Leap Day!!!

So when you're a teacher and Leap Day approaches, what do you do to mark the day? Well, if you were with us this 2012 Leap Day, you would not only celebrate the day, but you'll now remember it for years! :)

A few weeks before the "big day", I asked my grade 7 students if they wanted to do anything special (yes I had my own ideas but I wanted theirs). Of course they asked for a party. Since they'd been the "best behaved class of the secondary" last quarter, they got a pizza party from the principal, and all they had to do was choose the day. They chose Leap Day. Well, I told them they could have a fun time, but they'd also need to reach out to others on that day- so it wasn't all about themselves. They asked if they could serve lunch to the elementary. SURE! So the following are a summary in photos of our memorable Leaps!

 I never thought a simple game of "standing long jump" with chalked names/marks on the floor could be SO popular. Several teachers and school support staff even participated. The furthest jumps were by kids who went 2.8 meters (I'm estimating). So above, the photo on the left is one of the sophomores leaping (and the game, of course, was called, "How far can you leap?!"). The one on the right shows some of our names in chalk lines and distances we jumped. YES, I participated but was one of the "also jumped" categories- meaning I didn't get very far. Fun times!

Service time for Leap Day included serving and cleaning up, having some fun, eating some pizza and other goodies. (above). 

Below: one of my favorite parts was when our art teacher (Jessie) asked for "service" by way of a song. And there was a partial stage set up so she asked the girls to perform from there. How funny to hear the girls sing, "Happy leap day to you..." to the elementary kids. Again- a good memory maker and for sure in 4 years they'll look back and remember the fun they had. 

Now I also had all my students fill out the questions- where were you 4 years ago, and where do you want to be/think you'll be, in 4 years. Some had some funny comments. One wrote the "telling" comment that she'd have more compassion in 4 years for those who have "jiggers" (an itchy bug bite). I think it was my favorite "future 4 years" comment. 

And finally, I also made a TON of no-bake cookies for those who participated. I even shared some with Susan and Peter, my house worker and guard. :) All day long we'd been joking (my students and I) to "not think of poo" when you ate those cookies, since they -well-resemble it in looks. So Peter is reacting here when I restated that part of the day to him as he was eating. Funny!