FALL '79- SPRING '84 MORE SIGNS....- Elementary school [edit*]

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

This is pics of me during those school daze (see 3rd-5th below). L to R: Kindergaten (I liked my shirt), 1st grade (looking rough. All I wanted for xmas was my two front teeth, and a decent hairdo!! What kind of mullett is that anyway?), 2nd grade (I am a cool 2nd grader)

I was blessed to have gone to the same elementary school the entire time. It was a couple of minutes away from where we lived. It was small and in an area where you knew just about everyone. My mom was really big into PTA and was always at school helping out. I was not the most academically known, but I could hold my own. My actions started becoming more noticeable with each passing year. My mother knew a lot of the staff at the school, but no one inquired about my clumsy action's at school. As I look back there were plenty of signs. In first grade I smashed my right finger(the bird) on my neighbor's door. It turned black and blue, and puffed up big. I concentrated harder because of it, and colored the best picture. It was all in the lines and everything! I got a good grade on it. I wish I still had it. I remember getting coffee sometimes for my math teacher in second grade. It was a big deal at the time, and our teacher would pick different students every time to go into the break room and get her coffee. When I would go I would never fill the coffee cup all the way up. I would still spill some of it while walking back to her desk. My brother and I did our homework at the kitchen table, and when we were done our mom would check it over, not only for mistakes but also for legibility. As you can imagine my brother was always out the door before me to go play outside. I was always having to redo my papers due to my handwriting. Something that mom looks back on and feels bad for, but it helped me to keep a halfway decent handwriting even throughout high school. I was always the last person to get picked in gym class. It was so discouraging, and I had no explanation to give for my actions. My gym teacher probably saw the most signs of any of them. I don't remember the exact grade I was in may be fourth or fifth-grade but for some reason a few girls (Kelley, I think you were one of them?) did a choreographed routine in an assembly (I think it was to promote exercise and how to have fun while doing it) to the song Rhythm of the Night by Debarge. Because I would’ve made a fool of myself on stage (rhythm was not in the night, morning, or afternoon for me!), I was in charge of the record player. I ended up not being able to set the needle down on the record smoothly enough and I scratched it during one of the practices. It did not ruin the record, but it made the gym teacher mad. He yelled at me to not touch the record player again. I ran out of the room crying. The only thing that concerned the nurse was that I was showing the beginning signs of scoliosis (curvature of the spine). I even went to see a specialist about it. I guess it was not a big concern to them, because I did not go back after that. There was one thing I did excel at physically while there. I was the best in the school at the arm hang! My gym teacher gave me the nickname Spidee at the time because of the arm hang. I felt like I was on top for once. I even had a boyfriend (whatever that means) during 4th and 5th grade. He was the class clown and we were on again off again (It was a complicated relationship!). Holding hands was the farthest we got. He asked to kiss me behind the school building in 5th grade. It freaked me out so I broke up with him, LOL! During 5th grade I was chosen to be a cross guard. To prepare for the job me, and the other three 5th graders who were chosen had to go to a training session. Since my mom was on the PTA she volunteered to take us. It was 2 guys and 2 girls. Jennifer and I paired up to do the training. In the CPR class we would practice on each other (rated G folks, no mouth to mouth!). So I had to lean down, and listen to hear if Jennifer was breathing. I slobbered on her cheek!! AWWW MAN, I was so embarrased (we have talked about it recently, and she still remembers!!!!). As a cross guard I would stand at the crosswalk and go out into the street putting my hand straight out to the side to stop the traffic so students could pass by. It made me feel so good. The streets were not very busy. Scary to think about me doing that then though. With my mom always volunteering at school and being involved in the PTA people knew we were dependable and would give it our best shots. This gave me the edge to be more choosable in some areas. As far as the overall acceptance from other student's of me being there had its ups and downs for me. Most of the time it was up, but I definitely had those moments of feeling embarassed. For example, carrying my tray to the table at lunch or even writing on the chalkboard was hard and made me be the center of attention. I did not like being stared at and during those times I was. I was reminded of my differences everyday. No one was harder on me than me. If there was teasing and I am sure there was, but it does not stand out to me. I was very rarely sick or missed school.

L to R: 3rd grade (I am pacticing being the beaver in the school play!), 4th grade (Can u say Half Pint?), 5th grade (Like my grade I plead the 5th)

Overall I would have to say that my elementary school experience and was great. I would love to hear about your experiences been an elementary school.
Thank you for taking the time to read,
Miss S