During the 2011-2013 school years, I looped with my students and a great team of teachers:
Jon, me, Michelle, Julia and Charlie. I've worked with so many great people over the 10 years I've taught, but as a collective group, this one was pretty amazing.
Dear Jon,
We shared a wall - a broken one at that. I never told you, but loved how you rigged it with some old textbooks! While I will miss the way we would send kids to each other's room telling one another to turn the volume down, more than that I will miss working with someone who is so perfect for middle school kids. You are funny and engaging and good to them. Even the tough cookies. Thank you for always extending what they were learning in reading into your class and helping me out with things that were hard for me to cover without a specific content, like primary sources. Also, thank you for being such a great friend to me....I know that will stay the same, even if we don't get to each lunch together each day. Remember to take it easy on Friday with Friday Treats, and try not to put yourself into that food coma every week. You are a great teacher - your next loop of kids is so lucky to have you! As Leslie would say, "You are a gift." So true, so true.
Dear Michelle,
Wow, four years we were together. It's so crazy to think that it slipped by that fast! I have been blessed to come to work at Heritage with you. I love how I could always count on you to be a stickler just like me - the day that 6th grader got a detention from both of us within 10 minutes was a testament to us not putting up with much crap! (He never served my hour - perhaps he can start with that next year?) : ) I loved that I could knock on the wall and tell you to turn on your iChat for a quick question. I loved that I always had you there to talk to - about work stuff and personal things, too! I'm so proud of you for all the hard work you've done: teaching full time, running athletics, and pursuing your admin certificate. When the time is right, you're going to be an amazing person to work for! I will miss you tons, and I'm hoping to see you often even next year.
Dear Work Husband Julia,
You had your own room, and then you moved in, and then you moved out, but through it all, you were the best coteacher any person could ever ask for. We "got" each other, and our kids were so lucky that we worked so well together. I loved that the kids could never tell who was who - and really, neither could I. I was just lucky to have another teacher teaching with me. Thank you for going along with everything I wanted to do, thank you for supporting me, and just taking initiative to get things done in the best interest of our kids. Like I said to Michelle, congrats on pursuing that admin degree as well....that's in addition to teaching, and DRC, and 100 other responsiblities at Heritage, plus, your family and twins! I have no idea how you get it all done, but each person in your life is lucky to have you. You'll always be my first work husband!
Dear Charlie,
It's amazing that you are a lawyer turned teacher, and that this job has brought you so much that you could never get in your old profession. How cool is it that all the kids you teach have a scientist working for them? I have no idea what goes on in your lab - don't really understand it at all, but it's clear the passion you bring to the table. What could be better for kids? Setting up a weather station, making that goo stuff they had in ziplocs, disecting frogs - plus a million more labs that I can't seem to recall at this time. You will be a great leader to your new 7B science teacher. It has been great working with you for the past two years, and also getting to know your kiddos and Bridget. I hope we will still get to hang out this next school year!
Dear Christine,
You don't think I could be done without a mention of you, did you? It was such a great day when you came to student teach with Julia, and then covered her long-term sub with me, and then worked on our opposite team here at Heritage. Not only have you been a great teacher to the kids at HMS, but I loved coaching with you last year - cheerleaders and volleyball. You are so much fun, but also know limits with kids as well, which I think is so important for them. On top of all this, you have also become a great friend to me. I hope that next year we can find time to meet up and catch up. I'm glad I'll be so close at Emerson. I love you, Snooks!
Dear Magic Excel,
You guys - my family - were the other group of people that made leaving Heritage so, so hard. I loved our family! We had fun together, cried a little, had some fights, but we always made up and were there to appreciate and celebrate one another. I feel so blessed to have had you in my teaching career - for two years! - and I wish you all the best in high school and after. Please come and see me....I'll be close by at Emerson!
So, Team Heartless, I think this will be my last farewell. I know I've written notes, and posted statuses, and probably a blog before this one, and have seen a lot of tears, but I think I'm ready to start moving forward. I know that I will be close and we will have to make time for one another (and I still plan on coming to your Christmas party if you think that is okay!) but with a heavy heart, and memories to fill a book, I say see you later...
Lots of Love,
Michelle
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