In 1970, I started kindergarten in an authentic two-room school house in Oklahoma City.  Built in 1938 to replace another school (which, in 1900, replaced one of the first schools in Oklahoma County), my little kindergarten sat on land that boasts a little-known history.

After kindergarten, my education moved up the hill and across a massive playground into a larger facility, built in 1962, less than a decade before I attended it.  Walking to school on most days, I always entered the playground door, but outside the front door of the building was the quaint monument pictured at left.  Atop the red brick foundation was an old bell, moved from the original 1890s school a few blocks away.  I was always told the bell was to commemorate two boys who had been hit and killed by a car.  Had I read the plaque as a child, I would know that story is not true.  The bell is an authentic school bell that rang daily in the lives of homesteading children.

The true history of the land and the school buildings of Council Grove Elementary is much more interesting than I ever knew, and once again I must stop to appreciate a place with a history I had no idea existed.

A major part of Oklahoma history involves the famous (or is it infamous?) Land Run of 1889.  While people were allowed to rush into the state to claim free land, a section of the land was marked as unavailable for homesteading.  This reserved land is the location of my elementary education, from kindergarten to sixth grade.  Updated when a new school building was constructed and the bell was relocated on the property a couple of years ago, the bell's current plaque reveals this tidbit:

Who knew the place I played every day was a place that had been guarded by the Cavalry!  After all these years, it's hard to imagine the area covered by forest, and even harder to picture the harvest of the trees that assisted in the construction of one of America's historic western forts (Fort Reno, several miles to the west, has its own special stories to reveal for history buffs.).

This is the same place where I slid down fast, metal slides.  It's the place where I learned you always have to be ready for the person on the other end of the seesaw to jump off, sending you plummeting to the ground.  Here is the location of my two favorite playground activities, from kindergarten to sixth grade:  spinning and flying off of the two fastest merry-go-rounds in the world and kissing girls (but that's a whole different history than the one being told here).

Cecil Floyd Elementary has its own important history.  Though it is quite different from most (Our school is only 27 years old.), our school's history includes a couple of unique elements.  First, The land we sit on was originally a part of the lead and zinc mining history of Southwest Missouri, the industry that built our humble city.  The second element involves our namesake, Cecil Floyd, who created a highly successful, nationally-touted program for teaching children to read.

I have scanned some documents and pictures to highlight the history of Cecil Floyd, the man and the school.  If you are interested, you can see those documents for yourself in my Cecil Floyd Historian website.  Who knows?  You might discover that you are walking in the footsteps of history.

I hope we keep having these opportunities to greet visitors and leave a lasting impression on them.  Last week, we took the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) test, the results of which are reported as a representative of Missouri in comparison with the other states.  We will not receive individual results from this test.  I won't see them.  You won't see them.  Administrators won't see them.  Still, students took this task seriously, and I appreciate them for that.

For the record, the students reported that they thought they did well.  More importantly for me was the impression our class left on the gentlemen who administered the exam.  While I sat at my desk, one of the men gave the instructions and monitored the class.  I was not involved in any way, except to be available in the case of an emergency.  That being said, my students were quite professional in their demeanor, shaking the man's hand and saying, "Thank you, sir," to him when he handed them their test or a pencil.  When finished with the exam, students were not allowed to read a book or do anything other than sit quietly and wait.  I know that must have been the hardest thing for some of my talkative talkers, but every one of them handled that part of the assignment quite well.

I was already proud of them, but before each of the two gentlemen left the room, they were very complimentary. 

The supervisor, Mr. Pierce, whispered to me in the corner:

Then the test administrator, Mr. Addison, later made the same thing clear to the whole class:

He indicated to me that if this class is representative of the student body, then our school is really on the right track.  To make things clear, these gentlemen are former school principals, and they know what schools are typically like.  For them to issue such statements means something.  They would not say these things if they weren't true.

I have no way of knowing (and never will) how our class scored on the NAEP test, but they continue to impress me in the ways they have taken instruction about professional behaviors.  They're far from perfect, but they have proven that they understand and they can act in a highly respectable manner.

The dad of a kindergartner comes into the school office.  He has just returned an eight month tour in the military and has not seen his daughter in all that time.  When I hear he is going to see his daughter for the first time in so long, I can't resist tagging along.

He walks up behind his daughter while she works on a computer in the media center.  Finally, he speaks her name.  She turns and recognizes him immediately.

