Community

I love community.  I love the feeling of belonging to something.  The feeling of people around who know each other and help each other gives me great joy.

That's what we were looking for when we went to Highland Community School to enroll Coen at age three.

And that's what we found.

This rainy Friday morning, Coen, Lucy and I all marched out of the house to the van.  Coen was holding a permission slip and a check for his upcoming elementary camping trip which he will go on with his classmates, friends, and his daddy.  Lucy was holding a container of brownies which I baked last night for a parent night tonight.  I was holding a pot of spaghetti for Tad's classroom camping trip fundraiser.

In Tad's classroom, I got hugs from his students, thanking me for buying them all something at yesterday's bake sale--Coen's classroom's camping fundraiser.  When we went into the building, Lucy's teacher stopped us and talked to us about a new lesson that Lucy's been working on and to have a conversation with Coen.  One of Coen's classmates was waiting in the kitchen for someone to escort her across the parking lot to her classroom so she came with us.  I ran into another parent with a big pot of spaghetti for today's fundraiser. 

On the way out of the parking lot I passed by the mom who is hosting Coen and three other boys for a sleepover tonight and we had a quick conversation about sleeping bags and overnight things.  I waved to several others as I pulled out and they waved back. 

Tomorrow I will spend several hours volunteering at school with many other parents and teachers who love it and want to be involved.  Yesterday I was in the foyer gathered around with other parents at the bake sale.

All this is just stuff that was going on this morning and it's always happening at Highland.  I wish I could put the feeling I get at school, at school events, watching my kids so comfortable in this place that is-in the end-their second home...into words.

The people who love and build and grow Highland are the community. And to leave there on a rainy Friday morning...a pretty typical school day...on my day off and feel this much joy makes me feel indescribably lucky.

Coen and some friends making a fort out of logs on the playground

Lucy hearing a story with some friends at Highland's Cultural Celebration

Mr. Barry, our Enrichment Coordinator, entertaining the kids on the playground