Busy at the End

The last week of school is incredibly busy, but especially this year, as most of the teachers are closing down their classrooms/school and changing classrooms.

And the last day of school is the worst.  It is so nice to finish the year, and say goodbye to your students.  I always tell my students that I will miss them, and that I hope that they say hi and come and visit me next year.  I also warn them that I am sure I will forget their names, and to please forgive me, and still to say hi.

But after they leave, that’s when the clock starts ticking.  We have to sign up for a check out time.  This year I picked 3:15.  I don’t know why.  It always takes me forever to get out of there.  But it was also the last time available by the time I saw the sign up sheet.

I skipped lunch, and worked on my cums.  Did that in almost 2 hours, sorted them and all, then walked across the street to bring some food back.  At on the way back, and then back to my room to get things moved/cleaned.  My check out time came and went, and I was not ready.  At around 4:30 I got my VP to come on over and check me out.

I finally got the okay to leave, turned in my keys, and headed home.  It is always so nice to finally get in the car and leave for the summer.  That last day is a mad scramble to get things done and to get out of there.  I’m glad it’s over.

Kickball 2010

The annual staff v. 6th graders kickball game was today.  Wasn’t my year this year.  One good kick that was caught in the outfield, then a couple pop flies.  One low kick that got me onto 1st.  But it was a fun morning.  The staff won, again.  Everyone did the “Hokey Pokey” afterward.

Finishing Up

The last full week of school is finally behind me.  Report cards are finished – I think. I worked until about 7 this evening.  My Report Card Maker kept freakin’ out.  Every 5 minutes or so I would have to exit out of the program (usually with cont/alt/delete) and then restart the program.  It was VERY frustrating, and slow going.

On Monday I’ve got a room to finish moving, paperwork to find buried under a mess (thanks to the move), a math test and a writing test to give.  Then cums to finish.  It’s going to be a couple of late days until the end of school.

The Home Stretch

The end of the year is coming quick, and this year seems a bit more crazy then usual.  I think it’s because almost everyone is changing classrooms.  That means, on top of giving end of the year tests (language arts, math, writing, and fluency), filling out report cards, completing cums and A1 cards, most of the teachers (including myself) have to take everything down off the walls, pack up all the cupboards, and move to a new classroom.  Plus I need to test my oral language group, which means keeping my entire class occupied while I meet 1 on 1 with each student for about 10 minutes per student.

So there’s a lot to do.  My room is a mess.  Some cupboards are cleared out, others are not.  Most of the stuff that has been cleared out is outside my new classroom, which means later I will have to put those things away.  See, no one can completely move until there new classroom is cleared out, but that teacher can’t completely clear out until that teacher’s new room is cleared out.  Do you see the dilemma?

I couldn’t stay as late as I wanted because our main line is backing up.  So I had to take this morning off to meet the plumber.  Tonight is Sarah’s graduation dinner, so I can’t stay too late tonight.  I guess I can stay until midnight Friday to finish report cards/move.

Gold Rush

Gold Rush went off without a hitch today.  Most of the kids had costumes.  There were lots of parents there to watch.  The play went great, the kids sang great (and only messed up the words a couple times).  The square dancing was great!  It’s amazing how much the kids enjoy the dancing!  Every year they fuss when they start, but by the time the Gold Rush comes, they are loving it and want to practice more than the teachers do.

The Gold Rush town was fun, too.  There was plenty of root beer, pie, and water.  The kids had a great time playing the different games.  I got to be the “preacher” at the chapel to perform the best friends ceremony.

We wrapped up a little early because the kids were getting a little out of hand.  After lunch we all watched “Bull-Whip Griffen.”

But the highlight was after the kids went home, when Amy, Kelly, and I had root beer floats and pie.  Gayle came in and joined us, and anyone coming in the lounge was invited as well.  We sat and enjoyed our feast and conversations.

Gold Rush, Here We Come

School Olypics

This morning we had our school Olympics for the upper grade.  Mr. K and I were in charge of the “shot putt,” which was really a softball-size 5-pound ball.  We weren’t really given any instructions on how to run it, or even how the day was going to go.  It turns out each event would get a set of grade-level boys or girls.  You ran your event with them, and then when each event was finished, they would rotate.

Mr. K came up with a good way for us to find a 1st – 3rd winner.

The morning was actually pretty fun.  Mrs. S let us borrow some of her 2nd graders to help, and I think our event ran pretty smoothly.  I think everyone was hot and tired, but it stayed mostly cloudy for most of the morning, so it wasn’t too bad.

We were finished by recess.  Everyone got a bottle of water and some grapes when they were done.

Open House Hang Over

That’s how I feel.

Open House – Part II

Leaving Open House, and getting home from it, are two great feelings.  Walking to your car, with all the other teachers heading out doing the same, leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment, of achievement.  I’ve gotten through another Open House.  I put on another successful show.  But getting home feels great.  I never go home between then end of the half day a school, and the event.  There is usually too much to do, and if I happen to be ready enough, I just worry too much while I’m at home.  So I stay, get my work done, and hopefully enjoy a very casual, stress free, early dinners.  So by the time the night is over, it has been a long day.

I think this year’s Open House was good.  I think I had about 25 families show up, but more than that, I had about 5 former students come by to say hello.  One was in 10th grade, and apparently making really bad decisions (baby on the way and in a gang).  Another was a 22 year old I had when I taught 2nd grade at Price.  I totally remembered her for some reason .  It turns out she is the oldest sister of a current student of mine (I had the two girls’ brother in between having the two of them).  I had 2 students who are now juniors in high school, and apparently doing well, with plans to go to college.  And then I had 2 girl who I had 3 or 4 years ago.

It’s always pretty fun to see former students.  But when they are young adults, it’s just weird.

* * * * *

It’s always good to get Open House over with, for a couple of reasons.  The first (and they are in no particular order) is that there is always a push with teachers to get new, good work up on the bulletin boards.  That means pushing your students for their best work, and then taking down all their old work and putting up new work.  And teachers usually put more art work, and work in general, up on the boards.  So we’re jamming art, writing, and math all over, in every space we can find.

Another reason is that once Open House is over, it seems the end of the year is finally in sight.  All year long you look for the State test, and prep for that.  Once that is over, it’s the big push for Open House.  Now that that is behind us, we can finally look towards the end of the year.  But it’s going to be a busy 3 weeks.

In a couple of days we have the all-school Olympics, which my class has not prepared for at all.  Then the week after that is Gold Rush, which we are way behind in.  We are going to have to practice singing, dancing, and doing the play a lot these next 10 or so school days!  And then some time around then there is our report card prep day.  Once that hits, I’ll be busy after school for about 3 hours, for at least 3 days, and probably more.  Then there is a whole list of little things that need to be done before the school year ends (literally, we are given a list), all of which take time and energy.  By the time that last half day of school rolls around, it feels so good to get it over with.

I think we’re planning root beer floats after lunch on that day, just like last year.

Open House

So much to do.  Julie is coming at noon to help.  I’ll wait to put up work on the walls.  She can help with that. Let’s see, there’s the math board, the language arts board, a few social studies thinking maps, and then some art.

I need to finish kites and pass out work while the kids are in class.  When they leave I can mark their work, and then clean the room.  I also need to arrange their missions and pass out their reports.