Will they let me go when I need to go to the bathroom?

And what if I get lost on my way back to class?

And what if the other kids are a hundred, a thousand times smarter than I am?

And what if we have a spelling test, or a reading test, or an...

anything test, and I'm the only person who doesn't pass?

And what if my teacher decides she doesn't like me?

And what if, all of a sudden a tooth gets loose?

And what if I can't find lunch, or I sit on my lunch,

or I (oops!) drop my lunch someplace like the toilet?

Will they let me starve or will somebody lend me a sandwich?

A cookie? A cracker? An apple? Some juice?

And what if they say, "Do this," and I don't understand them?

And what if there's teams and nobody picks me to play?

And what if I took off my sneakers, and also my socks,

and my jeans, and my sweatshirt and T-shirt,

And started the first day of school on the second day?

By Judith Viorst

A Circle of Friends

We've joined together as classmates

as the new year begins. . .

A year full of learning

while we become friends.

We'll share and be kind

as we work and play.

And our friendship will grow

with each passing day.

Author Unknown