No place like home

As summer vacation draws to a close and my school year begins, I can't help but think that I am returning home after a summer abroad.  After a dozen years of teaching, my school has begun to feel a little like home.  It has become a fixture of my life, and during my years spent teaching, I have worked among people who have become some of my closest and dearest friends.

I have taught children who return to my classroom on a weekly basis to apprise their former teacher about their adventures...