May 1st: Who needs a FREE PRETZEL?

May 1, 2017 Year 6 Day 1

FREE PRETZEL #1

Today was the perfect start to the Month of May, in terms of there being a plan, the plan being derailed slightly and then everything working out in the end.

Jen VanGinhoven is a Title 1 resource teacher at Johnson this year.  Although this is her first year at Johnson, it is her second stint in the Cherry Hill School District.  Jen has been a great addition to our staff, organizing a bowling Happy Hour, and bouncing around school with a lot of energy. Jen is a Moorestown lifer, we won’t hold that against her, and recently moved back to the area last year.  From 2003-2011 she taught 3rd and 4th grade at Thomas Paine Elementary School before she moved to Long Island.  But now she’s back and has enjoyed her year here at Johnson.  

Jen was all smiles, even after a rough weekend

Jen and I have actually been connected for a while, as our Moms both taught at Learning Tree Pre-school in Cinnaminson, in the early 2000s.  She also was paired with me this year for our monthly “Family Day” activities at Johnson in which we teach a group of students from all different grade levels, about character education.  It has been fun working with her and the kids this year in our “Caring” family.

I walked into school with a plan today and it just turns out that the plan was not going to work, but I ran into Jen as she was asking me a CHEA question.  Before she could ask her question, she said to me, “Man, have I had a weekend.”  I replied, “Would you like a pretzel...for FREE?”  I needed to explain what I have been doing for the past 5 years and afterwards she said “I needed this today!”

Another success story.  

I will not bore you with the details.  Let’s just say she was dealing with a very typical 6 year-old girl, her daughter.  I know this because she described very similar situations that I have dealt with my own Tabitha.  Not getting Starbursts at Old Navy would cause a sane person to lash out at the person who bore you right? Her weekend also included a gigantic hornet, tee-ball (which alone could have been the case for a FREE PRETZEL) and her two dogs attacking a possum in her backyard.  Fun times right?

Jen told me her favorite part of the pretzel is the middle knot and that she would only be eating that part.  I can’t argue with that except that the rest cannot be wasted.  She assures me that it went to a good home.  

Oh and a Happy birthday shout out to Jen's mom. I hope she enjoyed her day as much as Jen enjoyed her pretzel.

Let's see if my plan works tomorrow...

Until tomorrow....