MY Graduation....Finally!

I have been going to school every single school day since I was in Kindergarten.....

The Funny little girl standing in front of the teacher is me!  She probably put me there so I wouldn't talk during the photo shoot!

I moved on each year....from Elementary School....to High School....then on to College....only to start my first job as a Kindergarten teacher immediately....

And I have been at this teaching thing since 1973!

Don't you wonder what those kid's parents thought when they saw the "baby teacher" who was in charge of their kids?

But today....I can officially say....I am RETIRED!

The last weeks have been a roller coaster of emotion!

I am sooo glad to be retiring....but hearing from the kids "you can't go"...has been hard!

There have been "official" moments....The School Board Recognition....the School Assembly!

And of course.....The Retirement Party!

Instead of a stuffy Retirement Tea that is the usual send off for the "old lady school teacher"...

My friends threw a "Graduation Party" for me here at Sweetwater!

What fun.....!

The evening concluded with a bunch of us sitting around the fire in the back yard telling stories!

I couldn't have asked for any better send off!

 And finally....the Sweetwater Family had a dinner for me on Friday.....so I am a bit done with all the attention!

I do want to share a couple of fun "kid perspectives" of my retirement.....

One morning last week there was a big assembly where the Principal talked about me (and the other wonderful staff who will not return next year)....the whole school sang "Auld Lang Syne" in Spanish no less.....and there were lots of tears and hugs....

Then....

I was teaching a class of first graders that same afternoon....when they walked in.....a little boy looked at me in surprise and asked....."Are YOU still here?"   

You can't make this stuff up!

I wanted to share this note....just to be sure you know how well I do at teaching spelling and grammar.....

 This note is a favorite.....the idea that I had an impact on kids and made school enjoyable is something that is important for me to remember.

Retirement for a teacher is a little strange....Today doesn't seem any different than any other first day of Summer Vacation.....Except...it won't be ending in September....for the first time in an awful lot of years!

Wish Me Luck finding something to do with all this time (TEE HEE)!

Have A Great Day!