Lindsay L. O'Connor

Although it has taken a little while to get back into the swing of things at school and I have felt a bit overwhelmed as I’m getting to know my new crew of kiddos and their needs, I am starting to really love them. I’m amazed at how different each new class can be from one year to the next, but I know I’ll get super attached to this group of kids just as I have the past two years. They are a lively bunch and keep me on my toes, but they are really likeable.

One of my zillion girls (I have LOTS of girls this year!) is so funny. The other day, the nurse was on the morning announcements talking about the importance of hand washing. She told the kids that they should sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice as they wash their hands in order to wash for the appropriate 20 seconds. Later that day we were walking down the hall (to specials or lunch, can’t remember which) and two of my girls came running from the bathroom to catch up with the class. I told them they needed to stay with us and that they had taken too long, to which funny girl replied, breathless from running and wide-eyed, “But we had to go to the bathroom and then we had to sing ‘Happy Birthday!’ ” I think it’s pretty safe to say that that’s the first time anyone has used the birthday song as an excuse for being late in my class!