Another Year In The Books

This school year is officially over and SUMMER vacation has started. We ended the year with an awards ceremony. Many parents attended and blessed me with the kindest heartfelt words that make teaching so rewarding and worth it (also some great gifts and beautiful flowers:)!
We spent part of yesterday reflecting on what was learned throughout the year. I love that the students were able to verbalize the things that made them better readers, writers, and mathematicians.
I took the time to write each of my students letters last week and I am so glad I did. It made me realize how far they had come from the beginning of the year in behavior, socially, and academically. I am extremely proud of a student who wasn't reading a level 1 at the beginning of the year left reading a level 18 with some of the deepest understanding of strategies I have ever seen and another student whose had an N in many conduct areas the 1st and 2nd 9 weeks to ALL S's the last nine weeks!
The end of the year is so bittersweet for because these students I have come to love and call "mine" leave. Some I see again and others I do not. My first group of 1st graders will be middle schoolers next year. Craziness I tell you!

However, I am equally excited to spend everyday with my little guy doing whatever we please whenever we want! SUMMER here we come!