All the students go through the arch one by one. Second graders become third, third become fourth. Fourth graders shake the hand of the Lower School Director before they go through and shake the hand of the Middle School Director on the other side. It is lovely. Last year I was too dazed to fully appreciate it, I think. This year I teared up several times.
My slight tears at the Arch Day ceremony were nothing, though, compared to what happened to me when the mother of girl-named-for-a-season came to find me and give me a gift and a note. This is what she drew for me:
Her mother came in to hug me and tell me that I had completely changed her daughter's relationship to reading, that I had given her confidence and made her love books.
She's going to another school next year and every time I think about that, it makes me cry again.
