Maggie came down to my office yesterday, very excited.
“Mrs. Szczech called!” Maggie enthused. “She asked if I wanted to come into school to help set up her classroom!”
Mary Szczech was Maggie’s third-grade teacher last year. She also taught Gavin a few years back. And she’s one of the best, most beloved teachers I’ve ever encountered, a great spirit.
As we all know, there’s nothing quite so wonderful as a great teacher, and Mary is that.
So that’s where Maggie is right now, pedaling her bike to Mary’s classroom. I thought it was kind when she reached out to her former students, invited them back into the classroom. They’ll have so much fun, the girls laughing together, stapling pictures to the wall, organizing the books, neatening up the shelves. Mary claims, “They really do help keep me focused.” But you know what? I think she misses those kids — and I know my Maggie feels the same way.
It’s a nice tradition, a warm touch, and a happy way to help these children transition back to school after an endless summer. Thank you, Mary.
Just grabbed Justin Fisher at I Love Books last week, looking for the first read aloud of the year for my 5th graders! Sitting on Ogunquit Beach this weekend, I inhaled it in one sitting, imagining my students’ laughter, knowing they will empathize and see themselves in the characters! Like Franki Sibberson,
(who I greatly admire, but not as much as Mary Szczech), I knew immediately I had found it! Thanks for your humor and writing books that our middle kids can relate to and engage in! Barb Riegel