Old School... (Literally!!)

Today Ryan was a bit under the weather so I kept her home from school. I had some errands to run so she tagged along. I had to visit my girlfriend in her classroom to return some things I borrowed which just so happens to be the same school where I was a teacher too. It was fun for Ryan. She got to see where her mommy was a teacher. She got to see the inside of a Kindergarten classroom (which she will be in Kinder next year). And... see lots of mommy's friends too.

Many of you who read this blog never knew me when I was teaching so a little background about my old school is important. International School is an elementary school in the middle of downtown Long Beach. It was finished being built after my second year of teaching at International and is situated on very limited square footage in the very crowded downtown area. It is 3 stories tall, all concrete, with the playground on the roof. Originally, the old school site was supposed to only be temporary but the downtown enrollment kept growing. It was just a bunch of bungalows in a parking lot. It's a rough area and we had many "lockdowns" because of our location. The new building was built to be very secure...and as you can see, that it is!

Ryan posed as a student in the lunch area. The kids eat in a covered concrete patio area. Good thing it's covered on rainy days like today!

Ryan is looking into the window of what used to be my classroom. Room 12. I was the first teacher in this room. Oh, what memories. This first floor of classrooms is basically underground. The only windows to the outside are at sidewalk level on this side of the building. But the equipment is awesome... state of the art.

Here is Ryan in the middle of the quad. Behind her are the 3 floors of classrooms and the playground is to the left on the second floor roof. The Kinder play area is behind the cement wall on the ground level.

Here is Ryan is Auntie T's classroom. Her students were so sweet. They showed her all around the room and what to do to be a good student. I think she's ready!

Urban Education at it's best!
Funny, unlike the school Ryan and Charlie currently and will go to, she couldn't quite grasp it... She kept asking, "Where's the grass mommy?"