Name, rank and serial number

Today the yearbook staff and I spent all day in the PAC (Performing Arts Center for the uninitiated) for group photos.

Instead of trying to cram all of the groups into 20-minute time periods on three different days, we scheduled the whole thing for one day, with 10-minute intervals in between. All of you who've attended your average, every day, run of the mill, All-American high schools probably remember this day.

It's the day that some of you loved because you were involved in every club on campus. So, you were in every photo during the day.

It's the day that some of you loved because you weren't involved in anything on campus (including your classes) so you were in every photo. You were that guy who randomly shows up to every group and writes "Hugh Jass" as your name. And yes, I am now that mean old witch of a teacher who calls you on it and tells you to get your Hugh Jass out of the photo.

It's the day that the yearbook staff loves because they get to miss all of their classes to help out, rounding up groups, names and generally keeping the peace.

It's the day that keeps me up at night, worrying that something, some tiny little thing, would go wrong. I didn't look at the clock last night, but I'm estimating that I lay awake for about two hours, trying desperately to quiet the mind and fall asleep. When I finally got up and checked the clock, it was 5:15. Fifteen minutes before my alarm was set.

I'm pretty sure that fifteen minutes was the only sleep I remember getting. Yes - I got up, checked the clock, and chose to go back to bed, instead of just getting up. When will I learn?

All that sleeplessness, and truly, the day went off without a hitch for the most part. The students were (mostly) cooperative. The students (mostly) followed simple directions. I did notice that I didn't have to use my "outside" voice as much during this photo day as I typically did at DHS. There, I used to have to use the microphone to get people's attention. Here, it wasn't that tough.

Probably the biggest snafu of the day was that the company photographer showed up about 30 minutes late. We shot the photos he missed using one of our cameras, and then got caught up fairly quickly once he made it.

Interestingly, in my brief teaching career, that's the second group picture day (out of five) that the photog has been late to. I think we're going to start telling them to be there an hour early, instead of 20 minutes.

The newspaper was scheduled to go to press at 5 this afternoon as well. Luckily, I have a wonderful newspaper staff that I can trust, and they were able to accomplish that goal with very little help from me. I can't decide if subs love or hate my room - the kids are in charge. It's really an easy gig for a substitute, but the kids say that a lot of times, the subs feel like they need to be "doing something."

It was a big day, gone off without a hitch. With a little help from two good pub staffs, a nice and businesslike photographer (except for that little tardy thing), four boxes of pizza and a box of Krispy Kremes, and a very helpful assistant principal, I can count this among the more successful group photo days I've experienced.

Now, about that yearbook deadline next week...