We’re in the middle of the graduation fun — so far today, we’ve been to Jeff’s graduation (photos to come, but not tonight) and to a close friend’s graduation party. In a couple of hours, I take Jeff back to school for Grad Night, then tomorrow evening, one of his classmates is having another graduation party. And I think that’s it. So far.
Jeff’s graduation seemed to go well (not that I was an objective observer). Harris Barton, former Super Bowl offensive lineman for the 49’ers, added “commencement speaker” to his resume — his talk wasn’t as intense as Tom Lantos’ (z”l) last year, but it was good and relevant and funny and well-received. And all of the kids’ talks were good, too.
I was very happy to see the school’s first principal, Ms. Peterson, there to see “her” kids graduate (she’d taught English to many of them, including Jeff, during their junior year, as well as having been principal for the first five years of the school). She said her sabbatical was just what she’d needed this year.
There are plans to set up a parents’ alumni network (I think I accidentally volunteered to help with that), and of course the kids will stay in touch via Facebook (and even via email, at least for a while). But Kehillah is no longer the center of any of our existences.
It feels strange.