Interview Pt. 3

This is the end of a long week. I had my second interview yesterday. I think it went well, but it's hard to know. I'm comfortable with my answers to their questions. I just don't know if I'm what they're looking for. Ah, well--we will see.

Today was graduation at the high school where I teach. It's different from most high school graduations in a good way. At my high school, today, 36 students graduated. It was a beautiful thing. I think probably in most small towns, graduation is a very formal event, even if the school is small. It's one of the few times all the pomp and circumstance happen.

In the heart of west St. Louis County, the pomp and circumstance (or maybe dog and pony show) happen everyday. The upper-middle class suburbs try to show their status with formalities every day. But not at my school.

We are an anomaly. The kids at my school are the ones, who, for one reason or another, just couldn't get it together at the big comprehensive high school. The pretend world of making a great impression and not being yourself didn't appeal to them. Instead, they come to our school to be themselves--warts and all. So our graduation ceremony is a bit different. There is a little pomp and circumstance, but mostly there are a lot of proud parents (and students) who weren't sure graduation day would ever come. There is a lot of celebrating. There is a lot of honoring the graduates.

I was honored to be chosen by the class of 2007 to speak at the graduation ceremony. I spoke about each graduate. All 36 of them. Because I know them. I know something about each one of them. It was a great celebration.

If I get a position as an assistant principal at a big comprehensive high school, it is days like today I will miss the most--a day to celebrate, personally, with each graduate. Class of 2007--you rock.