Lesson 317: School Rules

RRRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!

Did you hear that, Readers?
That's the bell.

It's time for

Eloise is heading back to class for the 38th consecutive year.

Here I am in 1976.

After all these years spent in classrooms, I've picked up a few tips I'd like to share with you.

Welcome to the School Rules Edition of the Lamp Post.

In 1976, I attended Fred S Clark Elementary.  I now have the privilege of teaching there in 2014.  Clark School is closed for renovations this year and our whole Clark family has been relocated to a vacant school building in a nearby.  No one likes being away from what is known and safe, but we all will adjust to our new setting.

School Rule #1--Adaptation is key to survival.  

Klein School, another elementary building in my district, reopened its doors all fresh and new from its own recent renovations.  Here were the happy students returning for their first peek.  There is no place like home!

I guess that is why Dorothy and Toto greeted the happy children and passed out these pins.

School Rule #2--Be Appreciative of What You Have

My classroom has fresh paint, brighter lightning, updated electricity, and is climate controlled.

This is the view out my classroom door, into the hallway.

I think the universe is sending me a message:

Perhaps the key to academic success is good organization.

School Rule #3--Stay Organized!

Eloise will readily admit that I am not the most organized person by nature.

I'm not Born Organized like my mother.

I like clutter and work very well within it.

Grandma hates my refrigerator door.

I tell her it is an outward manifestation of my brain.

So is my purse.

It's in there, somewhere......

Still, being the creative type who can carry on well amid chaos,

is no excuse for poor personal management.

I recognize my tendencies, but put in place some strict rules to make myself functional.

For example, here are all the school materials I've collected over the last three days.

Do I leave them all in this giant heap, or make myself a manageable system?
Time will be spent this weekend creating an organizational binder.

Do I WANT to do that?

Heck, no!

Do I NEED to do that?
Hell, yes!

I also impose on myself strict routines during the work week:  

• Put laundry away on Tuesday and Saturday
• Lesson plans on Wednesday
• Clean the house 5:00 am Thursday mornings
• Grocery shopping Fridays
• Family clean up Sunday nights 7:30

Sticking to a routine like this isn't exactly FUN.  However, running around my house searching for lost items or scrambling for the Xerox machine on Monday mornings isn't a picnic either.  

School Rule #4--Make Your Personal Accommodations!  

No excuses!

Good news of the week:
My cherry tomato plant showed some late promise!

Last week I ate Lady Sybil, my one and only cherry tomato from my garden, 

at the advice of my facebook friends.

I thought she'd be the only one of the season,

and felt sad eating her, hating the Very Small Tomato Party to come to and end.

I posted a What Should Eloise Do? post to facebook.

I got some really great advice from my friend Kira.

Kira Eat it, then more may appear‼️‼️

August 13 at 2:30pm ·

That's exactly what happened!

Your advice was spot on, Kira!

School Rule #5-- Never Give Up Hope

Hope was the theme of the week with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenges.

ALS or Lou Gherig's Disease is a degenerative neurological condition to which there is no known cure.

Awareness is raised through Walks,

and Rides.

The Ice Bucket Challenge has really brought attention to this dreadful, terminal condition.

Everyone jumped on the Zamboni and dumped ice to raise awareness.

NBC was on board as Today Show's Matt Lauer got the early morning chill down.

Former President George Bush volunteered to be a Freeze Pop.

Even Handsome Himself took off his black hat for a worthy cause.

School Rule #6--Take Action!

Eloise didn't get officially "called out."

 I did call out to my facebook friends to read this book though.

Tales from the Bed is an account of ALS through one of its victims.

School Rule #7--Educate Yourself!

I'm buffing up my axe for Barber Beast on the Bay.

Last year I slayed the beast with this dagger.

This year the beast is bigger and badder than ever, 

so I've stepped it up a notch.

I'm using my battle axe, an ancient family heirloom.

I, the Eldest Daughter, is the rightful heir.

My little sister, Kenyan, wants it, 

and wants it BAD!

I've caught her twice trying to break into the Lamp Post to steal it,

so Eloise moved the axe to safer locations for its protection.

Jealous Kenyan got an axe of her own.

It's purely intimidation, as this axe, although big

(and sharp)

does not hold the power that lies within my axe.

Eloise is not afraid.

School Rule #8--Have No Fear

Signed up for the Barber Beast, are ya?

So,

have the dreams started yet?

You know,

the ones where you are climbing mountains of sand,

 and running for miles on end.

Or how about the ones where you are scaling a high and unsteady apparatus?

I hate to tell you this, Teammates, 

but those nightmares are about to become real.

The Barber Beast can be daunting, but don't doubt yourself.

School Rule #9--Trust Your Training

You can do this!

We could!

And we did!

You can do this, too!

School Rule #10--Have Faith in Yourself!

The first bell rings on Monday morning, marking the unofficial start to the fall.  I am looking forward to the year to come and cannot wait to see all of the students.

The photos are very appropriately set to Caroline Pinnell's song, We Are Gonna Be Friends.  It's very schoolish.  My Teacher Peeps are gonna love it.  (Sorry--GOING TO love it).

Mrs. Eloise