The Reverse Viola Swamp

In the book Miss Nelson is Missing, a sweet blonde Miss Nelson finally gives up one day when the kids just won't settle down. I seem to remember one page in particular where the paper airplanes whizzed by the shell-shocked eyes of the title character. The next day, Miss Nelson is gone, and in her place is the evil Viola Swamp. The children, so relieved that Viola is out of there a few days later, welcome Miss Nelson back as their usual angelic selves. The last page reveals Miss Nelson's closet, wherein hangs her trusty Viola Swamp costume, ready for the next flying paper airplane.

Ah, if wishing made it so. Instead, I left my students for three days last week (flu) and one day this week (in-service) and when I returned, they were coming down from a "substitute high" fed by too much free time and general rowdiness. Now Viola's back in town, and it is going to take a few days before all of the paper airplane materials have been confiscated. But, Monday is a new week, and I rescheduled a doctors appointment in order to whip their little butts into shape 24/7 next week. Unfortunately for them, this Viola Swamp has no sweet, blonde alter ego. But, she loves them even more than Miss Nelson loved her paper-airplane-throwing darlings.