what happens in chapter 5?

In Chapter 5, "All Aboard," Miss Meeks gives her annual opening day speech, in which she refers to the students as young citizens. She welcomes them to John W. Satterfield Elementary School.

She says they will be going to school for twelve years, during which they will learn to spell big words and write difficult sentences. The children are impressed, but Zinkoff starts giggling. Miss Meeks does the math on the greenboard to show that throughout 12 years, they will be in school 2,160 days. She puts on her train conductor's hat and asks who wants to jump aboard to learn to write their names. Everyone raises their hands, and Zinkoff shouts in glee.