This Reminds Me

Archive for the ‘School Rules’ Category

As I have blogged before – our biggest blessing – our game changer – upon moving to San Antonio in 2000 has been the schools.  We had a great church, neighbors, etc. in Houston, but the schools had deteriorated into cesspools.  All four of our girls have benefited from a terrific public education in San Antonio thanks to the dedicated teachers and staff of NEISD.

Tonight Keith and I enjoyed Lois’ “Summa Reception.”  I’d never heard of one until this year.  This is so cool.   High school seniors with 100+ grade point averages each choose one teacher who has most influenced them.  (Lois’ GPA is 108, and she is ranked 24th of 598.  Yes, I’m bragging.  Are you surprised?)

The students and teachers are honored at a reception and ceremony.  Tonight, 94 “summa seniors” at Ronald Reagan High School offered remarks about their “summa teachers.”  Several teachers were from elementary school days; several from middle school, including a band director (chosen twice) with whom we worship; two students chose their mothers who were also elementary school teachers.   A uniformed summa senior chose his ROTC instructor, a retired Army sergeant.  The Model UN sponsor whom Hannah admires so much -  chosen three times.  One summa senior quoted a long passage from Shakespeare to thank his English teacher.  Neat, neat, neat variety.

Lois chose Carolyn Trigilio, her calculus teacher of two years.   Lois, by the way, is secretary of the Calculus Club.  And took first place in the state competition for Latin Derivatives  last weekend, plus second in Latin Grammar.  But I digress.  Frequently.

Hard to hear, I know.  Here are Lois’ remarks about Ms. Trigilio:  “A recent study showed that students conform to a teacher’s expectations for them, and vice-versa.  If this is really the case, I cannot begin to guess what Ms. Trigilio expected of me.  I would often enter her classroom ready to learn with more energy than either of us knew what to do with.  Still, Ms. Trigilio was calm, oddly personable and a superb teacher.  Ms. Trigilio’s silent method and sly smirks proved not only efficient but also encouraging to her classes.  Thank you, Mrs. Trigilio for challenging and fostering me for two of the longest years of my life.”

During the reception, I overheard several teachers expressing their honor and delight at being chosen.  Wow.  What a motivator.    The teachers get a bucket of recognition from the parents and students, as well as the NEISD brass (the superintendent himself opened the evening.)  The students get the privilege of publicly recognizing the teachers.  The parents get to clap for their kids, plus personally thank the teacher – hard to gripe about property taxes with this kind of evening, right?   Win-win-win.  And what did it cost?  A few trays of sandwiches, two bowls of punch, 200 fold-over programs for the parents, and 150 multi-page booklets for the students and teachers.

I think that’s brilliant.

Like a certain high school senior I know.

The kind of “senior moment” I like to have!

Tonight all six of us clapped for Julia, one of the fifth grade Arabian dancers in her school’s performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Lean to the left!  Julia is front and center.  She thought her placement was because she was not as tall as some of the other performers, but Rachel assured her only the good dancers made the front row.

This was the last elementary school play for Keith and me, having attended our first in 1996 enduring enjoying kindergartener Rachel belting out “Baby Beluga, Under the Sea.”  More memorable Woodworth moments on stage included Lois-the-sheep “molting” while white cotton balls slowly loosened from her shower cap, Hannah-the-Greek Goddness singing a duet of “Greece is the Word,” and Rachel portraying a sausage in a play (whose name escapes me) about food products.  Seldom had I seen pork played to that depth.

We’re entering a season of “lasts” and “firsts” at home.  “Last” school play.  “First” child” preparing to leave for college.  “Last” child in the children’s ministry at church.  “First” summer we could just stop somewhere on the way home from work if we wanted to.  “Last” Sister’s Day coming up where all four girls will be home.  “First” year of serious boyfriends.  And the beat goes on.

The chorus struck a chord with me:

Desert sands that spin and blow

Distant stars that gleam and glow

Desert midnight

Camels lie sleeping

Silver moon shines bright

Desert midnight

Silent sands keeping

Watch all through the night

I think those “desert sands that spin and glow” are the sands of time, swirling more and more quickly.

I’m watching.  Some days for the first time, and some days for the last.  But I’m watching.

Rachel – an education major at UTSA – was required to hand write and secure illustration for a children’s book.  Her “Writing Methods” professor returned hers today with a grade of 100.  Woot!  We ordered three copies of “Middle School on Monday” – one for the esteemed author; one for her illustrator (Lois); and one for the fifth grade subject of the tome (Julia.)

Boys and girls – put your hands in your laps and read along very quietly with me.  Try sounding out each word.  Raise your hand if you need help.

Illustrator Lois is known for her anime talent.

When Julia starts Middle School next year, it will be our first time since 1996 not to have a child (or two or three) in an Elementary grade.

Julia and I attended the Electives Fair a few weeks ago.  The idea of her choosing a few of her own classes is very strange to her.

Rachel-the-Shopper has found far more of Julia’s “cute” clothes than I have.

Julia has enjoyed  consistently excellent teachers in Elementary School.  We will always be grateful to them.

“Awesome big sister…”  Now whom could that be?!

Believe it or not, the Middle School administration says the biggest fear of new students is working the locks on their lockers.

“Shout” is such an ugly word.  I would have preferred her to use “reminding.”  DID YOU HEAR THAT, RACHEL WYOMING?  I SAID “REMINDING!!”

Yes, we will!

Warning: Excessive Maternal Bragging About to Occur

Lois is now a high school senior.  She’s worked hard enough to have some real choices about where she goes away to college.  Those decisions are bittersweet because while I’m thrilled for her, I know I’m going to miss her.  But while she’s considering her next educational step, we’re enjoying some fun now with her being recognized as a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program.  Woot!

Tuesday:  A lovely breakfast for Lois, Keith and me with other families at the local country club…..

….where each student announced his or her intended college and major.  For Lois:  Likely Baylor or A&M, majoring in Engineering.   Both of her grandfathers were engineers, so, it’s a family thang.

Tonight:  The students and their parents were recognized at half-time at the Reagan/Madison game.  Wish Keith could have been there, but he’s in Houston visiting his parents.  And Hannah’s at Girl Scout camp.  But Rachel took these pictures, and Julia clapped hard.  This was the fourth football game I’ve attended in my life – one as yearbook editor in high school to write copy; two when I was handling sports and events for SBC in Houston; now this game tonight.  Interestingly, my former SBC sports marketing boss and friend Mark saw us at the game, and posted his congrats to my Facebook wall.

Yeah, I had to practically run to keep up with her – but what else is new?

A medal from Dr. Brian Gottardy, NEISD Superintendent.   As I have blogged before - the single biggest blessing we’ve gotten from moving to San Antonio in 2000 has been the schools.  In Houston and in San Antonio – good neighbors, good friends, good church.  But schools in Houston?  Forget them.  Hideous.  I am profoundly thankful for the excellent NEISD teachers Rachel, Lois, Hannah and Julia have enjoyed, and the schools’ constant emphasis on achievement.  Rachel is an education major (also a family thang) at UTSA and hopes to join them one day.

I’m not exactly sure how Lois got to be a senior.  I mean, she’s my preemie.  The toddler who used to wear swim goggles, hold a flashlight and announce, “”Mom, I’m going on a mystery.”  The kindergartener I put on the wrong school bus our first week here.   The middle school alto.  Now the fierce Latin competitor.  And somehow a senior.

I’m clapping for her every chance I get.