Smooth sailing for summer school

The fifteen minutes following the dismissal of summer school has morphed into a quasi-meeting of the minds. It is within this impromptu "circle of trust" that educational precedence is established, academic expectations surpassed, and collegiate discussion rivals the discourse of the great Socratic philosophers of old.

Today's topic was reflective of our typical high-quality conversations. "When taking attendance on the computer," our esteemed leader announced, "please mark present students with an x and absent students with the letters AB." This pronouncement was met with stunned silence before we broke out into spontaneous applause. Our scholastic schooner is sailing straight and true under the keen navigational leadership of our trusty captain. A hesitant hand interrupted our celebration of this important educational edict. "My wire-less keyboard is a little tricky and unreliable," one teacher said apologetically, "would it be possible to just leave the box for present students blank?"

Well, needless to say, we were shocked. After taking a reflective breath, our administrator squared his shoulders and addressed this pressing issue head-on. "In light of these extenuating circumstances," he told her, "you may leave boxes empty for present students." Chaos ensued. "Why is okay for her to be able to skip the important  process of entering x-es for present students and the rest of us have to spend our valuable time inputting letters into tiny boxes...that is, when we actually REMEMBER to take attendance." Realizing that he was facing what may be his fiftieth mutiny of summer school (this is day two, after all), our administrator quickly made an executive decision and declared, from this day forward, that a student's presence is school would be indicated, ironically, by an empty box. And the crowd went wild. "Anything else that I can do for you," our exhausted leader asked. After he denied our daily requests for doughnuts, the circle of trust was dismissed. Sleep well, citizens, the education of your children is in capable hands.