Our school, Chautauqua Elementary on Vashon Island, Washington, has suffered from “Lost and Found Syndrome” for many, many years. Children (and some adults) lose items (mostly coats) constantly, but never seem to look for those items. So, naturally, our Lost and Found grows and grows. We have reached out to students, staff and families, trying to rectify this problem and reconnect the items with the ones who left them behind. Videos, songs, direct pleas, class by class reconnaissance missions; heck, it’s why we created Official Lost and Found Day in the first place. And yet, the issue remains. This year we just hung the items in front of the school so that students and families might recognize something on their way past. But, it seems to be a lost cause. So, as usual, we will be donating the items to a local charity, clearing out space, so we can start collecting items again in January, so we can donate those items at the end of the school year. And this is our routine, year after year, after year.
Don’t let this happen to you. Please look for your stuff. With a little effort, you may experience an Official Lost and Found Day miracle!
