An Open Love Letter to Brenham High School #BHSwired #IChooseBrenham

Dear Brenham High School,

Thank you for a perfect day with you today. From the time I dropped off my youngest at the BISD CDC and walked out happily chatting with Coach Mouser to the moment I backed my car out of the parking lot, it has been a truly wonderful day in your halls. Who would have thought two years ago that I would love this campus so very much?!

As the product of two secondary teachers/administrators, I never in a million years thought I would EVER want to be on a high school campus. I thought my parents were crazy for teaching secondary physics and biology. I was quite content to stay in the middle school arena and be an “elementary” person. I surprised myself when I took the opportunity to move over to Brenham High School two years ago. I was hungry for a new challenge, which overtook my fear of the “big kids” and the content experts who taught them. I think many of my friends thought I had lost my mind to leave the elementary school where my oldest would soon attend, but I did it anyway.

Today was one of those idyllic days where I am reminded why I made that decision (and for the record, my son is probably better off WITHOUT having me on his campus!). I have had a permanent smile on my face all day. BHS loved me today and I loved it right back. Here are just a few ways I loved BHS today…

• 8:00 am - planning a PBL unit with Mrs. West to create digital portfolios for her design students (How can I create an e-portfolio to start building my brand in order to land the perfect job?)
• 9:45 am - PBL follow-up with Mrs. Dismukes (Will I use Algebra after high school?) and watching her absolutely kill it using DocHub, Screencast-o-matic, Snagit, and Google Drive
• 9:46 am - cracking up laughing at one of Dismukes’ kids talking in “announcer voice” when she started her screencast
• 9:50 am - saying good morning to a student in the hallway and having him smile big and say good morning back (Did you know that you can speak to high school students and they’ll SPEAK BACK?!)
• 10:30 am - following a delicious smell all the way to Mrs. Marik’s culinary arts class to find them making chicken spaghetti … and then being sent on my way with a container full of sauteed peppers and onions for second breakfast :)
• 10:56 am - receiving an email from Mrs. Hansen (Math Dept Head) bragging on her department for ROCKING OUT with chromebooks and Google Forms and Flubaroo
• 11:00 am - watching Mrs. Perry’s Glee students perform “Country Classics” in the choir room with my Tech Dept pal, Tom Spall
• 11:30 am - seeing Mrs. Crowson (BHS AP) tell the kids about the story behind “Ring of Fire” and then watching her PERFORM IT on the piano while she and the kids sang together!
• 1:16 pm - glimpsing Mrs. Kocian jamming in the hallway to Stevie Wonder's Superstition during the passing period
• 2:49 pm - laughing with some students in the hall who were working on a display and got all excited for me to take their picture and tweet it

I know it’s easy to get wrapped up in how cute the “little kids” are at the elementary schools. I get it. I did it. However, I am finding that I am getting wrapped up in the spunk and grit and humor and maturity of secondary students. They’re FUNNY, y’all! And sarcastic. And smart. And kind. I challenge any of my readers to walk the halls of your high school and speak to every student you pass. I would bet my lunch (and that’s saying something!) that they smile and speak back.

So … Brenham High School, thank you. Thank you for opening my heart to the joys and excitement of a secondary campus. Thank you to every staff member (from teachers to admins to secretaries to one of my favorite librarians!) and every student who has welcomed me to Brenham High School and made me feel like I’m a part of the high school party. I am a believer. I am sold. I say secondary is where it’s at.  I choose Brenham!