Friday, May 15, 2009

their first dance....

So, like most elementary schools, we make a big deal out of the 5th graders moving up to middle school next year.  The first official celebration we have is the "5th Grade Celebration".  Really it's a party/dance for just the 5th graders - parents are included, in fact they have to come or at least have another parent agree to be responsible for their child but it's the kids' night and the adults pretty much stay in the background!  The theme was "A Star Studded Night" and we did our best to treat them like stars!  We had a red carpet entrance (notice our security guards below) and had paparazzi taking pictures and asking for autographs as they entered!
Once inside the lobby, there was the walk of fame that wound around inside and every kid had their own star with their name on it!  Inside the gym we had Superlative Stars grouped by class and every kid had one (it was a picture of them with a superlative, "most likely to.." provided by their parents, mounted on a red metallic star).  There was a DJ up on stage and a dance floor blocked out on the gym floor below.  I was also up on stage at the "photo spot" with a backdrop that the art teacher put together taking pictures of anyone and everyone who wanted one!  Of course they got copies of the pictures a few days later at school - gotta give me time to get them printed!
Big S posing for me!  She's growing up too fast!
At one point near the end of the night, I was overcome on stage by all of the remaining kids (there's 111 in the grade, but not everyone came and some left early).  Anyway, it was spontaneous and fun how they grouped themselves together - I had to keep moving back to fit them all in and almost fell off the stage) and we did a few normal ones and then some funny ones too!  They are a great group of kids and most have been together since kindergarten (not everyone since we were redistricted a couple of times).  It will be fun for them to look back on this picture and remember how much fun it is to be on the top of the heap when they plummet back down to the bottom in middle school next year!  
The evening ended a bit abruptly when the evening custodian was forced to pull the fire alarm when she discovered a hot light switch in one of the classrooms - the good news was that it was 9pm and the party was supposed to end at that time anyway.  Firemen sure do know how to clear a room!
Of course their appearance just adds an amusing detail to the stories of that night!  I was so pleased to be able to share in those memories with Big S!  Other than the occasional pubescent moment, she's a wonderful girl and I am proud that she's my daughter!!

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