So, it’s almost time for the kids’ summer vacation. New York City has the longest school year of anywhere in the country, and there are just a few weeks left. Jenny and William are in class until almost the end of June, and there’s hardly a pause before summer camp starts. It’s a good time for reflection and looking forward, since a lot has happened since September 2007.

Last week the city’s Department of Education finally sent out letters about 2008-2009 school assignments, and fortunately William got into his first choice for middle school (Delta). Most of his classmates are going there, too. It’s a good thing, since Caroline was talking about home schooling him if it didn’t work out.

On June 7, my family and I went to the MoCCA Art Festival, an annual indie comics event at New York City’s Puck Building. My daughter is a big comics fan, and she explored the exhibits on her own, meeting many of her favorite creators and getting them to draw in her sketchbook. The exhibit halls were jam-packed, and William got a great T-shirt of a deep-sea, bioluminescent fish luring a smaller fish. While we were there, we caught up with NATURE comics artists Sabrina Jones and Lauren Weinstein — Sabrina’s graphic novel biography of Isadora Duncan is being published later this year, and Lauren’s Goddess of War is hot off the presses. At the Picture Box table, I also got to meet one of my favorite filmmakers, Michel Gondry, who was autographing copies of his one-shot comic, We Lost the War but Won the Battle. He even drew a quick sketch of me in the comic book when he signed it. What a mensch!

Here at the Educational Publishing Department, we’re planning a bunch of new publications for fall and spring. In the Fall, there will be a new guide to WIDE ANGLE (season 6), including Dishing Democracy, Gold Futures, The People’s Court, and Brazil in Black & White. We’re also planning a new NATURE comic book, including Clever Monkeys, The Wolf That Changed America, and a program about dragons. In Spring 2009, we’re working on materials for THE HUMAN SPARK, THE MUSIC INSTINCT, and a NATURE teacher’s guide for a program called The Loneliest Animals, about the world’s most endangered species.

Robert Miller, the Director of the Educational Publishing Department, is having his retirement party today — we’ve worked together for many, many years, and Thirteen/WNET won’t be the same without him. He’ll still be involved with educational publishing, including his project La Cronica and a new Web site. Thanks for everything, Robert!