several important people in the school system. Apparently it's not enough that you graduated college, they still need to test you. But you know what? Even with all of that looming over me and making me nervous, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, dry erase markers, and waxed floors calmed all my nerves today.

The students were excited to be there and I was excited to be teaching them. We did little more today than get to know each other, and get them acclimated with the rules and procedures. There is so much for them that we'll be doing it all week. Most of it will be new until tomorrow and then we'll be reinforcing it throughout the week. But hopefully by doing that it will become second nature to them. Now I have to get onto "Tech Paths", which is how we plan out our units -- because we don't use textbooks -- and decide what we're going to do this month. It's sure to be an exciting year, and I hope you'll enjoy hearing about it here. Thanks so much to Kara and Big Nate who is envious of my sweet job (um, hello? You have a sweet job too, travel the world, save the planet? Ring any bells big guy? And with only 73 days left to go at the time of this writing hopefully you'll have an even better job, maybe somewhere tropical this time!? :D), thanks to mom and dad who are so very proud of me and pushed me and cheered me on time and time again. Thanks to Beth Ann and her family, people who keep me in smiles and stitches (the good kind, the ones that come from laughing at silly lines from Superman movies and Young Frankenstein quotes, and for the eye rolls that say, how do you two know that many ridiculous movie quotes ((That's Grant I'm referring too)), and the chubby cheeks that I love to kiss ((BRADY!!!!!)). Love you sis).And thanks most of all for my wonderful wife Sarah whom helps me believe in myself and helps make me a better person daily (it's our anniversary in less than a week so I'm really laying it on thick). I love you all. Until next time, I remain yours,

Jonathan.

P.s. Why does it sound like I just won some sort of an award? Well I guess CSLA is my reward for patience in finding a job. :D