Picture Day

Today was picture day at school, when a professional studio sets up shop in the Media Center (my library!) all day and takes photographs of the students. This happens in the fall, when the students are photographed in their uniforms, except for the 8th graders, who wear dress-up clothes. Then it happens again in the spring, when everyone wears dress-up clothes. To give the photographers room to work, the library furniture is pushed up against the book shelves and I have just the narrowest aisle leading to my work area. I spend the day with two photographers, three parent helpers, and a steady stream of students moving in and out of the room as they are cycled through to get their fifteen seconds in front of the camera.

The first year I worked in the library I was shell-shocked on picture day, but today, in my fourth year, I not only was able to work amidst the action and noise, but to actually enjoy much of it. My desk faces the door so I had a front row seat as everyone came through. First the PreSchool little ones came in. They don't wear uniforms to school, and their parents generally had dressed them up in the cutest outfits. Then the big 8th graders came through, proud to be the top dogs and therefore entitled to "free dress" on picture day. Many of the boys were in suits and ties and my, they did look nice. The girls generally wore dresses, and it was fun and interesting to see what they chose. Since I just taught all the 6th graders yesterday, I actually remembered most of their names and could say "hi" as they filed by my desk. The 5th graders came last, so I got to check out Paul and his classmates, matching some faces with names that I'd heard.

Speaking of my own cute boy, the school photo above, taken in second grade, is the last one that I've liked and actually bought. I'm crossing my fingers that this year's will be another "keeper."