Kids at Work

At my new school we were told that we need to have a separate spot for each child's work. Each time we change work we just unclip the old and clip the new. I love the idea. I made labels for each 12x12 background page that say "work in progress" to fit the Kids at Work/Learning Zone theme so that the space will never be blank. Especially when I take the old off and get distracted before putting the new up.

The Weeks Before School Starts

I always love popping into school about 2 weeks before it starts, looking around and thinking "Is the school going to be ready in time?" The hallways are littered with furniture and custodial tools. The floors have random papers and scraps scattered about. Then on opening day somehow it all gets done. Do custodial fairies fly in the night before and complete the work that seemed like a small army couldn't handle? No it is completed by possibly the most hard working, unrecognized staff members in the building. They stay behind the scenes and take little credit but appear in a moments notice for anything you may need. They are the first you see in the morning and the last before you leave. They clean up paper, boxes, glitter, crayons, blood, vomit, urine, and the mystery sticky green stuff on the cafeteria tables. They paint, catch drips from a leaking ceiling, fix broken glass, retrieve lost tennis balls from the roof, move furniture, stay late and come in early to help set up and clean up for activities. Although I have made a point to meet and thank the custodians at my new school I miss my custodians Rick, Moises and Larry from my last school and hope they know how much I appreciate them and everything they do to make the school a better place. So the next time you come in to a clean classroom and a beautiful looking building on the first day of school, don't forget to say, "Thank you" to your knights in shining armor.