Last Friday, at the end of two weeks of the first round of state standardized testing for the year, our Assistant Principal declared “Clash Day” to coincide with All School Meeting that is held weekly on Friday mornings.

“Clash Day” is an invented “spirit” event. It allows creative clothing combinations of all sorts to make their way into school within reasonable, but outlandish limits. (I myself thought my orange sherbert shirt and slightly off-sherbet yellow bowling ball and pins tie with white pants and sixties checkered sports coat to be quite fashionable for the occasion.) My favorite attires spotted that morning were the assorted hair styles springing sideways from opposite sides of various heads, both boys and girls, pigtail fashion, in many colors.

We offer no prizes or special recognition on Clash Days, though I am thinking about passing out paper sunglasses at the next one. Did you know it’s been reported preschoolers laugh 550 times a day and adults 15 times? Maybe we should have jokes told on Clash Day (with some preemptive screening.)

Clash Day got me to wondering what your favorite Spirit Days were out there in Blogsville and how often you had them and what % they raised your test scores (only kidding).

We all know about Hat Day and Pajama Day… what else have you got going out there???

Does it sound like we can’t wait for spring vacation around these parts and that there’s still snow on the ground? You’re right on both counts. But our kids really concentrated on their state tests and we were very proud of their effort and attention. Shaking the sillies out reminds us all that we are the guardians of childhood as well as the teachers of the future generaation.