Spring!

 Spring weather has finally made an appearance in my corner of the country. It's been wetter and colder than typical with an April snowstorm and a very wet May. On the first dryish day of the month one of my students came bouncing in and handed me two teeny yellow flowers she had picked for me.

They wilted by lunchtime, but the energy and enthusiasm with which they were gifted stayed with me. I am more productive when there is more sunlight in my life. This week I was caught up on my grading, including work turned in late, EVERY day. That is incredibly rare. Maybe I should move somewhere more equatorial...

We even made a trip to the learning garden this week, where students worked to rake out old bark, spread new bark, and plant spring vegetable starts. We got more done than the garden coordinator anticipated, and several students were excited to take buckets of compost down the long flight of stairs to the compost dumpster. It was a glorious class period, made all the sweeter because the morning had started out with a heavy downpour, but the sky was bright blue by the time our garden period rolled around.

The week was capped with an Archdiocesan celebratory event, where all school staff in all 72 Archdiocesan schools were honored with an event at our local baseball stadium. I volunteered to help sign people in, and therefore missed the cocktail hour where the honored school staff mingled with the paying attendees. But I was greeted and thanked by event coordinators and the soon to be superintendent of Catholic schools. I served with him on an accreditation team about three years ago. Since he's the incoming superintendent, I've seen his picture and name a few times, and remembered serving on the visiting committee with him. Last night he approached me as he was thanking all the registration volunteers saying, "I don't know if you remember me..." I was floored that he remembered me! 

I got to socialize with teachers in my building whom I rarely see because they work downstairs or "outside" - in the portables or across the parking lot. I ran into former co-workers and friends from two of my previous buildings. I had great conversations with people I enjoy but rarely get to see anymore.

At the end of the event, I ran into the incoming superintendent again. After I congratulated him he told me I looked beautiful in the thank-you video. That's right, I was on the jumbotron at an MLB stadium, AND the new superintendent is aware of me.

Teacher Appreciation

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week. Lots of Facebook posts last week asked teachers about favorite presents we have ever received. I've gotten some great gifts over the years. My standard response to that question is a handwritten card from the students and/or their parents with genuine, specific thanks is always the best gift. However, anything that shows my students and their families have paid enough attention to know a little bit about me personally makes me smile. For example, the times I received a baggie full of butterscotch candies and a brown sack full of Twix made me smile and stuck with me.

But this year I received the best gift ever. It came wrapped in butterfly wrapping paper that matched the skirt I was wearing the day it came into the classroom. And it included a handwritten card from the parents and a drawing from the student. The parental note thanked me for being their child's teacher this year and told me their fourth grader selected "every last detail."

She nailed it! Zoom in - there's even purple in the hair.

I knew this parent created personalized cross stiches. I've seen them in the principal's office and in classrooms of teachers of younger grades. But getting my very own, and to have it exactly match an outfit I've worn often in damp weather, still has me smiling several days later.

Of course, today is also Mother's Day. My oldest decided I need "more Wonder Woman stuff." So it's been a pretty amazing week of gift receiving. I definitely feel appreciated.