the last day

The girls' school has a different calendar than most, so the last day of school was this past thursday. And just this month their school's application to become a "California Distinguished School" was accepted, which apparently goes to 5% of public schools each year. I don't really understand this program. If 5% of schools are given this award every year then eventually most every school will have it, rendering it, like many awards, meaningless. Anyway, Erin's teacher was one of three who wrote up the lengthy proposal for the honor and the three of them traveled to the capital building in Sacramento? No...Disneyland...a week ago to accept the award. Actually, I have a lot more respect for Disneyland than I do Sacramento.

On the last day of school the district superintendent brought our school their official new CDS flag and the kids gathered to see it raised for the first time, and to have a last day of school sing- along.


There was absolutely no wind, so the new flag didn't create a great impression.

One of the teachers played piano, another guitar, and both Erin and Allison's teachers led the singing. Parents were invited to join.


I spotted Allison in the crowd, and Kate too, since the K/1 students were seated in the front. Erin's class was too far back for me to get a good picture of her.

The kids sang "Grand old Flag" and the school song and a few others before heading back to their classes to gather their things and say their goodbyes.

Then my kindergarten graduates emerged with their big bags full of final art projects and such to take home, and Allison got a last hug from her teacher.

After getting Erin and meeting up with another Kindergarten graduate, the twins' friend Jake, we decided to get a group photo and go out to celebrate the end of school together. We took the kids out for pizza to a local place that has a playground inside and let them run wild for a while, until they tired themselves out and then they sat and colored at the table.

It's hard for me to believe that Kindergarten is over and I have two first-graders now who are nearly 6. My babies surely aren't babies anymore. This past school year has been one of my favorites, whether or not it makes sense for me to have an opinion like that one way or the other. Each of them has THE most wonderful teachers I could possibly imagine, and each teacher was matched so well with their different personalities. The good news is that since students stay with one teacher for two grades, each of them will be back in the same classrooms with the same teachers next year.

I spent one full school day per week helping in their classes and I enjoyed doing that so much more than I thought I would. I started that as something that would be for their benefit but it was just as good for me too. Kate and Allison's educational career is off to a good start and Erin continues to surprise John and me. The beginning of first and third grade is a mere six weeks away. I wonder what new adventures lie ahead.