Retirement

Not all changes are bad, but as I mentioned in my previous post, they can be unsettling, even when we have chosen them ourselves.  After much back and forth my husband and I both came to the conclusion that it was time for me to hang up my hat and retire at the end of this school year.  It was not an easy decision as I was not only blessed to be able to stay home with my children for 17 years. but I was able to follow that with 20 years of doing a job that I truly loved. I helped to open this school 17 years ago and have been there ever since.

Every fall I pulled into this parking lot, excited for a new year to start.  That excitement would continue through the seasons all the way to the end of each school year.

School Parking lot in the fall.

The flowering cherry trees in the spring in front of the school.

Early summer on the playground the last weeks of school.. 

Last week of school.

This was my little teaching area where I helped immigrant children learn to read, write and speak English.  Over the years I met children from Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, China, West Africa and the Philippines, just to name a few.  It was always so rewarding to watch them grow in confidence and reach the point where they didn't need me anymore.  I helped with special needs children as well.

Our school mascot was a hornet.  On the last day of school we had a going away party with a cake and I was given this lovely sterling silver necklace especially designed with the honeycomb and a little bee.  I am so glad to know that I will always be "a part of the hive."    This was a heart wrenching change but I am hoping it is not "adieu" but rather "au revoir" as I am planning to come back and do some volunteering and possibly substituting as well in the future.  

 

 And so as I said in my Thank You, I will wear this with gratitude and joy because of what it represents, that I was part of a remarkable team of dedicated and talented people whom I admired and respected and who taught me everything I know about teaching. 

Standing next to my Principal in the green shirt.

For those of you who are wondering what we are going to do next, we are sticking around home for the summer as we have a number of health related things to take care of in the next few weeks. Besides this is the best time to be in the Northwest as the weather is perfect.  We may take a few days in the fall.  Then we will be home through the holidays and to be here for the birth of our first grandchild.  Yes, we have another big change coming as we are going to be grandparents this winter.

I am excited to see what the future brings but I will never forget the wonderful experiences or the people who have gone before.