The Attendance Fairies

Sometimes, I have the best ideas. Oh, yes. I'm not sparing any modesty on this one. Two weeks ago we were sitting in a very long, and very boring attendance committee meeting. Basically, the administrative team along with counselors, social worker, attendance clerk and graduation coach (me) were trying to decide what we could do to help promote high attendance at our school. Some gave the possibility of rewarding homerooms with the highest attendance rates each week. Then another built upon that idea and suggested a trophy that would travel from homeroom to homeroom each week. Another piped in that we could have a funny hat for the winning homeroom teacher to wear that day. It was then that it hit me. My idea. The best idea I've had in a long time.

"What if we have an Attendance Fairy who visits the winning classroom and bestows upon the teacher the traveling trophy each week? We could make an announcement that the Attendance Fairy has been spotted in the building? We could have a drum roll, and then the fairy could flit and flutter around the school. The kids would get a kick out of it!"

Everyone looked at each other and replied, "That's a good idea! The kids would totally get a kick out of it. But, who? Who would be the Attendance Fairy?"

I didn't skip a beat. "Patrick!"

Everyone looked at me in disbelief. Maybe they thought he'd say no. Maybe they thought he'd kill me. I knew better. Through the past year of being friends with him, I know he'll do whatever, whenever to help our kids and to help our school. And, he didn't let me down. Oh, no. When he was approached, he whole-heartedly said, "YES! But if I do it, Graham has to do it too!"

He didn't waste any time. He found an elf costume in the back office and put it on. He dubbed himself Patty Pan and then pointed to Graham, saying, "and that's Tinker Graham!" WOW. I knew Patrick would do it, but had no idea he'd get Graham to agree as well.

I had almost forgotten that I'd get to see my idea come to fruition until I walked around the corner of the office first thing Monday morning. This is what I saw:Yours truly: Tinker Graham. In full regalia, minus the wand. But definitely not shy.
And, Patty Pan. Patrick, if you're still reading this, sorry! I couldn't resist!
Thanks, guys, for being great sports! Oh, and notice at the end how Tinker Graham is spreading his fairy dust to unsuspecting students at the front of the class.

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