End of Year Cheer
Last night rounded out the academic year of 2015. I actually feel somewhat refreshed instead of the usual frazzle.
My, to borrow a phrase, “parting of sweet sorrow,” began early in the day. Having posted my grades the day before, a perk of having seniors, and having already tidied up my room, I decided to plant lavender and poppies outside my school window. One teacher greeted me with “Hey, Miss Maudie!” I took that for a compliment.
I then listened to essays of future AP students–promising beginnings. After that I polished some lesson plans for next year, arranged books in the library (you can take a librarian out of the library, but never the library out of a librarian), rearranged my room, and waited for the final bell. Having no students, I listened for how students would react to their release from captivity.
“Summer!” “I can’t get out of this building fast enough!”
I’m not sure if those were student or staff voices crying out their jubilation.
After a quick power nap, it was off to help ready seniors for our community graduation at the football field. A few moments of the usual panic–“my walking partner isn’t here yet!” “I lost my tassel!” “The valedictorian can’t find her speech!” “Do I have time to go to the bathroom?” but we managed to line them up, march them off over to the bleachers to the repeated strains of commencement’s “da da dada da da”. Many speeches later, and after no pranks of slipping the principal interesting bits of memorabilia, the class of 2015 tossed their hats in celebration.
Next stop: grad nite.
How to persuade new grads from going to parties and ending a happy day with a series of unfortunate events? Easy. Throw a party for them. Having done this rodeo three times with my own kinder, I help out by selling tickets and wandering around as a floater. Fun, food, and a chance to hug students one last time? I’m all in–at least until midnight. And the band played on until the wee hours of the morning.
This morning? I still woke up at 5:30 am. I guess my body isn’t quite ready for vacation yet.
I am hoping to dust off the laptop and get some writing projects cranking before fall arrives sooner than I hope it will.
Any other teachers, students, or parents embracing the delights of school being out?
Pam Webb 
Congrats on your summer freedom. Enjoy!
After I get past my three conferences I signed up for I shall.
There have been four graduations in my circle of friends and family. Yes, FOUR. My question is: When did everybody grow up and start going to proms and graduations??!! ;-D
Yes, I know the feeling. It’s even more painful to realize the world is moving right along with or without our consent. I stood talking to one of newer teachers who graduated from our school. How did that happen?
Well…first they enroll, and then….
And a little bit of teacher comedy to make you smile today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W70dKdAXkQw
I have been free for one week! It takes me about a week to adjust to not really having a schedule. I actually feel antsy for a few days without the routine of the school day.
I definitely agree. I have to create a summerish routine or I slip into a slovenly morass of regretful bad habits.
If I saw you planting flowers, I woulda called you Miss Rumphius.
My wife, a sixth grade math teacher, is still counting the days to the end of the year (9!) — but no one is counting more often or with greater enthusiasm than my boy.
Sigh. My splendid isolation is drawing to a close.
Oh–Ms. Rump is a definite favorite. I could easily see myself spreading flowers around. In fact, I’ve done that with giving away it is bulbs. It’s lovely to see them growing out and about in the community.
And–you will love having the fams back on the Homefront, you know you will.
Brilliant move to throw a party for the seniors to keep them from doing something they would regret later. Will have to remember that for future use. My son is moving up from 5th to 6th grade. We threw a party for the 5th graders in the park late last week. I’m now doing the San Francisco “Camp schlepping” for the summer. Tennis, baseball, art, basketball…I’ll be going to a Highlights “summer camp” and the LA SCBWI conference. We’ll spend a little time in the mountains, then Maine. Swing back through Illinois to see my family. Then a couple of weeks of downtime in late August before school starts. Summertime, it is!