My favourite story about turning up on the first day to a new school has a fairy tale feel and a 'gift' from the last person to leave the year before.
The teacher who told the story was very excited about getting in and establishing learning centres and creating a great environment for the students. She weaved her way through a forest of construction equipment until she came to the door of her room. On opening the door, it was clear that the "not too hard" and "not too soft" furnishings had become the perfect place for the security staff to find a few quiet minutes in their busy schedule... for a sleep.
And as with all good fairy tales, there was someone asleep in the bedding right then. The ogre-level snoring made sure that it wasn't too much of a problem to find the sleeping body, but it wasn't the perfect first entry to the new room.
It got a little worse when a milk carton sitting on the desk was picked up and found to contain something that used to be milk. A long time ago. Who would have guessed that such a small package could emit such a powerful aroma? Dropping it on the floor because of the stench wasn't the best way to remove the thoughtful parting gift from the room either.
Not all first days in the school are like that.
The events of the first day are always an indication of the overall environment. Stuff doesn't happen by accident and making a good decision before the first day will go a long way to ensuring you aren't covered in stale dairy products.
Choosing the right school is a process. It starts with knowing what type of school suits you.
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