“What day is it?" "It's today," squeeked Piglet. "My favorite day," said Pooh.

The last time in a suit and tie for three months!


 

I always warn kids not to wish for some future thing too much. It's fine to look forward and its fine to look back, but it should never get in the way of the now. It was a lesson taught to me by so many coaches, mentors, teachers and parental-types in my life and I am so grateful.

 

Today was the last honors assembly of the year. Tears and laughter and hugs and high fives. The frustrations and dramas of the year are put aside, even if only for a moment, and we come together to send off our young women and men. This last week is a week of moments. We take the eighth grade to a day-long adventure at a YMCA camp in the Flint Hills on Monday. On Tuesday is the Dodgeball Tournament and Talent Show (not at the same time, but ... hmmm). We change locker combinations and start putting awards and medals in the envelopes they get at the end of the assembly. It is an exhausting gauntlet-so out of the schedule we maintained for nine months-but so worth it.

 

I am looking forward to the summer. More time to write and read. Time with family and those grands! I have some ideas I want to play with for next year. I love the break, but truth be told...I start getting excited to be back in the classroom in mid-July. Not ready for grading and meetings, but...to work with my young charges...yeah, mid-July.

 

For my teacher friends who still have a few weeks of school...I hope you enjoy your last few moments with this set of students!

 

For those of us who have said goodbye to the last kiddo and all that is left is preparing the classroom for a summer without students...enjoy that too.

 

I know I will.

 

Only a few times each year is the grading bin empty...it is today!

I love seeing that sign. it means I can read a book and play with a grand without feeling guilty!