We just had one day to spend at Disneyland, and our young daughters had their hearts set on meeting the princesses in person.
Fortunately, three princesses were on hand inside Royal Hall, a quaint, medieval-looking cottage in Fantasyland with an imposing line that day. Since crowds are an inescapable part of the Disney experience, we didn’t think twice about the wait.
However, we quickly discovered that the line to meet the princesses was the longest in a park notorious for its long lines. It simply did not move. As we passed the hour mark with nary a tiara in sight, I could almost hear our precious minutes in the happiest place on Earth ticking away.
But we could not even contemplate leaving the line. The princesses were magical to our daughters, and a few minutes with them was worth more than any ride in the park.
We stuck it out. Ninety minutes of sweating in the sun outside Royal Hall later, we were permitted entry into Cinderella’s throne room. And then we understood why meeting the princesses was worth the wait.
We watched our daughters’ faces light up as they twirled with one of their favorite people. Cinderella held hands with our 4-and 7-year-olds. She complimented their dresses, asked them questions, and seemed to care about the answers.
I do not recall whether we rode on Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, or really any mountain, during that visit in 2017. But we all remember when our girls met Cinderella, Ariel, and Snow White.
I was reminded of that visit to Disneyland this August, when my fifth-grade son met his teachers at McCulloch Intermediate School for the first time. As with the princesses, there was a long line of parents and children waiting to speak with each teacher.
But when we reached the front of the line, my son met kind, caring individuals who asked about his summer and whether his locker worked. They wanted his feedback on their classroom décor and inquired about what he was eager to learn. He left overflowing with excitement about his school year on a new campus, where he would have so many different teachers, one for each class.
When he came home after his first day later that week, he told us how much more he already liked middle school than elementary school, and how happy he was to be at MIS.
I don’t know how much he’ll remember about what he learns in fifth grade. But he will never forget his teachers, the people who will make his year sparkle, ignite his imagination, and build his creativity.
This summer, Highland Park ISD announced 7 to 10% raises for teachers and staff, a move which catapulted virtually all their salaries into the top quartile of those in North Texas. And the district is continuing its work to make their pay even higher. It wants our teachers to not just be well-compensated, but to be the best-compensated in the area.
And they should be. Without its princesses, Disneyland is Six Flags with a hefty price tag and some good animatronics. And without our teachers, HPISD is just another school district with some nice buildings and new turf.
But any parent knows that there’s magic in those classrooms. Our teachers may not wave wands, talk to animal friends, or be able to turn a pumpkin into a carriage, but they cast their own spells in their classrooms every day.
And as good as HPISD teachers are, I wouldn’t rule out a little fairy godmothering on the side.