this year's last "so they said" on sunday

Ooops - missed last week because I was Out & About!  And well, the year is done, and I will leave you with just one more "so they said".  This one actually comes from a conversation I was having with a few of my parents that were with me on the last day of school.  Most of the kids were outside enjoying a perfect 80 degree June day, eating pizza and signing yearbooks, but a few of us were in the classroom opening some gifts.

One of my mom's told me that she asked her daughter if she wanted to start a countdown to summer chain, something they have always done, and her daughter said she didn't want to this year because summer meant I would not be her teacher anymore.  Another mom chimed in saying it was the first year her son wasn't looking forward to summer.  Seriously, tears!

These comments of course made me sad that this system is causing these kids so much pain, but when you step back you realize how awesome these comments were, you can't help but smile.  Not to mention, my class learned a life lesson that life isn't always fair, but that things will continue on, and everything will be ok!

So now I will leave you with my last picture from my classroom this year (well, unless I find another one I just can't help but share).

Our growth chart.  Just some bulletin board paper that was stuffed in the back cabinet until the last week of school.  The black ink is from the first week of school, and red from the last.  My babies grew SO much this year, and I'm pretty sure it was in more ways than just inches!

  It is amazing how you may not realize the changes when you are with them everyday.  

Thanks 5th grade - you rocked my world this year!

And where to now you may ask - well the only place my district hasn't placed me...middle school?!?