Friday, May 18, 2012

This is IT!

Today was my last day at school. The teachers met to finish up all of the end of year paperwork and to enjoy a celebration meal together. My principal presented me with the traditional "Bell" that is given to all retiring school personnel.

I am very excited about the future. My new position has given me a renewed enthusiasm for learning and for my career. My head is swirling with ideas that I can implement, along with the teachers at OCES. This is not the end of my "play"; it is merely the end of one act and the beginning of another.



Friday, May 4, 2012

Milestones

Significant events come along every now and then, but for me it seems that many of them are hitting me all at once. My son is a senior and will be graduating from high school next week.


That means that I will be the mother of a COLLEGE student in the fall.

 Sweet hubby turned 50 last week.


That means that ME turning 50 can't be very far away.

Perhaps most significant and definitely most difficult for me to believe is that I will be retiring from teaching this year. I am completing year 27, and while I am still fairly young for retirement, I felt that it was time for a change. A position as Literacy Coach became available at the elementary school and it just seemed that it was meant to be. The timing was perfect for me to go ahead and step aside, leaving room for some new blood in the middle school language arts class. My new position is funded through some grant money and I will be paid through Berea College.

I am excited about helping younger children learn to love reading and writing. I feel more invigorated about my job than I have in quite a while. I will miss the middle school faculty. We have become a real family over the years. When one of us hurts, we all hurt; when one of us cries, we cry with them; when one of us is joyful, we help them celebrate. I will miss many of the students. Some of them have really touched my heart over the years. I will, no doubt, have to drop back in from time to time, just to check up on them and see how they are doing, but I truly think that God has prepared me for this time and this change. I have faith that his hand is helping to guide me and that my future, with this job, is meant to be. I hope that this change will be less stressful and will allow me more time to be with my family and to create. I look forward to posting more on this blog and sharing more of my creative endeavors with all of you.