End of Another School Year

   I locked my classroom door and turned in my keys this afternoon after carrying out 2 crates of books, coffee cups, a terrarium, some leftover Oreos, and the lone surviving goldfish in my fish tank. After eagerly counting down the days, I felt a little sad to be walking away. I am looking forward to having time to do all the things on my summer list, but I am already missing the hugs and smiles from my little ones. And my assistant/ best friend is flying to France tomorrow to visit her daughter and granddaughter, so I am really going to miss seeing her every day.
   There will be a lot of changes next year. Because of our shrinking enrollment, we will have fewer teachers next fall, and abou a third of our teachers will be moving to a different grade. I am feeling lucky to be able to continue teaching kindergarten, but unless we get more students, I will be the only kindergarten teacher next year. That will be very strange, and I will miss collaborating with my teammate after 9 years together.

   

        "Grajwashine" (graduation) was sweet, and I hate to lose some of the great parent volunteers I had this year.  Just when you get to know them, it's time to start all over again!

       On the other hand, I can finally see the top of my desk! And I found lots of treasures under the piles of papers, including a bag of candy leftover from teacher appreciation week!

  

   

    So, I'm about to have some of those Oreos and milk, prop my feet up and contemplate my schedule for the next few days.  Do I start with the weeds in the flower garden, the piles of bills and mail, or the mopping and dusting? Or just finish the book beside my bed? Plenty to keep me busy all summer, and August will be here before I know it! I love this job!