Yesterday summed up our week: Open House. For teachers, nothing beats being stuck in a mandatory training when we’d rather be at our schools preparing classrooms and greeting families. The session felt especially long this year — teachers were assigned to a school far from their home campus and kept in a tightly scheduled program for the entire day. Even the presenter apologized for the strict format they had to follow and admitted it wasn’t ideal.
At least there was food. Sharing a meal with other adults on training days is a rare luxury, and we made the most of it. Those lunch breaks are savored because they’re a brief moment of normalcy before the school year’s daily rush returns.
Today the mood is lighter and the sun is bright. We survived Open House and now we have time to put away supplies, plan lessons, and enjoy lunch from a food truck — a welcome treat that feels almost celebratory.
Our PTO outdid themselves. A food truck on campus is a small thing that made a big difference. Our town only recently approved food truck licenses, so this is a new option locally, but I’ve been a fan for years. In Colorado and elsewhere I try a new truck in every town we visit.
This truck was excellent: Pastor’s Kitchen, serving Mexican dishes from a mobile kitchen. It was everything a teacher on a busy pre-school day could hope for.
With just one more day before students arrive, there’s a mix of excitement and a last-minute scramble: arranging materials, finalizing plans, and enjoying small moments like lunch with colleagues. Those moments matter and help reset us for the school year ahead.
One more day until the school year begins — and I’ve got to go for a run. All this delicious food is starting to strain my non-stretchy jeans.