The last day of school is always a little bittersweet. Of course it's wonderful to start a long vacation, but it is sad to let our SKs go. It's the end of a close relationship...never again will we have the same closeness, the same hugs. I'll never tend their scraped knees, or cradle them on my lap when they are sick. I'll never sing and dance with them, or play tag, or share a story again. We will wave hello in the halls, but it will be different. For ten months, I've loved these children; worried about them, comforted them, encouraged them, even dreamed about them. It is *very* hard to say goodbye.
Despite how the teachers feel, to five year olds the day is nothing but fun! After some wonderful play in the morning, Sharon, Ann-Marie and I surprised the children with a sundae bar.
Then our SKs practiced some grade 1 skills, and visited their new classes and teachers. They were nervous to meet their new teachers, suddenly shy about what Grade 1 will bring.
We headed out to the garden to do one more check on our crop.
We watered the grade 8 graduation tree, planted on Monday. All too soon, it will be these guys planting their own tree.
When we got back to the room, a little surprise awaited us. Over a month ago, someone left a big caterpillar in a bug box over the weekend. It pupated and we've had a cocoon since then. Just this morning, Sharon and I wondered what to do with it over the summer.
Lo and behold, the moth emerged while we tended the garden. Just as Sharon and I are mourning the loss of our SKs and sending our little butterflies out of the cocoon of kindergarten, nature provided us with a reminder that we must let go. The world is an amazing place!
It's been a memorable year, filled with laughter, wonder, learning, and even a few tears.
Happy summer everyone!
