May 28th- Just another boring elementary school day...uh no!

May 28, 2014 Year 3 Day 28

FREE PRETZEL #28

Today was supposed to be one of those hectic elementary school days at Sharp school.  Field Day in the morning, with games and activities and water ice.  Followed by Teachers vs 5th grade students volleyball game and then lunch an hour of classwork and then a surprise assembly for our leader.  The weather did not cooperate for the morning portion, but nothing was going to stop the celebration we had planned for the afternoon. 

Bob said he loves Philly soft pretzels

Bob Homer has been the principal at Joseph D. Sharp Elementary School for the past 15 years.  I have only had the privilege of working for him for the past 3.  It has been an absolute pleasure and I have learned a lot about life, the Art and Science of Teaching, Marzano, Hattie and a few other specialists on education.  Seriously though, Mr. Homer is everything that I think an elementary school principal should be.  He knows every student in our school by name.  Greets them as they come in the door or out at the blacktop every morning and says goodbye to them as they get on the bus in the afternoon.  He has a friend, DJ Dog, spin tunes for the whole school during lunch hours on Fridays and special days.  He dresses up in great costumes for everything from Flag Day (Uncle Sam) to Groundhog Day (a groundhog) to Valentine's Day (cupid) and even a turkey on Thanksgiving.  He is a true professional in every sense of the word.  He just "gets it."  He treats his staff with respect and knows the true meaning of the words "community" and "family."

Students with bulldog signs surprising Mr. Homer

I joked with him this morning that I had not told him about the blog and had not given him a FREE PRETZEL on this journey because I did not want to make it seem like I was buttering up the boss.  But seeing as how he will be having fun in the sun in South Carolina in less than two months, I figured now was a good a time as any for a truly deserving recipient.  He even coined his own phrase when he said of what I had been doing "Pretzeling it Forward."  I of course immediately like it and thought about renaming the blog.  Darn it.  I didn't change it though.  Had to stick with the original. 

He will and has been getting plenty of "Thank you's" "Congratulations" and "We will miss you's," but it never hurts to add one more.  Thank you for all you have done for me over the past 3 years and good luck in South Carolina.  Go Gamecocks?!

 We threw a little surprise celebration/assembly in the afternoon.  Here are a few pictures:

Bob dancing with a third grader

Bob getting a framed picture from the PTA signed by all students and staff.

Giving one more speech of appreciation to all of us.

It was a fun afternoon and I am glad I could be part of such a nice community and wonderful family.

Shout out to Mr. Belinsky and Mr. Mann for putting the assembly together.  To all the teachers that helped out in any way they could and to everyone for keeping it a secret!

3 days left

Until tomorrow...