Swap ideas

As the school year gets rolling, I thought this would be a good chance to swap great story ideas. To get the ball rolling, here are some thoughts:

1. Find a first-year teacher at your school to profile -- maybe check back in throughout the year. A few years ago, I wrote about how one out of every three teachers leaves the profession within their first three years. The Kansas State Department of Education could get you newer figures.

2. School districts had fewer jobs to fill this year. One reason is that teachers who had planned to retire earlier are sticking with the profession until the economy turns around. (No one wants to leave when their investments are looking shaky.)

3. Some behind the scenes preparations for the start of school could be interesting, especially if you look for a quirky angle. For example, who cleans up and fixes all the old band instruments?

Any other ideas?