Last night my mom cancelled her big Bingo plans just for me (I think Thursday Bingo is at the Humane Society, which I actually don't mind her supporting, but it's still lame Bingo). So, yay! Aaron and I went to see Rachel's chorale performance at the high school.

I love Rachel's principal. She is a wonderful leader. She has, in our (mostly black) school system, done what other principals can't put their finger on. I can't either. Neither can Aaron--he said discipline. I told him no, I had seen that tried and failed at her previous school. That principal had the kids recite a daily (anyone know how to spell schpeel?) schpeel called "stoplight reward." Moving up the stoplight meant repeated misbehaving. One warning a day meant kids could still attend the monthly popcorn party. Most kids then got one warning a day. It didn't work--too focused on the negative. I called him once to discuss a monster game my daughter was involved in at recess. She enjoyed the game until the boys pushed her down. Everyday this was happening. Well, somehow the game was put to an end. I wasn't sure the principal remembered why I called because he spent the conversation boasting about his school. My daughter was upset that I called him and that's why she stopped playing monster. And at the end of the year the principal was offerred an assistant principal position at another school. No, that's not a promotion.

This principal keeps her school immaculate. Framed student artwork hangs in the hallways. There are plants, student murals, smiles, her office door stays open, a wonderful monthly newsletter and other communication with parents, happy faculty, free breakfast and snacks for hungry kids, her computer lab is state of the art (with an interactive screen on the wall and a lab full of G4s), and this chorale program. The magnet school is an oasis for kids in this neighborhood.

Anyway, back to the high school auditorium ... The T.J. kindergartners, first-, second-, and fifth-graders, sang original and heart warming songs about being healthy. I was in tears. The kids sang about couch potatoes, staying clean (bubble-blowing bathtub included), getting enough sleep, not using drugs, not "doing" cigarettes, eating right, the heart being a vessel of love, exercise, making changes, and wanting to be healthy. I'm tearing up thinking about it. They sounded incredible!

The poster prop with the crossed out dripping syringe was a little over the top, but the art teacher is a young one. Kids sang solos; some read in front of everyone; some couldn't keep themselves from dancing to the beat; and my daughter (the direction follower) looked stunning in a pink and black floral jumper, with her long, wavy brown hair. She only moved the muscles she was supposed to. She said it was fun and was so pleased that both mama and dada were there.

When we settled in at home, Rachel told me in secret that some kids said she shouldn't have had her boots on and wanted to know why she did. She was worried about it. Sweet little rose bud, she is.