SLICE OF LIFE

Last week was our final week of school. On Tuesday night, we had our parent/community committee dinner. I'm the chair of that committee, so of course, I had to go. On Wednesday, I stayed for the art and music show. Thursday night was eighth grade graduation. I helped serve cake at the reception. And on Friday, the kids came for half a day. We waved goodbye, had a farewell luncheon to honor people who were leaving and then everyone drifted back to their rooms, to do that final bit of clean up.

Everyone that is, except my friend Kathy and me. Kathy and I have decided that there are at least four kinds of teachers in the world.

1) The first group of teachers puts away a few things a day the last week or ten days of school. By the time the last day comes, their rooms are stripped bare. They are usually the first to sign up for a checkout time, and the first to head out of the building for summer vacation. "Have a nice summer," they say, as they stick their heads into my door, then quickly back away.

2) The second group of teachers go on an all out blitz the second to last day of school. The last day at my school is usually taken up with the end of year awards ceremony (a subject I do not want to discuss) and class picnics/parties, so the teachers in this category finish their rooms the day before. When I go into those rooms on that second to last day, there is a flurry of activity; one group of children is going through the book baskets, another group is gleefully tearing down bulletin board paper, and one or two lucky kiddos have staple removers. By 2:00, their rooms are usually completely stripped. They, too, are early getter outters, who stick their heads in the door to say goodbye on their way out of the building at 2:45 or 3:00.

3) The "I'm never going to get done today" crew. On the last day of school, early in the morning, their rooms look pretty much like they would any other day of school. There are still charts on the walls, and books in the book boxes, and papers in the desks. "I am never going to get done on time," they wail, as they sip their early morning Starbucks. But somehow, miraculously, by the end of the day, all of that stuff is gone, boxed up, ready for August. Those teachers don't leave at 3:00. Sometimes it's 4:00. Or 5:00 or even 6:00. But they are out of there that last day of school, telling me about their evening plans, which generally include adult beverages and dinner that someone else cooks, usually served on a cool patio.

4) And then there's me. And Kathy. We are pretty much always some of the last people out of the building. Actually, I don't think I have ever once, in my 25+ years of teaching, made it out of the building on time. Usually, I stay a couple of days after everyone else leaves. I file papers that are dated January 4th. I put away books. I clean the piles on the top of my desk. I finished all of that Monday afternoon, because I have to be in leadership training the rest of the week. Kathy is teaching summer school, so she went back tonight to finish.

But wait. I'm actually not finished. Did I mentioned I am in charge of the book room too. And I haven't ever started that project. AARGH!

Just once in my career, I want to be one of the people who leaves at 3:00 that last day.