School's Out For Summer!

It's June 23rd and I'm sitting here in our little apartment lounging on the couch at about 8 am. A week ago at this time I was emptying my classroom and wondering what I'd be doing when the next school year began. I had asked my principal if there was any way I could be kept on at the school as a full-time teacher. Working part-time as the art teacher next year just wasn't going to pay the bills. If I couldn't get full-time work we were planning to head back to Seattle earlier than originally planned. My principal was understanding, but didn't want to lose me. He crunched numbers for projected enrollment and tried to find something for me. Meanwhile, the school over on the main base was also looking for a spot for me. When they came up with a 1st grade spot they called my principal and asked if they could have me he really started rallying to find me a spot at Ikego. Last Wednesday he surprised everyone (including myself) at our end of the year BBQ by announcing that I was leaving my part-time art position to find full-time work. He then took back my going away gift and welcomed me on board as one of the new classroom teachers for the fall. I blushed while everyone clapped and asked what I'd be teaching. My response..."You know as much about it as me." It was a great feeling to see everyone so excited about my return and to hear their hopes that I would be joining their grade level team. I even had a 2nd grade teacher lead me into the principal's office to tell him that the 2nd grade really needed me. On Friday morning Walt (my principal) walked into my nearly empty room to announce that I'd be teaching 1st grade next year and that the room assignments would be in my mailbox by later that same morning. As soon as the other teachers saw the room assignments the came over the wish me congrats. I even had a parent come up to me in the grocery store a few days ago to tell me she hoped her son would be in my class. It has been amazing to see how much support these people that I've just recently gotten to know are sending my way. I'm really excited about the team I'll be joining and they seem to be just as excited. A few were already gathering supplies and classroom materials for me as they cleaned up their rooms last Friday. Vanessa, a former 1st grade teacher who will be teaching 1st/2nd split, is planning to give me a call later this summer to go over to the school and help me get all set up. With all of their help on top of the help that Linda, Andy's mom, has offered (she was a 1st grade teacher for years), I am bound to have a successful year.