The Po Show

Principal for the Day

Wow, over a month since I posted here last! Much of that has been spent obsessing and being depressed over having to go to Minnesota to visit Ross' dad and that whole branch of Ross' family at the end of the month (I keep meaning to post about that, but I get depressed :p). (Ross' dad is doing pretty well, BTW; they've started him on hormone therapy since they still can't operate on his prostate tumor, due to his heart, but overall he's feeling okay and in good spirits.)

Anyway, last Friday, Tessa finally got to be Principal for the Day at school. This was the prize that we won at the Spring Fest last March. It was the only thing she really really wanted to win, so I bought $40 worth of tickets and tossed them all in that bag (each prize had its own raffle bag). Scheduling the day proved difficult, but it was finally set last week.

She had a wonderful, busy day. I dropped her off in the office, taking pictures of her with our school principal before I left. This was the principal's last PftD, as she is retiring. I also got a picture of Tessa sitting behind the principal's desk, looking very official and professional :). She was given a special pink pen and instructed to take notes of her experiences throughout the day, which began with reading the morning announcements over the PA system. Throughout the day, she typed up her notes and later printed them out to commemorate her experiences. This is what she wrote:

"It all started way back in March when my ticket was picked out of the bag at the Spring Fest. I'd won principal for the day! I was SO excited! Now it's 6/11/10 and I'm principal for the day. So far I've done morning announcements, visited the DUAL-language and Special Ed. classes. Here are some of the notes I took when I observed the kindergartners:

* Doing author study in Mrs. Ziela's class
* Learning vowels in Ms. Derenzo's class (I think)
* Kids coloring in Ms. Rodrigues's class
* Kids in Special Ed. played a game with a ball

I also said good bye to the kids going on a field trip (not in that order). I can't wait 'till the rest of the day!

Now it's later in the day (almost lunch time) and I've visited the first graders. Here are some notes I took when I observed them:

* Read-a-loud in Mrs. Andrade's class
* Reading in Mrs. Mollo's class
* Kids are reading in Mrs. Sharkey's class
* Kids in Mrs. Derusso's class are reciting poems

I also looked at some books. I found some books that I liked.

Now that I've had lunch, I typed down this memo (what you're reading). I really liked being principal for the day with Mrs. Havis :).
PS: I'll miss Mrs. Havis"

It was with somewhat mixed feelings that I read this. I'm thrilled that she had this wonderful experience, and I'm proud of the way she conducted herself through it all. She's so poised, even when she's nervous (which she was, going into school). I'm so happy that she is so happy at her school.

Yet I can never forget that this is the same school in which Matthew was so profoundly unhappy. I have to say that I am not sorry to see Mrs. Havis go, that I'm not going to miss her. She had less to do with the missteps and gross injustices that were inflicted on Matthew than did the assistant principal (who left abruptly last year when she wasn't awarded tenure at her review), but ultimately, it was her fault, because what happened at that school is ultimately her responsibility.

I've had people remark to me that they were surprised that I left Tessa at the school after Matthew was finally allowed to transfer, and while I am positive it was the best thing for her, it has been with some amount of resentment and ill-feeling that I have continued to walk into the place. Most people who knew Matthew are genuinely kind, and always ask how he's doing and tell me to say hello to him. But his third grade teacher, whom I've seen numerous times in the last two years (and who, I will always believe, precipitated much of the tragedy and struggle that he experienced the year he was in her class, and the subsequent year as well), has never once asked about him. Neither has Mrs. Havis.