Goodbye Kindergarten, Hello First Grade

This isn't goodbye, it's see you later...

As we reach the end of our kindergarten year together, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your children with me this year. Teaching is such a gift, and after 22 years in the classroom, I can honestly say this class has been one of the most special groups I have ever had. They have brought so much joy, laughter, kindness, personality, and love into our classroom every single day, and it is so hard to let them go.

Your children are truly amazing. Watching them grow academically, socially, and emotionally this year has been one of the greatest joys of my career. I wish I could keep them forever! Please know how much each and every one of them means to me and how proud I am of all they have accomplished.

I hope they will always remember their kindergarten year and know they will forever hold a special place in my heart. I also hope they will come back to visit often because nothing makes a kindergarten teacher happier than seeing former students return with smiles and stories to share.

Thank you again for your support, kindness, and partnership throughout the year. It has been an honor and privilege to be their teacher. I will never forget this incredible group of children.

Packmate of the Month: Yay, Ian! He was chosen as our final Packmate of the Month for the year! Please see my post from Monday on our class Facebook page regarding Packmate of the Month and why it is okay if your child was not chosen this year.

Senior walk: high school seniors from Rock Bridge High School and Hickman High School did a walk through their former elementary schools on Wednesday.  We loved seeing them in their cap and gown and cheering them on.  A few even stayed to play with kindergarten on the playground. I hope when your child is a high school senior they will come back to do the same.  A video is on the class Facebook page. 

5th grade graduation: our 5th graders graduated on Wednesday evening.  This is always such a special night and I love seeing my former Kindergarteners.  In the blink of an eye, your sweet kindergarteners will be at their 5th grade graduation and I will be there cheering them on as well! 

5th grade walk:  Thursday morning our 5th graders took their final walk around Beulah Ralph.  Everyone in the school lined up along the sidewalk to cheer them on.  Such a fun tradition!  You can find the video on our class Facebook page. The next time they walk around the school like this will be when they are Seniors in high school and hopefully come back for their elementary walk through, like the seniors mentioned above. 

Kindergarten Celebration: thank you to everyone who attended the Kindergarten Celebration today!  Having you there meant so much to your children!  The musical performance, led by Mr. Fears, was adorable and I hope you loved the slideshow from the year as much as I enjoyed making it!  Thanks for getting cozy and enjoying a picnic together in our classroom since the grassy area was too muddy.  

Kindergarten hopes and dreams: during the first week of Kindergarten we discussed what each child hoped to learn during their first year in school.  We wrote them down and they hung up all year!  On the last day of school we went over the list and most discovered that they learned what they hoped to! 

Alphabet Countdown to Summer:  this week we did some workouts and yoga on Monday for W is for Workout Day, exchanged autographs and received our yearbooks on X is for eXchange autographs day, cleaned out the classroom and had a "yard sale" with all the things we worked on this year (you're welcome lol), and Zipped up and Zoomed off to summer and first grade on our final day! Such a fun 26 days leading up to summer! 

May Sneaky Reading Challenge: yes, school is over, but that doesn't mean that reading should stop!  If your child hasn't completed May's sneaky reading challenge, read with a stuffed animal, I encourage them to do so next week and ask that an adult snap a picture and post to our class Facebook page! 

They have become such amazing readers this school year.  To continue this momentum, it is important that they read and are read to daily this summer!  Make it a goal to read for 15-20 minutes per day.  Quiet time for mom and dad and building their confidence as readers!  A double win!

The Daniel Boone Regional Library does a summer reading challenge and the kids can win some amazing prizes!  I encourage you to check it out here.  CPS is also doing a reading challenge this year.  Information on both was sent home in the Friday Folders a couple of weeks ago. 

Summer School Open House: if your child is attending summer school, open house/meet the teacher is on Thursday, May 28th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Summer school runs June 1-26th.  

Have a wonderful, safe, and memory-filled summer! I hope you all enjoy lots of sunshine, fun, and time together as a family. I also hope to see many of you at some of our summer playdates this summer (information was sent home in last week’s Friday Folder). Thank you again for such an amazing year — once a member of our kindergarten family, always a member of our kindergarten family!

Some final photos...