Schoooool's out.for.summer!

Well, it's that time of year again; another school year is in the books.  And what a year it was - by far, my most challenging, for a number of reasons, but let's not dwell on those.  Leading up to Friday, I joked with Wes that this would be the first year I'd be happy to see them leave.  That I would understand what other teachers meant when they half-jokingly mumbled, "don't let the door hit ya on your way out."

No luck.  I still couldn't help but feel a enormous sense of emotion as each one of them exited my classroom on Friday afternoon.  The inevitable tears welled up and overflowed as I read to them Mrs. Spitzer's Garden, a story about a teacher who lovingly tends to her "garden," preparing it to flourish.

There are a lot of opinions about our school systems "failing our kids," these days, mine included, but I couldn't help but feel like we must be doing something right when I watched buses leave for the last time this year, filled with kids waving back to us with tears streaming down their faces.

I've come to realize that I work at a very special school, led by an unbelievable Principal.  I won't get into the laundry list of reasons why I feel this way, but here's just a small glimpse into the community he and his team have created...

Here he is running with students during recess, helping motivate them to increase their Running Club totals.

Check out the school's courtyard, which includes a small pond, a composter that kids add to each day after lunch (as young as Kindergarteners do this - all on their own!), and numerous gardens filled with fruits and vegetables that are actually used in school lunches!

6th graders chalked all along the front walkway on Friday, so that students could read inspiring messages as they left the building for the last time this school year.  

 

Teachers lined the bus loop to wave goodbye to the students as they drove away.  I wish I had video of this moment.

 

  Bus drivers were honking, kids were waving out bus windows back to their teachers.  Such an awesome tradition.

Speaking of traditions.  :)  In true, Wes & Jaime fashion, we celebrated the end to another successful year with our favorite meal and some bubbly!