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As the children scramble onto the idling buses, their principal is there to say good-bye. "Hi Kendra. Hi guys." He lifts one of the guys off the ground. "Come here, Katie." He gives her a hug. "Bye, Mr. Goerke. Bye, Mr. Goerke," clamor the students. "Bye. See you tomorrow. How come your backpack is open?" he says to one child, zipping the pack. To another, he cautions, "Don't forget." "Don't forget what?" says the girl, who borrowed lunch money from him that day. Inside the buses, the children crowd against the windows, laughing and pointing as Goerke scrawls "Merry Christmas" and sketches a snowman and Christmas tree on the dusty panes. A passing staff person reacts in mock horror. "Oh my, don't do that," she says. "We had four students reported for writing on the windows." Goerke ceases his handiwork as he runs out of prime canvas for images, saying, "That window's not dirty enough." The buses rev their motors. The last few children run up for their hugs. The principal waves good-bye. "Without this can you imagine how lousy the job would be?" says Goerke with both humor and feeling, as the last bus pulls out of the parking lot and silence falls.
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The New Principal Special Report:
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This document's URL is: Home | Up & Coming | Programs & Projects: Northwest Education | People | Products & Publications | Topics © 2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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