Today was officially the end of summer–Opening Day in Kirkwood School District!  I don’t know what it’s like in other places, but our Opening Day festivities are something I look forward to every year.  I remember the first Opening Day I went to 13 years ago very vividly, and they’ve somehow gotten even better since then!

We are small enough that we can put everyone who works in our district in one room–a rare thing, I know–but it definitely adds to the family connections that we feel with other teachers.  Generally, the agenda is the same every year: speeches by administration, videos made to kick off the district theme for the year, introductions of all the new teachers and staff for the upcoming year, announcement of support staff of the year awards, presentations of the Teachers of the Year, an address by the district Teacher of the Year, and then a staff-directed skit again tying to this year’s theme.  All of that is great fun (really!), but perhaps everyone’s favorite part is the last part of the morning: a performance by the KHS Marching Pioneers!  They give us a sneak peek of their halftime show, then end with the alma mater and the fight song.  There is so much energy in that room and we end on such a high note–literally (ha ha)!  Here’s a highlight from this morning:

I mean, come on–how can you NOT be excited after that?  🙂

I don’t know if I’ve said before how much I LOVE where I work, but I definitely think that Kirkwood School District is one of the very best places to teach–pretty much anywhere.  I am lucky to be a part of such a fabulous group of people!  Go Pioneers and here’s to a SUPER 2013-2014 school year!

If you’re a teacher, what does your Opening Day look like?