Clementine can't believe her ears, her beloved teacher, Mr D'Matz, might be leaving them for the rest of the year to go on a research trip to Egypt! No other teacher has ever understood her impulsiveness, her itch to draw constantly, or her need to play "Beat the clock" when the day feels too long. Her new substitute teacher has a whole new set of rules that Clementine can't figure out. She decides to make a plan to get Mr D'Matz back.