Below is what I shared with my staff on our staff bulletin blog tonight... It was a very good day today.

I wanted to thank all of you for a great first day of school. The sight of so many smiling children and parents is something I always look forward to as we start the new school year. I had an opportunity to spend time in every classroom and I saw happy and hopeful children. I saw teachers and support staff focused on engaging students and welcoming them to the new school year. The best part of my work is to be able to walk into your classrooms and talk to students about the work they are doing and why it is important.

I had the opportunity to view parts of President Obama's address to students in two of our classrooms. It is a message that should resonate with all of us. Work hard, do your best, respect your teachers, you have a responsibility to succeed, never give up... It was delivered with passion and an understanding that the work that we do can shape the arc of a student's life. It is important and valuable work that we have the honor of doing and I felt that the President hit the mark in helping our students understand how important education can be in shaping their lives. If you would like to view his address, please follow this link: President Obama's Address to Students.

Finally, as I traveled around the school today, I heard many comments from students that make me proud to work with such a dedicated group of professionals. Below are just a few...

"Best day of school ever."

"I really like my teacher."

"You know, she really is a very good teacher."

"I like being at Lewis."

"She is nice."

"This is cool."

"How's it going? ""It's going really well.""

"Can I recycle?"

"Can I play Candy Land?"

"He helps me."

"I like it here."

We work in a very special place. You all make it so. Thank you for such a great first day of school.