Polyester pants to potting soil.

I put thank yous in teachers' mailboxes for filling out the Spring Faculty Advisory Survey. I have such a hard time remembering to do "niceys" like that... maybe it's because I don't care that much when I get one... I have to be better at remembering to thank people and give them credit for even the little things they do.

I told the teachers I would draw for prizes from among the people who had filled out the survey. I got a couple of things at Shopko including a Shopko gift certificate. I emailed everyone saying I had drawn for prizes and included a bit about each prize... I wrote:

• Mary Lou - Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares (I know, I TOLD you they'd be fabulous!)
• Ryan - A pack of G2s (If you haven't used these pens, you should start!)
• Kelly - $10 gift certificate to Shopko (Socks & CDs, puppy chow or potting soil... Shopko really has it all!)

I was going to write "from polyester pants to potting soil - Shopko has it all..." but I was sure I'd get someone who would say I wasn't being kosher with our retail neighbors...

A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it.

A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it.
A song's not a song 'til you sing it.
Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay.
Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”
~The Sound of Music

PGEC is such a unique place. Working in the basement of this building two days a week has been eye-opening in the best way. The PA system is in constant use with little pieces of information from Maryann (peppered with her humorous take on everything), people summoning kids to the office, and so on...

The very BEST thing that comes over the PA is news of "bell ringings." Since students graduate whenever they have enough credits to do so, there are sometimes a few graduations a week! Although they have a formal graduation ceremony at the end of the year, the immediate celebration of completion is the bell ringing.

The graduating student prepares to ring the big bell and a close friend is chosen to ring the second bell. Staff members, other students, and parents gather in the office to witness the incredibly happy event. Piped in over the intercom, Maryann will talk about the student... where he came from and where he is going... and maybe a humorous story about him...she will end with, "put your hands together for this awesome young person, our 40th graduate of the year!"

Then the bells start ringing and people are cheering! What a great celebration!