Sweetest Gift

School is finally OVER!  It ended on a sour note though...a bomb threat.  Seriously?  What are these kids thinking?  I had a sweet group of girls finishing up the year by eating lunch in my room and watching "Soul Surfer" when we were rudely interrupted by the fire alarm.  I knew right away that it was not a drill and most likely a prank by some stupid 8th grader thinking he was funny.  Not the case, but also not important.  So much for finishing our movie, giving out lots of hugs, and watching them run down the hallway with "School's out for Summer" blaring through the hallways!

After the teachers were allowed back into the building and all the kiddos had boarded the buses, I found lots of gifts on my desk that I hadn't taken a look at yet.  I'll admit I'm all over the gift cards to Barnes and Noble and Mudhouse, but this year one of the handwritten cards without a gift is what stole my heart.  It came from a student who had a rough start to the year.  I had to call home more than once, which I rarely do!  But, over the last semester she came around....and ended up being my shadow.  She was there between just about every class change, in my room heating up popcorn during pretty much every elective class, and she switched to my STING (study hall) class.  It was rare if I didn't have some sort of interaction with her during recess as well.  We finally got to a point of mutual trust and respect, very similar to my relationship when Jessica was at Henley.

In her words....

Dear Ms. Stokes,

You are the greatest teacher.  I am so happy that I go you as my science teacher.  You are so nice and amazing.  I will miss you so much and come to visit you all the time next year.  Science was so fun with a teacher like you.  I enjoyed coming to STING and thank you for letting me switch to your STING.  Thanks for letting me and "S" come in and fix popcorn and food all the time.  I enjoyed doing Justin Beiber club with you (not really) not that I didn't like being with you, but I don't like Justin Beiber.  I am looking forward for Soul Surfer and to the last day of school but I am not looking forward to leaving you, a great teacher.  I will miss all the fun things we do in your class.  And I am sorry we started the year off with a bad beginning but I hope I got a little better.  I know all of the kids next year will love you.  

~ "C"

Here's to another fun year and a relaxing summer to come!  I will certainly miss this class of 6th graders a ton! 

Oh and I almost forgot another highlight of the last day!!  Leslie, Jennie and I collaborated to put together a skit the mocked the current 6th grade teachers.  We chose kids to play each of us, picked out fitting costumes, and Leslie orchestrated one of the funniest plays I have ever seen!  These boys and girls were hysterical as they acted out the "Henley Hunger Games."  Each teacher entered the scene from their respective districts (classroom #'s) and showed off their personalities before making a run for the cornucopia.  The student playing me dressed up in my running shorts and track shirt and entered the scene doing lunges and eating a massive protein bar.  I about died laughing.  Each of the teacher's personalities were so clear in the skit and if we think we are hiding things from our kids we most certainly are not!  They have us pegged!