The Last Day of School

On Monday I went back to my school for the last time before summer. I suppose the day could be described with a variety of adjectives...

Hectic: I spent the week of June 4-8 in a workshop away from school. There was a fair amount of stuff I had to do before I could check out for the year. In addition to accomplishing these tasks, I spent about two hours involved in or preparing for a meeting we had scheduled to determine whether a student at the school was eligible for special education services.

Melancholy: That's probably a good word and I suspect that most teachers feel something like that while they're packing up their rooms for the summer. You think back on the good points and the bad points of the year. I suppose it's like looking back at the end of any prolonged task. Maybe it's different if you don't actually enjoy you job. But there was a touch of melancholy to the day.

Relieved: Teaching school is a marathon. At the end of the year teachers are tired. It feels good to know that it's over for a while, at least. It's not like there nothing to do. I have a huge pack of new material from the Orton-Gillingham workshop to become more familiar with. I have a new policy document for special education in West Virginia that I need to read and digest. I have two different tests to prepare for that I hope will extend and improve my certification(s). I have a five day workshop starting July 30 to attend. And I suspect there will be a couple of other professional development events to attend. But knowing that the routine is over for a time, getting up on a weekday and going to Big Daddy's for breakfast with my wife at 10am, not having to worry about the alarm clock and whether the coffee is made and the lunches packed - relief is a good word.

It's nice to be out, for now...