School's Out!!

Finally, the last day of school!!

Clinton had 8th grade graduation today. Dylan just had to show up and be counted. We are done until Fall.

Dad is ready for the (only slightly) slower pace that summer brings. It also brings extended visits to Mom.

Not so thrilled about that. I'll find ways to manage.

Meanwhile, here a few (clickable) pictures of the last day of school.

Zoe is glad school's out!

Dylan and Clinton on the last day!

After graduation, Clinton and Molly

Can we stop taking pictures yet?

Finally! A smile!

btw - I leave for the State Convention tomorrow!!! (Go Obama!) Stay tuned for updates on the convention!!

The Apple Doesn't Fall Too Far From The Tree . .

When I was in high school, my favorite thing in the whole world was going to speech tournaments. In some parts of the country they may be called forensic meets. Basically, it is a competition for speech and drama geeks. Prose and Poetry Interp, multiple acting events, debate, and of course, ample opportunity to flirt with like minded young ladies from other schools.

Heaven!!


#2 Son (a freshman), went to his very first tournament Friday. Look what he came back with.



That, dear reader, is the BEST ACTOR award for the entire tournament!!!

As a freshman!!

At his first meet ever!!!!

Wow.

Just Freaking Wow.

Way to go Dylan.

Laurel Wreaths For Everyone

I love the smell of sweaty running shoes in the morning, ......

It smells like VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The last cross-country meet of the year was held Saturday morning. It was the District meet, with the top finishers (Varsity level only) moving on to the Regional and State meets.

The boys had to be on the bus at 5:00 AM. I had enough time to go home and have coffee, shower and get in the car to make the almost 2 hour drive.

I am thrilled to tell you that the District meet was a rousing success!!!! Not only for Sir Robin's squires, but for the teams as well.


Cross-Country is somewhat of a unique sport in that (at least around here) it is the only sport where Jr. High and High School compete at the same events. All year long these kids from 7th grade to Seniors have been arriving at school at 5:45 AM, 4 days a week to run and then loading on buses at the butt-crack of dawn every Saturday morning since school started to go to a meet together. It is great for the younger kids because they feel so important going with the big kids. In turn, the high schoolers really support the younger ones and it is a true team spirit in this, the most individual of sports. It takes a great deal of dedication to get up and run 4 miles every morning before school and then have an after school practice as well. These kids all share the pain of training together and it shows at the meets.

Well, on to the results!

#2 son ran on the Freshman team and placed 7th. (The top ten in each level receive medals)
#3 son ran on the 8th grade team and placed 4th.
If they were varsity level that would advance them both to the regional meet.

In the team standings, it was almost a clean sweep for our teams. The top 6 finishers on each teams scores are combined for a team score. There are boys and girls teams for 7th, 8th, Freshman, Junior Varsity and Varsity. With the exception of the girls JV who took third, every other team we entered took first place.

There was much rejoicing.

Am I proud?

Yes I am!!

Security or Engagement?

I found this little nugget over at Candide's Notebooks. It is one of the most reasonable, compelling discussions of the school violence problem I have ever read.

Thousands of tragedies take place on a weekly basis in American schools—suicides, rapes, students cutting themselves or starving themselves, and countless other acts of intense bullying and harassment—that are all more or less preventable. Fortress mentalities don’t build security. Knowing and engaging students before they become a threat to themselves and others does.

Read the article, share the link, get people talking about it.