Spring Break Eve

Today was our last in-person day before spring break. My students have been back in the building since January 25, but we have continued with asynchronous Fridays to allow for common planning time and to reduce the overall demands on teachers who have students still attending remotely while the majority of their classmates are in the building.

Each staff member was greeted with a box of Easter goodies this morning. The principal's office was decorated with pineapples, coconuts, and a bottle of champagne. He was also given a couple of fresh leis and a palm tree facemask, all of which he wore proudly all day. The feeling of love and community that was rekindled with our first in-person staff meet up of the year (in the form of a prayer service in the church in place of our regular Tuesday staff meeting) flourished in the hallways today, even on the eve of spring break. The delicious scent of fresh plumeria wafting along behind my boss certainly helped.

Usually Holy Week in a Catholic School means at least two all-school services: a foot washing service on Holy Thursday and some form of Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Since we are not gathering as an entire school this year, and not even on site tomorrow, the eighth graders stood in pairs around the track on the upper field to present a physically distanced walk through the Stations of the Cross. Classes were given start times at five minute intervals to walk the path listening to a reflective retelling of the fourteen stations. The weather cooperated and my students were very respectful, even when we caught up to the preschool class in front of us (moving the littles from station to station was far more time consuming than moving my fourth grade class) and had to wait after the eighth graders were done at the last several stations before walking to the next pair of presenters.

Even though there were many amazing things about this week, it was also one of those weeks that feels like it has been going on for months. On Tuesday I remember thinking the day already felt like it was at least three weeks long before lunch. Not only were there schedule deviations, the weather was beautiful and spring break was on the horizon. Student attention was at an all time low. I had students talking throughout instruction and work time every day. Many students increased the frequency of their trips to the bathroom. More than the usual number of students had no idea what to do after instructions had been given and were still visible on the Smart Board. One particularly squirrely student literally fell on the floor, either from out of his chair or from standing near it, at least five times in one day.

I love my job. I have set up a nifty little corner in my classroom complete with a fun, super clicky keyboard that makes me excited to type. There were several amazing moments throughout the week. But I am certainly ready for a little break from it all.