Last Day

                                                       

You might think he is upset about the last day of school. Nope. Just didn't want to take the picture.

A crazy, stressful school year came to an abrupt end a few weeks ago when the school district announced with no warning that it was closing school for the rest of the year because of extreme heat. It was very upsetting to the kids, because they found out with 15 minutes left in the day that it was their last day. (Their poor teachers found out the news at the same time.) Not a good way to end an already traumatic year. I am extremely frustrated about it, because there was no reason this decision needed to be made this way. It could have been announced earlier in the week and that would have been fine. Because it is too hot for the kids to be in buildings with no air conditioning. 

Despite the sad ending, we made it.  2020-2021 was a YEAR, but somehow here we are at the end of it. We made it in no small part thanks to the incredibly hardworking teachers and staff at the kids' school. We made it with smiles, new friends, masks, academic discoveries (Christopher is super good at math, Clare likes writing after all), and most importantly, we made it without a single case of COVID in either of their classes. 

Clare ended the year by dissecting a frog, completing a huge research project on the Taj Mahal, reading "Island of the Blue Dolphins," and working on her drawing skills. (And probably did some math and spelling? Who knows.) Her class had a day where they did "random acts of kindness" for staff in the school, and she made a picture for her kindergarten teacher. I ran into the teacher after school, and she was just thrilled with Clare's picture. She has it hanging in her room. It really is little things, sometimes. 

Christopher had some interesting conflicts to work out with friends, which he handled fairly gracefully. I'd like to write more, but he would be embarrassed. He loves being with the older kids in his class (his class is 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders).  He did a lot of second and third grade math, and had to be torn away from books to complete other work. His teacher sent the following description of Christopher:

"He is respectful, kind, and helpful. Some of the kids in class said that just this past week when describing him. The other thing is that he is radically welcoming. As much as it might be true he is a quiet kid, he isn't one that keeps to himself. Christopher is almost at 100% of his daily work with a few exceptions.... things he avoids."

Well, he avoids writing. And I laugh about him being quiet. He is like me in this way - quiet at school, but at home he never. stops. talking. And he mostly talks about Roblox, his various business plans, or how people will "chuckle" when they see that he has drawn a beard and mustache on his face with marker. As one does.

Anyway, moving on. 

A few weeks ago the kids came out of school, and Clare had this little tale to relate:

"Mom, I was walking out of the bathroom, and here comes Christopher, Nolan and Seven walking down the hall covered HEAD TO TOE in mud." 

Christopher: "Well, there was this puddle..."

And now, once again I find myself surprised at the passage of time and the presence of a FIFTH grader and a second grader in my house. Isn't Clare still a second grader? It will be their last year of school together until Clare's senior year of high school. Sniff.

Summer vacation is here. Now I am just crossing my fingers that my air conditioner from 1987 holds up.