Back To School

Today was Dylan's first day of second grade, and it was a first day he'll not likely forget. The day started out gloomy and overcast. I couldn't even get my camera to take a non-flash photo of Dylan as he left for school. The weather got progressively worse as the day wore on, with intermittent heavy rain and wind. The radar was positively lit up with green and red. Then around 2:30 this afternoon, there was some talk of a tornado outside of town; however, the sirens didn't wail here in town.

I drove over to the school to pick him up because it was still raining. When I got there, I had to go into the building to get him because they had taken the kids down to the basement shelter. ALL 650 OF THEM. I suppose that is proper protocol at a time like that, but it was absolute pandemonium down there. Dylan doesn't handle noise and chaos very well and was very relieved to see me. Walt Grenz, the school counselor, told me that they had also run a tornado drill this morning. They must not have told the kids that it was the real deal the second time because Dylan said how funny it was that they had two tornado drills in one day. Northridge has a new principal they year, a young-ish guy from South Dakota. Talk about trial by fire - an actual tornado event on his first day of school.

His teacher this year is Renae Ely, who coached the Centahnas when I danced in high school! I LOVE HER, and I was so happy he got placed in her class. She is kind and giving and had a knack for the little things that made wonderful memories of dance team for me. Hopefully Dylan will have wonderful memories, too. I haven't seen it yet, but Brad said her classroom is great. He even used the word "sophisticated" and said she has a couple of cool art-deco lamps. I'm not surprised. She always had impeccable taste.