Today I officially returned to school. What? It’s barely the first of August, you say? Yes, our school district let out in MAY so we are all back at work now and kids return to class on the 11th. Until then my calendar is packed with staff “retreats” (apparently a cute name for staff development days, I looked for the poolside lounge chairs but there were none in sight!), “Welcome Back Breakfasts”, and Common Core Math trainings. Although I’m not thrilled to be back to the early morning wake-ups and early start times, I am actually really excited to get back to school.
I can’t wait to greet my new students!
I have a few DIY classroom décor projects that I’m eager to get finished before the big first day… I just need to get started on them…
My classroom still has 5 boxes I haven’t unpacked. I don’t have a file cabinet, but the custodian is looking for one for me. My walls are bare and yet to be covered in bright-colored paper. The desks are pushed against one wall, waiting to be organized into groups with rainbow-patterned name tags at each seat. I have a stack of postcards with my students’ addresses on them that are in need of sweet “I can’t wait to meet you” notes (English and Spanish, of course) before mailing. I’ll be completing a zillion prep projects over the next 9 days (weekend included) after a full day of training or sitting in on staff meetings. Just thinking about all that needs to be done makes me hyperventilate just a little bit. 
But it’s all going to be ok. I know it is. I always pull it off in the nick of time, and I can be grateful that this year I actually have plenty of time. Last year I was hired the day before school started, and had to set my room up and move in with two almost-one-year-olds crawling all over my butcher paper and making my room smell like dirty diapers.
I just need to breathe…
Wish me luck! 