For as long as I can remember being a teacher I have written the letters F.D.O.S. on my lesson plan book to mark the First Day of School. Now that I’m an assistant principal I don’t have a lesson plan book anymore, but those letters still make their way to my calendar. I can’t break this habit and I don’t even have the desire to break it. It’s part of my own ritual that will make my year start off right.
As much as I want to tell my students and faculty that we’re going to have a great year I know that my tone helps to set how education happens in my building. I want to be positive and encouraging and fun. Last week my admin team nominated me to start off the faculty meeting by telling a story of a genie who grants three wishes. What they didn’t tell me was that I was going to wear a genie costume while I told the story.
As soon as I entered the room teachers automatically pulled out their cell phone cameras and took pictures.
FINE. I’ll do what it takes to start the year off right, people!
Things I have to remember this morning:
1. Wear pants so I can clip my radio onto them. It’s a pain to carry it around when I wear a dress.
2. Drink coffee in the kitchen. Not the bathroom where my hair spray can get into the cup.
3. Take a picture of my sons who are both in high school now. A freshman and a senior. WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?
4. Tell the boys that they suck when I try to take a picture and they put on their Most Bored Face Ever.
5. Listen to some really good Get Going Music. I think “Jai Ho” should do it.
6. Be patient with the little bitty Freshmen in my building. They don’t have a clue and will wander around aimlessly while saying hi to the friends they didn’t see over the summer.
7. Take vitamins. I’m going to need the energy.
8. Not count down the number of days until the end of the school year. KIDDING. (Not really.) (Ok. Yes, I am.)
9. Speak nicely and carry a big badge that reads I’M THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, THAT’S WHY.
10. Try to bribe the teachers who have a picture of me in a genie costume. Lottery tickets? Free markers? Extra prep periods?
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Have a great FDOS, missy!
FDOS! FDOS! Have a great one, Mocha!
Can’t forget: we need to see the genie photos!
Hahah, I’m sure you were just great telling that story! (Though I wonder what that story is, think never heard it.)
Anyway. I’ll be a stupid blonde now, whatever (well, I AM a blonde, though I like to tell people that my hair’s very bright bronze). Does in America Assistant Principal not teach? In here even Principal does, though only – for example – one class (i.e. in my High School the Principal was a geography teacher and he had three lessons a week with two classes, 1st. grade and 2nd grade. Me myself I had maths lessons with Asistant Principal).
Ha, I am not back to my University till October 1st. But I’m weird, I’d like to be back already. (Well, I love my family, but after 9 months of living on my own in a rented appartment, I get crazy after one week with them back home.)
best wishes for this new year,
Amelia.
Must see this costume. Where are the pictures? Where are they?!
There isn’t much I WOULDN’T do for extra prep periods…
It’s my F.D.O.S. today too. Must admit I am very nervous. It’s only my second time through, though. Does it get easier? Please tell me it gets easier…
We so need to see the genie pictures. You can’t mention something like that and not expect us to be crossing our fingers and holding our breath in the hope and anicipation of being able to catch a glimpse of the genie one day.
We have two more weeks before the kidlet start, but I start tomorrow, teaching teachers how to teach. How’s that for you?
And in the grand wisdom of our board we have PD days before Labour Day so the students don’t have to start before the long weekend – which means we are in school until June 30th (but I too am not counting down to the last day 
).
Have a fantastic F.D.O.S!
Lara, it may get easier, but the feeling on the first day of school is always the same! At least to me it is. Good luck.
We want pictures of the genie costume!!! ASAP!!
I have a friend who would throw a champagne brunch for the parents on the first day of school. Sure miss those days now that my sons have both graduated.
I guess this would be the same sort of champagne brunch teachers would have on the last day of school every year.
Either way it just goes to show that the reason we drink is our kids.
I wish I had you as an administrator when I was in high school.
Amelia, there are some schools in the U.S. where administrators actually do teach a class. In my district this is not required, though I would actually love to do so. The other duties do not allow time for teaching.
And yes, Lara, it does get easier. Though the kind of easy is different. But you still work hard every year. See how I sidestepped the question there?
The thing that made me laugh hardest is Lori E’s comment about why we drink. And Avitable who, for once, didn’t make his comment include a penis joke.
As soon as I figure out WHO has these pictures I’ll let you know. I’m not saying I’m going to show you. But I’ll let you know.
Hope the FDOS goes well. My daughter is a freshman this year here in North Carolina. I hope the child hasn’t been wandering the halls saying hi to her friends! She better be getting to class on time. Oh wait…she lives here with me..she likes living..she’s getting to class on time. LOL
Let us know who has the pictures.. I know how to bribe a teacher, too..hehe
Pictures, pictures… you know they’ll end up on the interweb anyway. You may as well control the when and where.
p.s.
FDOS indeed. I’m in the middle of week 26/41. But at least winter is treating us right… a solid week of 80F days. What winter?
I miss the first day of school, as an employee and as a parent. The gbaby will be starting Pre-K next week, does that count?
I know teachers who would have given a first born for an extra prep.
So I guess you don’t plan on posting the picture here, huh. Maybe mae that number 11? Pretty please? Consider it one of my 3 wishes
I have one week left of registration counseling before classes start at my community college. I have not assumed the fetal position yet which is always touch and go in August.
I hope you had a great first day. I honestly can’t wait for mine, because it means I can eat my lunch for the first time all summer without the pitter patter of little needy feet outside my door.
(Actually I’m in denial. That never happens. Too many of them know where I live. Also I don’t get a radio. I’m kind of bitter about that.)
I promise. I’m still asking for pictures because HEY, I can laugh at myself and post them myself on the Internet. Everyone’s keeping mum. Hmm. Methinks they’re planning on doing something horrid with them.
Laurie, there is a downside to having that radio. For instance, when I take it off the clip so I can lay it down and actually use the restroom during the day. And then, as I’m peeing, I can hear them call my damn name over the radio and I think, “Christ on a cracker, can’t I use the bathroom by myself?!”