Schoooooool's out for-EVER!

Okay, not FOREVER, but for the unforeseeable future!  Today was the last day with the kids (half day) and I gotta admit, it's bittersweet!  My kids/parents showered me with sweet gifts, cards & flowers and I got too many hugs too count.

I can't believe I survived this week with no major hiccups!  Most people thought I was crazy to have be putting on a big awards ceremony and then doing a carnival the last few days of school when I'm trying to pack up my classroom. It was a stretch and I barely was able to do it all, but I'm proud of myself for pushing myself to make it extra special for my students and parents.

I have to admit, I got lucky and had AMAZING parent support this year! I gave 12 parent volunteers tokens of my appreciation.  Several of them came to help me decorate and prepare for the big events. The room looked amazing, such a transformation (pictures soon).  It was decked out with a Hollywood theme, and the kids came dressed up like little movie stars! Some were in suits and the girls were cute as ever in their pretty dresses.  I called each student, they got to walk down the red carpet aisle (parents were seated on both sides of the carpet) and I awarded them with their individualized awards. They loved it!  I showed the slideshow. I was nervous something would go wrong, but thankfully I was able to get it to play and it worked! That dang slideshow stressed me out so much!  It was nearly 11 minutes, and that was after a lot of editing. I apparently took a ton of pictures this year and had like 30 minutes worth of pictures. Cutting it down to 11 was hard! I figured the kids wouldn't mind it being so long because it was pictures of themselves and their friends. I was right, they absolutely loved watching it. The parents loved it, some even cried (okay, I admit, I put a sappy song at the end - "Let Them Be Little" by Billie Dean) and it makes me tear up too.  They liked it so much, I got talked into burning them all copies to send home so they could enjoy it over, and over, and over. Not like I have anything else going on... but I obliged and was flattered they all liked it that much.

I got a really nice farewell gift from the staff, my teammates also got me a super cute gift, and then I spent the rest of the day packing/cleaning and running around getting my clearance checklist completed. Tomorrow is a teacher work day and I still have soooo much to do.  Reading folders, cleaning out all the closets/cabinets, inventory checklists, yada yada yada.  I'll be running around like a chicken with their head cut off all.day.long.

I had my final appointment with the principal.  She had all good things to say, and I asked if she had any feedback of areas where I could grow in, reminding her I'm still a newbie and she looked at me puzzled and asked how long had I been teaching, and I answered her saying, "This is just my 2nd year" and she was stunned.  She said she would had never known it was only my 2nd year and she's going to miss having the "Bisson touch" around the school when I leave. That made me feel great.

Anyway, it's all said and done and I'm proud I pulled it all off... but I'm exhausted.  As one door closes, another opens, and now I begin my new full-time job of being a stay at home mommy to the sweetest little boy ever - I am SO excited!  Everyone keeps asking when I plan to teach again, and I honestly don't know what the future holds. School's out for me, not just for the summer, but for quite some time... and I'm okay with that! :)