So here's what happened:
I was a guest reader for my son's kindergarten class last week. I brought DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS from our home library, and it was such a hit that we followed up DON'T LET THE PIGEON STAY UP LATE from the classroom bookshelf. There was a brief intermission where each child raised their hand to tell me how late they stayed up (NOTE: Apparently Star Wars airs on Fridays and many parents extend the standard 8:30 bedtime to 9:00. Must look into this. Also, several stayed up until midnight on New Years and one little liar stayed up all the way until morning uh-huh really she did.)
When I finished with the second book it was time for the kids to get ready for dismissal, and I decided to drive my kids home instead of having them take the bus because that's the kind of Dad I am. We gathered his things and went off to another classroom to get my other son.
When we got there my older son's second-grade teacher saw my kindergartner and said, "It's nice to meet you, congratulations on your Trail Blazer award. We heard your name on the announcements."
I was too busy beaming with pride to notice if he said "thank you" so I'll just assume he did.
On a side note, when I signed the kids out at the office, the administrative staff complimented me on the interactive reading. My younger son's kindergarten classroom is closest to the office, and the door was open so they could all hear two dozen tiny voices shout "NO" over and over again. The Pigeon books rock!
When we got to my car I asked a few questions about the award. The answers were as thin as the air. Later that evening I asked my wife, and she was totally in the dark. She asked the boys some more questions, and by then they were sick of talking about it. We have yet to determine:
- Why he got the award. From what we could surmise, he was nice to people.
- When he got the award. It wasn't that day. We are certain it was this school year, and confident it was in 2010 (but not positive).
- Who else got the award.
- What else comes with the award, other than the principal saying his name in the morning announcements.
For all I know it was a Major Award, falling someplace between the Nobel, Pulitzer, and that leg lamp from A Christmas Story...
"Fra-gee-lay. It must be Italian..."
17 comments:
I an too poor of a reader to figure out which, M or V, got the award. Being proud won't change much as long as the word DETENTION is not buried in the fine print.
Vic got the award. It was Max's teacher who congratulated him. It would be a lot easier if I just used their names, huh?
My kids LOVE the pigeon books! It's not working for me that my son has it memorized though. Frequently when I attempt to put my 5-yo to bed he'll say "We never get to talk anymore, tell me about your day."
Congrats on your son's award!Regardless of the why, Trail Blazer sounds like a very cool award. Based on my son's descriptions of Kindergarten, they learn 'nothing' and play outside. I volunteer in class each week though, so when he gives the 'nothing' answer, I'll say "well, what about literacy time?" Then he says, "Yeah, but nothing other than that." Gotta love kids! :)
Kristi,
I also posted a link on Facebook, I'm hoping one of the other parents will be able to shed some light on this prestigious achievement. It does sound cool!
Hah! I've got to see that movie again. It sounds like a scouting award or something, but I'm assuming that's not it. :)
My kids are similarly tight lipped, which is why I spy on them, I mean volunteer at the school. Our school has a similar kind of thing (I think), called Paws for Pride. This is a recognition that gets handed out when the kids are "caught" doing something nice, positive, or generally keeping with the Cougar Character themes that the school espouses.
I like the name Trial Blazer better, though. As long as their not blazing a trail to the Principal's office!
Congrats to your wee one! (and kudos for being that kind of cool Dad)
Michelle- I watch A CHRISTMAS STORY every year. This year Max (my 8-year old) was fascinated by the stick-your-tongue-to-the-flagpole scene!
Susan- The school is Freedom Trail, so there is a tie in for the award. I know the principal, we are both assistant coaches on the same soccer team. Although I have yet to meet with him in an "official" capacity...
If you don't know what the award's for you can tell people it's for whatever you want it to be for though, right?
Well, really! I'm no english or spelling major, but when I re-read that, I'd probably failed 4th grade.
I'll try again, ok?
Like you really know what all the blogger awards really mean!
Doesn't lessen the accomplishment.
Schools have fabulous awards that only mean something to the students themselves. I think it kinda determines what "clique" they progress through in school.
I also think there is a "memory charm" on these awards as we grow into adulthood. We many not remember getting the awards ourselves in that same school, but we remember we felt good about ourselves for a brief time.
So I have to agree with Rich; the word detention wasn't a part of the narrative, therefore, it was awesome. Just say "great job on the award kid" and move on so you don't embarrass him with your fatherly pride.
He'll like it that the adults have something to "talk amongst themselves" about him, and it's not complaints he's not doing his chores, or homework.
Oh, congratulations Rick on your son's award. You must be very proud!
.......dhole
Donna- you hit the nail on the head, and you're right...I am very proud of both boys. Reports cards came out yesterday. My 2nd grader got stellar marks. My kindergartner doesn't go on Tuesdays, so we'll get his report card today, and I'm sure we'll be just as pleased.
As long as he's not copying his cousins, and he wasn't 'Trail Blazn' to the principals office-then I'm sure it is something to be overly proud of!!!
And of course it was Vic- so how could it be something other than
'cute'???!!!
My guess, he did something to impress his Aunt!! :)
Sharon- Vic's powers of cute are increasing exponentially. He's going to be dangerous one day. Plus his report card came in yesterday and he did great, so you should definitely be a proud Aunt!
Congrats to the kid!
And for the millionth time, I think you should beef these family entries up and make them into a book. Have you READ some of the memoirs out there? This stuff is better, fer sure.
Also, the pigeon rocks.
Thanks Anita. A book on family / fatherhood is on my writing road map. But with four works in progress and limited time, I can't afford to add another into the mix quite yet...although these posts do slowly add content that can be expanded and revised when the time comes, so I guess I am laying a foundation!
I know the reason for the award, thanks to Facebook, where I am friends with the principal's wife (I am also friends with the principal, we are both coaches for the same soccer team but he's too industrious to participate in our lively Facebook discussions)...
A student is chosen each month by the staff from each classroom. There is a certain character trait that is the focus for the month, reinforced by guidance lessons in the classroom. Victor's award for January was Honesty.
Congrats to Vic on the award - whatever it was for and whenever he got it....
I go through the same crap- and mine is in high school...
"What detention???" - okay not quite the same....
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