another idea: the non wizarding family kids aren't always aware that they're going to a magic school.
the acceptance letters are really vague, and they leave it up to the kids to decide whether or not to tell their parents that "surprise mom! I'm a wizard!" ("...Have you tried...not being a wizard?") But their website is weirdly good, and they're a very legit-looking organization. (Sage Canyon Academy: A Place To Rediscover Yourself) The kids get here, and after the first few days, they're like "...wait. this shit is real? you're not fuckin with me right now?"
"Wait, I'm a what?" "A wizard." "I thought that was an in joke or something." "Nope. It's real. Surprise!"
There was a contest when they were designed the website of how many magic/supernatural puns they would work into the description. "Located next to a truly magical lake, SCA is sure to give you an out of this world experience!"
When the newbies first show up, before all subtlety is completely shattered, everyone just sorta follows them making as many bad puns as possible.
"Our teachers work miracles with their lesson plan, and the students soon learn how to be regular wizards at many disciplines!"
Also everyone pranks the new guys with magic in the day or so before lessons to see when exactly they´ll catch on
The exception is, of course, the local kids, who really don't get why there is a break between getting to school and magical discussion. Naturally, out of tow kids are intially so creeped out by them.
School motto: "Omnes sumus troglodytarum" (Someone who actually knows latin/didn't just use google translate can probably do better)
Half the teachers are in on it. Turtle dorm thinks it's immature and funny, but try to adopt as many newbies as possible. The entire Coyote and Eagle dorms are in on it. Raven and Jackrabbit students have come up with 70% of the puns. Bear dorm thinks it's hilarious, but are the only ones who can be relied on to explain everything to the newbies.
People who take it seriously get really into explaining how it means that "we are all monsters at heart", and that we should judge ourselves before we judge others.
There's only a river sometimes, since they're in the desert... But the river monsters always live in it. Sometimes the students go fishing.
can SCA please have a rival school that's a preppy New England boarding school i can provide all the exposition on those y'all want : P
"Wait, our school motto is what?" "Oh, trust me. It's just symbolic or something. Don't get worked up." :snickering ensues: People sometimes get dunked intentionally as an excuse to skip stuff.
See, I always saw America as having, like, five magic schools- less because they're needed population wise and more because there's no way someone from, say, the deep south, is sending their wizard child off to goddamn New England or where ever- so there could be SCA, and the preppy new england school, and the new agey west coast school, and the southern gothic school in louisiana, and the sleepy school up in minnesota- and so on (of course, we don't need all these, they just exist in my head and my heart) "And- where's Cody? This is the third class he's missed this month." "He's being drowned viciously by the river monster, hes pretty sure he'll never return this time and that he can make up any reading before the test on thursday."
