The Case of the Missing Backpack…SOLVED!

PB290304
Isn’t he cute? This photo has nothing to do with the post other than to remind me how absolutely adorable he is.

I sent an e-mail on Sunday; here it is (names have been changed for clarity and to protect the innocent):

Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2007
From: Me
Subject: The Twelve-Year-Old
To: Reading Teacher, English Teacher, Science Teacher, Gym Teacher, Math Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Band Teacher

Hello all~
I wanted to make you aware of a “situation” we’re dealing with right now. The twelve-year-old *somehow* lost his backpack on the bus Friday afternoon. I know it sounds ridiculous, but he says that he took it on the bus and, after sitting down, let it rest on the floor where it slid from there. When he got up to get off the bus and couldn’t find it, the bus driver asked the remaining kids to look for it and it was supposedly nowhere to be found. She told him that if she did find it after everyone got off, she’d bring it to school on Monday.

I called the bus company and they did not find it, but the bus driver was gone for the day. The bus company would not call the driver to ask if she found it.

Anyway, obviously his binder was in there, along with gym clothes and at least one textbook (AND it was even a new backpack: I just bought it Monday night!!!).

I hope you can bear with us for a day or so; I am hoping that either someone picked it up by accident or the driver has it and it will get back to school first thing Monday morning (I’m hoping nobody actually “stole” it) before I begin replacing things.

Mr. Gym Teacher: He is bringing a quarter to borrow a gym shirt (and bringing another pair of shorts from home). (BLOGNOTE: that’s the policy…you must dress for gym class, and if you don’t have the school shirt you can pay a quarter to borrow one)

Ms. Social Studies Teacher: he told us about the US/Canada maps he was supposed to label and we printed out blank maps from the internet for him to work on. I hope you’ll accept credit on that as a reasonable facsimile because it was the best we could do.

Mrs. English Teacher: his research cards were/are in his binder and I’m not sure what to do about that. He told me he thinks you are giving them more research time Monday and Tuesday so I guess if that’s true he’ll need to start over if the backpack doesn’t show up.

Luckily his clarinet and band folder were not in there.

For his other classes: Ick! I’m at a loss for words over this whole thing. We’ll know (I guess) by Monday afternoon what to do…

If there is anything I need to know about assignments or classes, please please please e-mail me as soon as you can. Thanks very, very much.

Sincerely,
Me

Cut to Monday morning at 7:20 a.m. The twelve-year-old had already left for early band practice. The phone rings. It’s Ms. Social Studies Teacher.

Her: “Thanks for the e-mail! I thought I’d make your day by letting you know that I have the backpack!”

Me: “What? You do? How is that possible? He lost it on the bus!”

Her: “I don’t know how THAT is possible! I found it on the floor in the 7th grade hallway!”

Me: “Thank you so much! I think I’m going to need to have a discussion with that guy. Have a nice day.”

Click. Stunned silence. SO happy that the backpack was found intact but simmering about the forgetfulness. Well, stuff happens. He’s got a lot on his mind. I shot another e-mail off:

Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007
From: Me
Subject: The Twelve-Year-Old: Crisis Averted
To: Reading Teacher, English Teacher, Science Teacher, Gym Teacher, Math Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Band Teacher

Hello again!
Ms. Social Studies Teacher was kind enough to call me this morning to let me know that she found the backpack in the 7th grade hallway! (Thanks, Ms. Social Studies Teacher: you did make my day!)

I will have to have a discussion with the twelve-year-old after school about exactly where his brain stopped paying attention on Friday, and why he was “100% sure” he took it on the bus when I asked him if he might have left it near his locker.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well; I am completely relieved. Just wanted to keep you in the loop! Thanks again…

Sincerely,
Me

In the end, the boy felt awful about it, and I had to cut him some slack. (Do onto others!) This was very out of character for him and I know he’s had a lot on his plate lately with his impending Bar Mitzvah and clarinet competition (no, those aren’t one event!), as well as his fundraising for his charity project. Especially since the backpack was located, it would have been cruel for me to lay the hammer down.

I love happy endings.

4 Comments

  • k a t i e

    Just…wow. It sounds like a great school to be so supportive, especially the fact you know the teachers/vice versa. It’s definitely uncommon for that to be the case here.
    All’s well that ends well – and you know at least he won’t be doing that again in a hurry!

  • Jules

    I’m so glad the mystery is solved and that you didn’t have to put Shaggy on the case. You’re making Bedingfield proud “getting through this” and everything!

  • Kat

    Phew well luckily it worked itself out in the end and you didn’t have to go and buy everything new. He is very adorable though.

  • Melisa

    Katie: This area that we live in has an especially extraordinary school district, thank goodness. It is one of the reasons people move here. I have really enjoyed having the access to teachers over the years; and we were so bittersweet when the younger one was done with 5th grade, because our family had been involved at that school (including the older one’s attendance years) for 9 years or something like that. The teachers become “friends” (not socially for me, but they always are up for a chat). It’s great.

    Judie: I know! It’s amazing that I can even live my life without listening to that song daily! LOL

    Kat: Yes, he is quite adorable! I agree! ROFL! (seriously, thanks.)