Appolgese

[Written by Spencer, age 7. Digitized from handwritten notebook paper and annotated for clarity by Mrs. Weidner, 1st Grade Classroom A]

Dear Mama,

I am writing this letter to appolgize [apologize] because Mrs. Widener [Weidner] said it's the right thing to do. I am also writing this letter to say that I am sorry.

I did it because I forget my homework all the time. [W: Spencer is referring to the weekly show-and-tell we do on Fridays.] And when I think about who will be more mad at me, I think Mrs. Widener [Weidner] sounds more scary when she yells. You would probably just take my Switch away for a week, but Mrs. Widener [Weidner] would yell at me in front of the hole [whole] class. [W: I think he means "scold," as I do not "yell" at my students. Seeing it in writing, I can appreciate Spencer's apprehension about receiving correction in front of his classmates. Going forward, I will pull him aside for a private chat.]

The homework was to bring something that you and your parents both like. I forgot to ask you what things you like but I remembered one time Dad said you keep toys under your bed. [W: If you have current contact info for Spencer's father, I would like to schedule a conference with the both of you at your earliest convenience.]

I know it was not okay for me to go into your room and take something without asking but I did it anyway. I didn't know how to play with your toys but I found a bag of gummies. I figured that means we both like gummies and I could use that for my assinement [assignment]. I promise I was going to put them back where I found them when I got home from school.

When Mikayla saw the gummies she asked for one. First I told her NO because I thought you would notice if one was missing. Mikayla said that if I didn't share with her, she would tell on me. So I gave her one. I had no idea that they made special gummies for grown-ups. I was very scared when the ambulence [ambulance] and police showed up at school. That's why I told the policeman you gave me the gummies and we both eat gummies together at home. I thought it would be OK if I said that you said it was OK. I now know that was wrong.

[W: I'll add some missing context here. Mikayla is not allowed to have her phone on her during the school day, and the phone is supposed to stay in her cubby, powered off. It is completely on me that I didn't catch her with the phone until after she had called both her mother and emergency services from the ladies' room. Had I been more vigilant, we would have handled this per our medical emergency protocol and, hopefully, would have been able to speak with authorities before Mikayla's mother gave them her statement.]

Mrs. Widener [Weidner] says I should write what I learned. I learned that when I do something bad and lie about it people can get hurt. Other people can get in trouble for something I did when they don't deserve it. [W: I am working with admin to develop an age-appropriate lesson plan covering consequences and how to anticipate the way our actions affect others.]

I'm really sorry, Mama. I hope that when they let you out of jail we can watch a movie together and eat some of the gummies that we are both allowed to have.

Please exept my appolgese. [W: Please accept my apologies, as well.]

Spencer [and Mrs. W.]