Amidst the scent of freshly waxed floors and freshly sharpened pencils and the echoes of excited chatter, Day 1 of the new school year began, a blank slate filled with infinite possibilities. Monday's chatter wasn't excited students. It was the staff as we started the 2023-2024 school year with a whole district breakfast and meetings. It was a smooth start to the week with all the necessary things to get everyone on the same page about expectations for the school year. After being at the high school for the first couple of hours, I went back to Winskill where our staff meeting began in the library. My principal always leads with a strong vision. His beginning of the year meeting was no different from others: high standards were set, sucesses were celebrated, and inspiration for the year ahead was created. The morning was over quickly and I had just enough time to run home and get a few miles in before the afternoon work time. Like with any first day, I came home from school at 3:30 exhausted but excited for what would come. Quick clothing change and Roger and I went to Dubuque to watch Kate play soccer. After the game it was a not so healthy dinner of Sonic---my first time! Fried foods at 10 pm don't make early wake up calls for running easy.
Tuesday began in a similar way to Monday: up and at school by 7:30. Reading team and writing team meetings. Breakfast while at school (thank you, Community First Bank, for providing it!). There was a district lunch being provided at Memorial Park but I ran home to switch some laundry and get a few things done while I had the chance. I returned to school for the afternoon and was able to get some things finished but I knew there was so much more to do. I left at 3:30 but was able to convince Roger to walk back to Winskill Tuesday evening to complete just a couple of tasks with me. We left Winskill by 6:45 and picked up Subway for dinner on our walk home. As I was winding down for the evening I heard Will come in from practice. It wasn't his normal entrance. I could hear him bringing in some things. He walked into our bedroom and I saw the giant, plastic wrapped, ice encased knee. "I'm okay," he said. I'm at a point in my life where I think when people say that, it means they really are NOT okay... just my opinion. Apparently he had felt something during practice and gone off to the sideline for a little while. The trainer had looked at him and worked with him to get the ice around his knee and his coach had sent home a cooler filled with ice to continue to 15 minutes every hour of icing.
Made it to the mid week point and got outside for my morning miles! I knew that I needed to run because I COULD. I have no reason not to be getting out for miles. I am physically ABLE. My 17 year old son can barely walk and I CAN RUN. That was the push I needed to get out the door.
It felt wonderful! I knew I needed the day to start off this way because it was the day of the Back to School Bash which meant a little bit longer of a day filled with lots of EXCITEMENT. I'd get to meet all my new families! This was also the day of the active shooter drill at the high school. Will was participating in the event. I was walking to a 9:15 meeting when my cell phone started ringing. I answered my phone to hear, "This is Brittany from Grant Regional. I have WIll here. Can you present yourself at the registration desk?" My first thought was that something had happened with his knee and that he was at the emergency room.
"Yes. I'll be there," I replied. Then I realized that Will might have been at the active shooter drill. "Is there about the drill at the high school?"
"This is Brittany from Grant Regional. Can you present yourself at the registration desk?"
With that answer it felt confirmed that it was just part of the drill but I quickly grabbed my car keys and ran out to my car, drove quickly to the hospital, and entered the emergency room doors. In those 2 minutes, I had to have been feeling and processing every possible emotion. The biggest one being - What if Will's not okay?
Once I saw him and hugged him, I drove him back to finish the drill, and I returned to Winskill to continue my preparations for the Back to School Bash. Hours went quickly but I was ready when families began arriving at 4:30. During the conversations at the school event I had the opportunity to talk with the school athletic trainer. She recommended making an appointment with a doctor for Will's knee. I was going to take him to acute care on Thursday but she thought trying to get him in with Orthopedics was a better idea. That call went on my to do list for Thursday morning. I finished the Back to School Bash and headed home to enjoy dinner and an early bedtime.
I have so much more to tell about the week. Part 2 coming soon.
