Traditions both good and bad

Well, yes, time does fly! What with watching political debates, cleaning the gutters, frantically lesson planning, and having a cold which I'm forcing myself to think of as allergies, I haven't given myself a minute to write.

This weekend is Homecoming, which includes all sorts of Americana, including tonight's pep rally and Powder Puff football game (junior girls play senior girls); and parade, football game, and Homecoming Dance tomorrow night. I will chaperon the Powder Puff and the dance. Yes, they pay me, but I find it fun to do these things, particularly since I had no such events in my tiny high school. Oh, and I chose to compete in the teacher Dance-Off, which has me and two colleagues pitted against others while we do "choreographed" dance moves to the song "Cotton-Eyed Joe" and "Pump up the Jam". Anyone who's seen me do modern dance knows it's going to be quite a scene....Sisters, stop laughing. My little team will ROCK. I'll let you know how it all goes.

Today included a rather mean tradition called Freshman Friday, where upperclasspeople haze the freshmen, calling it a "rite of passage". What a crock. As I wrote before, if there's one thing I cannot stand, it's bullying of any kind. Mostly it includes writing with markers on kids, squirting them with water, and using those bingo daubers on them. We warned the students over and over again not to do it, were out in full force today, and sent at least four kids home, banning them from any Homecoming events. It's mostly sophomores and older siblings, but it scares the freshmen and I do not like them to feel unsafe. As far as I know, we just had those few incidents, but I'd love that little snippet of Americana to go away. At least my little froshies in my homeroom made it through OK; I checked on them as I saw them.

Now I'm off to take a nap before tonight's events...thank goodness it's a three-day weekend for us because I need the rest! Fortunately the weather people predicted a glorious, warm three days, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Do the same, my dears!