Alec Greven - Rules for School

Do you have a teacher or
someone else at school
who is special to you?
Tell them! Say thank you.

This book is for

__________________________________________

from

__________________________________________

It is hard to believe that summer is over. But it is. Its time to get down to business.

This means getting ready in your mind. This is difficult but very important. First you have to let go of summer. This means letting campouts, staying up late, swimming, and playing outside wash out of your mind.

Its a good idea to switch to school time three days before the first day of school. It is like a time change when you travel. This helps kids avoid shock and trauma on the first day of school.

Before you start school, you need to get all your new school things like supplies, clothes, backpack, and lunch box. This is the easy part.

The first day of school is scary and exciting.

Ask if you can meet your teacher and see your classroom before the first day. Most teachers are nice, so dont worry too much. Explore the school a little bit so you know how to get around.

FACT: 21% of kids are excited to go to school, 70% of kids are scared, and 9% of kids just dont really care.

On the first day of school, your mom usually makes you wear something fancy. Dont let the pressure get to you. Try to convince her to let you wear something else so you dont stick out from the crowd.

Another day that your mom might make you dress up is on school picture day. Dont fight her on this one. She thinks it will make you look good in your photo, but it doesnt help. The photographer usually makes you sit in a weird pose with your head tilted and then asks you to say something like cheeseburger. Then he takes the picture while you are talking, so your mouth looks funny.

You are very lucky if your school pictures come out decent. But even if they arent good, your parents will still buy them. This will be embarrassing down the road. Trust me.

Its hard to get going in the morning, but try to get a routine down. If you are always forgetting to brush your teeth, make your bed, and pack your lunch box, your parents will get bossy, crazy, and agitated. You have to stay away from distractions like video games or you are doomed!

Its exciting to walk into school on the first day! Sometimes you have your name on your desk and sometimes you get to pick where to sit.

If you get to pick, choosing your seat is importantits strategy time. If you sit in the front, you have to be extra good because the teacher can see you. This is too risky. If you sit in the back, you can goof off, but that can backfire. The middle is the safe zonelike a neutral country.

Quiet kids are safer to sit next to. If you sit next to your friends during class, then you will probably get in trouble for talking and acting up. Its too much temptation. The cafeteria is a free zone, so wait until lunch to go crazy and talk as much as you want.

At first the school might seem big and you wont know where everything is, like the bathroom, and how to get a hall pass if you need to go. You could just wander around, but that could take all day and you dont want to end up in the teachers lounge by mistake. So dont be shy. Ask questions.

It might take time to learn where everything is, but soon you will rule the school and be the expert. Youll be cruising the halls with confidence. Then it is your turn to help the new kids!

Most kids are going to get in trouble at some point during class. There are three levels of punishment you need to know about:

• Warning
  For little things, like talking when you are not supposed to, you might have your name written on the board. This is only a warning. Code Yellow.