I still love this school and I love all the teachers and they love me. So, it's kinda hard for me to say goodbye to the school.

Minority teachers act as cultural interpreters for the entire school community. As you increase the number of diverse staff members, you increase the cultural competency of all staff and students, if they are willing to learn from each other.

Teachers are doing assessments already. We are trying to fill the gaps now. We're not waiting until December to fill gaps.

I was always the kid in school that teachers were getting after to be quiet. My report card had math, A, reading, A, spelling, A, science, A, conduct, F. I was always talking to somebody. They would always take me and put me over in a corner by myself.

My English teacher has no face. She has uncombed stringy hair that droops on her shoulders. The hair is black from her part to her ears and then neon orange to the frizzy ends. I can't decide if she had pissed off her hairdresser or is morphing into a monarch butterfly. I call her Hairwoman.

Stephen goes to school here now and teachers always tell me what a good boy Stephen is. I used to always see Crystal here. She graduated two years ago and is going to Southern Connecticut [State University] to be a nurse. I'm proud of her—she's going places.