Oh, What a Day!
A day in the life of the superintendent is never predictable, and while there are sometimes tough issues to deal with, I can honestly say that I love my job. I especially enjoy days that allow me the opportunity to visit schools and interact with students. I had an especially enjoyable day this week!
My morning started at Ramona School to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day. The Ramona PTA arranges for guests to come to the school and read to the students. Every elementary school in our district has celebrations and events to promote reading and recognize the contributions of Dr. Seuss. The students were excited and wore the “spirit attire” of the day. I was one of many there to share the joy of reading. There were police officers, firemen, businessmen, attorneys, retired school administrators, and a host of others there to read to the students. I am sure it is as much fun for us to read to the students as it is for the students to sit back and enjoy a Dr. Seuss story.
A little later in the day I was off to Prairie Vista Middle School (PVMS) for the Spring Performance. Six years ago PVMS became a fine arts academy and this performance is just one of many to show off the hard work of the students. The performance was filled with dances and dramatic recitals. The students could not have done a better job! It was engaging and beautiful. The highest compliment I heard came from several of the students leaving the performance who seemed to agree that the performance was, “AWESOME!”
Later that afternoon I was off to Washington School for their Family Art Night. Parents and children had a wonderful time painting and creating with a variety of activities for them to enjoy. I tried my hand at painting Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. I was able to confirm that I am not an artist, but I had fun chatting with the parents and students who all did a better job with the painting. It was a wonderful event and I look forward to another in the future. Perhaps I can work on my art skills in the interim.
My last school event of the day was a performance at Hawthorne Middle School (HMS) of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. HMS Principal, Mr. Salas, contracted with a group to provide an opportunity for our students to perform this play. It not only exposed the students to Shakespeare, but gave them the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. The students were impressive in their delivery of some difficult dialogue. It was a wonderful way to finish off a spectacular day!
I am so fortunate to work in Hawthorne with such talented staff and students.
Oh, what a day!
