Closing Up Shop: Blue Angels and Blue Skies (127)

May 6, 2019. What a roller coaster of a day. Clouds were beautiful this morning. Sun peaking through - it was yelling, this is going to be tough, but you will get through it. It felt gloomy, yet optimistic.

Then when I pulled into the parking lot there was a PTA designed sign on the lawn. Plus a yummy lunch from the PTA for Teacher Appreciation Week. There were very few people in the building, so it felt lonely. When I did pop into people everyone's face was covered behind a mask. Protective I know, but it would have been nice to see one another's smiles. It's been so long.

My classroom was like a time-capsule. Frozen in place, the last school day's agenda on the board. Our mindfulness wall still colorful and hopeful.

For four hours I took things off the wall, organized and dismantled the makerspace and put everything in boxed on the counter. This year we has to label every table and chair as out building is getting new floors and all of our furniture will be removed from the building.

We had to clean out our desks too. I found fascinating things in my desk- a mini 3D anatomically correct heart. A banana lego mini figure, an orange plastic train car- translucent, and a rubber-band stress ball, just to name a few. It was an hour long adventure. Much of the items I brought home to my ten year old who had his own adventure. Pretty cool.

For lunch we got to see the Blue Angels fly over head. It was cool. They flew over Houston in honor or first responders, front-line heroes and educators. It was pretty darn cool. Parents gathered in the parking lot- the other side, no one really huddled, other than a few teachers, masks on.

It was hot 94% and I got sunburned- but totally worth it

The 7/8 science team cleaned out the long-over due by the way, science store room. It was crazy. Masks and giggles. We finished in a few hours.

That's only one half of it. The other is a long hallway- everything was stacked on one side so the movable shelves can be taken out as the new floors are put in. The stuff we found back there- insane. Mini=generators, so much wood and PVC pipe we joked you could probably build a house. Exercise equipment, hoses, and some science stuff. We kept the science stuff, but had so much garbage it was easily two dumpsters worth.

Leaving for the day, I took one last look at my empty, closed up shop. I hope I am back in August. I hope I get to teach here next year and not entirely on-line. I hope I get to hear laughter and learning. Look my students in the eyes, without masks. I hope for a lot of things.