Paideia Begins the School Year
Buzzing, running, jumping and squealing, Paideia students arrived on campus for the very first day of school. While some students were new to campus, other students entered new buildings and new classrooms for the very first time.
Our High School students began Thursday with Monday Morning Meeting…yes, we know…it’s confusing. During the meeting, Tom Taylor greeted the entire High School student body for the very first time conveying lots of enthusiasm and showing off equally bright new sneakers. Continuing the tradition of the eraser toss, Tom launched the eraser from the back of the auditorium, and it was caught by 10th grader Wyatt Ippen. As legend has it, Wyatt is now destined to become a teacher. While he is not too keen on the idea of becoming an educator, Wyatt did say if he had to teach any subject he would teach history, specifically Greek mythology.
The day proceeded as the first day of school usually does with Elementary, Junior High and High School students adjusting to the rhythm of the school year, meeting and reconnecting with friends, and learning their schedules and classrooms. All of this activity was dappled by laughter that could be heard from the Elementary across Ponce to the Junior High.
Before 10 a.m., High School teacher Jim Veal notified us that the first disc was already on the roof of the High School. This may be a new record.
High School math teacher Rand Wise shared that people are noticing the Junior High carpool lineup sign is still in front of Oakdale Hall. Some of the teachers are considering taking bets on how long the sign remains in its old spot. Rand just might correct it by coloring in the word “junior”.
Across Ponce, in Tony and Andy's Junior High homebase, a long-time Paideia student's eyes flew open and his mouth dropped as he heard De'Andria Griggs speak over the school wide intercom. "Did you hear THAT?" he said excitedly to the student next to him, "It's like a real school!"
Shortly thereafter, April Bartlett witnessed Tom Taylor meeting a Junior High student in the hallway. Tom asked the student how their day was going, and after a few minutes of polite small talk, the student paused and asked, "Do you work here?"
Unfortunately, the new head of school did not catch a break as he explored the Elementary School. During his visit to Neda and Steff’s class, Tom read What do you do with an Idea? Before he began, Tom asked the kids to show how they were feeling on the first day of school by a show of fingers - five fingers being the best, one finger being the worst. Naturally, there were some fives and some ones and a lot in between. After Tom finished reading, one of the students came up to him and said, “You know, I really didn’t like that book. I was a one before, but now I’m a negative one.” She then paused and said, “I hope I did not come across as rude.” Needless to say, the new head of school has been humbled by an Elementary student.
We welcome many old and new faces to our community for the 2023-24 school year and will continue to make our new and updated spaces feel like home by filling our halls with laughter.