The King and I

My daughter wound up at my son's old school. "This is great," said my husband, "because it means you can continue to make fun of the principal."

Indeed, that thought had (also) crossed *my* mind. When the principal speaks, I sometimes have to miss appointments, because I'm so eager to witness the lunacy.

I'm truly humbled to be serving as your leader and remain committed to providing a nurturing and challenging environment where every student can thrive.

This year, I'm particularly excited about the finalization of our school's Vision Statement....I look forward to our next steps on how we will gain collaborative stakeholder participation and input. I'm also thrilled that much of the construction work around our school has been completed. In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I ordered new furniture, materials, and supplies that will be added to classrooms throughout our school! I've been hard at work this summer and truly believe that these enhancements are all part of our ongoing effort to ensure that our school remains a place where every child can succeed....

The other day, the bus failed to drop by, so I drove my daughter to school. The principal greeted us and said, "You see! I got you in! I take care of my families! I found a spot for Susie!"

This seemed insane; my daughter's admission was due to the result of a blind lottery. But I felt like one of those old Bostonian ladies who would cower in the presence of Whitey Bulger; I knew exactly what I needed to say. "Thank you so much! Thank you for all that you do!"

The principal left me; he seemed to have ten or twenty balls in the air. Small children were trailing him, looking mildly alarmed. Large boxes of supplies tumbled from his arms.

Another year has begun.