A New York middle school got a surprise visitor: Britney Spears. The pop star dropped by John Philip Sousa M. S. 142 in The Bronx on Wednesday to present a $10,000 check to be used as an endowment for the school’s year-old music program. As she entered the school (which was not in session due to the Jewish holiday), she was treated to a performance by the Sousatones, the school’s eight-piece band, led by director Sal Mazzola. “When you’re ready to take us on the road for an opening act, we’re ready,” he told Spears. Spears, who plans to tour in 2009, replied: “You’ll be the first people I call.” Mazzola told the students in advance they would be playing for a “high-profile” guest, but they only learned it would be Spears earlier that morning. (Some kids guessed it would be P. Diddy or Barack Obama.) Spears was also serenaded by a chorus of seven girls, including soloist Rachel Lewis, 14, who sang “I Am Woman.” The donation came from Elizabeth Arden, which is behind Spears’s fragrances, Believe, Fantasy and Curious. “I really enjoyed the time I spent at the John Philip Sousa Middle School,” Spears tells PEOPLE. “I’ve been working with the people at Elizabeth Arden for the last five years, and I know how passionate everyone is about the school. I loved hearing the school orchestra and the children sang so beautifully. The fact that Elizabeth Arden made such a large donation for the school music studio in my name was so generous.”

Awww, I love it! After our dear Britney was finished making the kids’ day at John Philip Sousa Junior High School #142, she braved the rain and dined at SoHo House (which is an excellent place to enjoy a meal, David and I had dinner with some friends of his at SoHo House right before we left for Iceland) before making her way to The Box in the Lower East Side of NYC for a little entertainment. I, for one, am glad to hear that Britney took some time to unwind last night. Things have been going so well for her lately, I’m just so happy about everything she does these days. I never dreamed a year ago that she would be in this place … happy, healthy and seemingly back to normal. It’s a great sight to see, wouldn’t you agree?

[Photo credit: INFdaily, Splash News; Source]