"Daddy!"  I watch as the girl runs to her father and they hug.  Her dad lifts and squeezes the little girl he could only hug in his dreams for two-thirds of a year.  I cannot imagine such an absence.  I cannot fathom such distance.

Every evening after work, I unlock my front door, and before I can turn the knob, I hear a little two-year-old voice.  "Daddy's home!  Daddy's home!"  My son and daughter greet me with hugs every day.  How blessed am I to have such a family:  children who love me and a wife who not only loves me but keeps me alive with her undying support.  I must not take my family for granted.

How about you?  What is it about your family that blesses you?  Let them know you appreciate them.

You can find more information about Joplin's redistricting of the elementary and middle schools by pointing your browser at the Joplin Schools website.  Below is the proposed map, with Cecil Floyd marked in yellowish-green (or is it greenish-yellow?).

In addition to affecting about 28 of Cecil Floyd's current students for next year, our fifth grade graduates will now attend North Middle School, rather than South Middle School as is the current practice.  This is to allow for a more equalized student population at all three middle schools.  Other feeder schools can be found in the chart at left. There are exceptions that may allow some students a choice between staying at Cecil Floyd or attending their newly assigned elementary site.  Another choice may be adopted to allow certain Cecil Floyd students to still attend North Middle School.

I will be writing the article, this weekend, and any suggestions will be appreciated.  How are things different for your children than they were for you?  Is there a difference in teaching strategies?  Teacher requirements?  School climate?  Parent involvement?  Please respond to this article with your comments.

Sometimes the little things can make a teacher proud.  One of the biggest ongoing lessons I want my students to learn is about how to approach people, how to have a conversation with people, and how to treat people with respect.  Last week, a guest speaker from the George Washington Carver Birthplace, in nearby Diamond, Missouri, visited our classroom for a short, 20-minute presentation.  Basically, she whetted our interests for George Washington Carver.  I must admit, I paid more attention to my students than to the speaker.

They were tracking!  That is to say, they were actively listening to the speaker, and when the speaker called on a student to ask or answer a question, my students turned to look at the person.  In unison.  What they were doing is called tracking, keeping their eyes on each speaker in turn.  And it was impressive.

Afterward, a few of the students stood, without prompting, and approached our guest.  They firmly shook her hand and thanked her for her visit.  More than that, they were able to express their appreciation with more than a simple thank you:  "Thank you for visiting...," "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us...," "We appreciate the great information you shared...," etc.

While I like they were learning to appreciate George Washington Carver, I was proud to see that our efforts through the year are "sticking".  I want adults who visit our classroom to leave realizing our group is different from the average fourth grade class.

Afterward, a few of the students stood, without prompting, and approached our guest.  They firmly shook her hand and thanked her for her visit.  More than that, they were able to express their appreciation with more than a simple thank you:  "Thank you for visiting...," "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us...," "We appreciate the great information you shared...," etc.

While I like they were learning to appreciate George Washington Carver, I was proud to see that our efforts through the year are "sticking".  I want adults who visit our classroom to leave realizing our group is different from the average fourth grade class.

It is a fascinating account, the story of Charles Lindbergh.  I am always amazed at how all the parts of his life came together to make a true story unbelievable.  It's enough to make us wonder what our own lives could become.

Then, just five years after his flight, his baby son was kidnapped, placing the Lindbergh family in the spotlight once again - this time in a story involving all kinds of intrigue, suspense, and tragedy, while activating international interest.

If you are interested in more study about this aviation pioneer turned international celebrity, please click on any of the links and the National Geographic video presentation embedded above.

In Joplin, one thing that has increased over the last few years is the support our schools are receiving from the community.  Local restaurants have really stepped up to help by donating portions of their profits on particular nights.  I have no doubt that they receive free advertising and higher profits on school nights, but at the same time their donations help to lighten the atmosphere in our school.

One of our most generous participants is Joplin's Qdoba restaurant.  In their first year as our partner, the good people at Qdoba have sponsored a burrito eating contest for teachers during a school assembly, they have provided soft tacos as a class reward, and they have honored teachers.  Last Thursday, as the culminating part of our January Reward Celebration for positive behaviors, Qdoba provided soft tacos for our entire school.  Every child who had not received an office referral enjoyed this special treat.

Finally, Cecil Floyd received a portion of Thursday evening's profits at the restaurant.  On that night, teachers competed in unique contests, students enjoyed a balloon artist, and a good time was had for all.