Summer and a Bit of Sadness

Well, today was officially the last day of school. Our students here at the elementary school were done last Friday. For the past 3 1/2 days we worked as teams to rewrite, add on, repair, etc. out IB units of Inquiry. We also had a couple of hours of training on the new math curriculum we purchased. (more to come)

Our grade level worked particularly hard this week on trying to tie up any loose ends on our units plus getting everything in our rooms cleaned up, stored, and ready for summer. It was an exhausting endeavor, not without tension, but by some miracle we were able to get it all accomplished. I am amazed at what our grade level is able to do year after year. Not that we function any better than the others, it's just that we are able to accomplish things with very little animosity, arguing, or anything of that nature. For some reason we are always able to come together, work thru our differences, and get the task at hand completed. Once again we came through like Tour de France Champions.


The hard part for me is saying good-bye to people that I've poured out my soul to, laughed with and cried with, discussed children's education with, shared my personal life with, bitched about life with, and generally spent more than 174 days out of the last year with. For some unusual reason, our grade level has always been very close and I can honestly say that I truly love the people I work with. Not many other people can make that claim and that is one of the things that makes my job very special, and the end of the year so difficult.

I am, by nature, a very sentimental person, who forms pretty deep attachments, with very little effort. I'm also the type of person who doesn't say good-bye very well. I just assume quietly disappear and not have to face this dilemma. I tried that today, but with very little success.

Many of my colleagues are gathering in St. Michael today, for an evening of golf and partying. I've made the conscious decision to stay home. Again, I just don't do well with good-byes. Plus, I am one of the senior citizens of the group. (just a slight exaggeration) Also, I'm planning to ride at 5:30 tomorrow morning. I even tried calling my friend Drea after leaving the luncheon and had difficulty talking on the phone without tears. Mere mortal, worthless and weak, all in all pretty pathetic. That describes me.

So now I'm focusing on my own summer and all the things I need to get accomplished and want to do. I know it will be an amazing summer and that I will have many good experiences on the bike and off, but I'm also looking forward to seeing everyone again, sometime soon so we can share our summer experiences and have some laughs.

"I expect to pass through this world but once; therefore, any good thing that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now… for I shall not pass this way again."

– Stephen Grillet