Never a Dull Moment Around Kids

I just never know what I'll find some days at school. That's just how it is working around kids.

Today I was going to give a Reading Alternative-TAKS test. It's called an SDAA II, State Developed Alternative Assessment. It's an alternative test for those students in special education. Yesterday, it was the Math SDAA II. Tomorrow it's Science TAKS. Yes, three days in a row. Crazy. I'm not sure who in the Texas Education Agency thought it was a good idea to give special education students three consecutive days of testing. Anyway, this is the last year for the SDAA. Starting next year, all students will take some form of the TAKS test...on grade level. Oh, but that's another topic for a blog someday. My ADHD is kicking in. Sorry. Back to my original story line.

So, I walked into my portable this morning, a little later than I wanted, and needing to get set up to start another day of testing. I wasn't in my room very long, when about five very excited fifth graders come knocking at my door. They asked if I had a box. Why? I asked. For the bunny! One of my students had "found" a wild bunny on the way to school. After I found a box for the poor creature, my student asked if we could keep it in my room today. I told him no, of course not, since we were testing in my room. I think you could hear the groans all over school. He tried to convince me that it wouldn't be a distraction while he was taking his test. Yeah, right. This coming from one of my most ADHD students. I told the kids that I'd call the Animal Control office and get the name of the "Bunny Lady." There's a woman who takes in all kinds of rabbits and rehabilitates them before letting them free in the wild. I knew this, because many years ago I had accidently mowed over a rabbit nest. (Ask my kids about that one. That's when we found out we were allergic to cedar chips.) I saved two out of the three bunnies, and had the opportunity to actually bring the bunnies to this woman's home. She used to live in Lewisville, but now lives in Carrollton. Her house was a sight like none other I have ever seen. Rabbits everywhere. What a scene. I am thankful there are people like that in our world. So I called Animal Control and they said they'd come by the school and pick up the bunny to take to the "Bunny Lady." I thought the kids would be sad, but they were actually very grateful to me for taking care of their precious bunny. They seemed happy knowing this woman would care for the rabbit.

So all this happened before classes started for the morning. Just a little excitement on a testing day. But that's what makes it fun to show up at school everyday.