Send off for Seniors.. Drive Thru Wisdom...

A cold and rainy morning in Missouri... As I drive to school, I'm thinking this is the last day I'll have my 24 seniors in any of their classes. I have them a little gift, but I really know in my heart that without food, high school students only say thank you; they don't feel it. Something has gone wrong with my planning instincts since I've been living at Mom's. I am not sure why, but I seem to refuse to prepare for anything until the last possible moment. Then it is, alas!, SOMETIMES too late. This was such a morning. I have 38 kids in my first two hours, includingjuniors, some sophomores, and seniors... Today is their last day because tomorrow they will be practicing for graduation during the morning... So, I did what I could... I swooped through

Mickey D's drive through and ordered 38 Breakfast Biscuits. I asked for 40 jellies... The man at the window double checked... "Are you feeding an army?" I told him what was the plan, and he gave a whoop to the crew. "It's for real!" They were amazing. I pulled up and waited a few minutes and the order was in my window... My car was a haven of fresh, breakfasty scent. The rain pelted the car, and the heater fogged the windows... but I had to keep my biscuits hot!

I telephoned one of my students, the one I have called Brian in previous posts, and he answered his contraband cell phone, which I was pretty sure he might have in the parking lot. He accepted a mission with his typical style: "Yeah, I'll find a huge, new, clean, white sack and meet ya at yer car!"

I felt like a drug dealer from South America. Our school is a bit strict about food in the classroom. I am one to follow rules, (usually), but I am also all about celebrating holidays and special graduation occassions... and I have a new motto prepared in case of heavy flack: "Hey, you can't fire me; I retire!" That sounds pretty good to me... We celebrated briefly in two of my classes with breakfast together and the gifts I'd chosen for my kids. I got them these metal signs (below) from Tenderheart Treasures.

I attached a Hall Pass to each one with a personalized note that admitted them to pass from Bevier High School to "the big world" with the reason of ----- something personal that pertained to them. The seniors were really sweet and seemed to appreciate it. Kids are good people. Whenever the turkey aspects of teaching or the bad moments of paperwork, red tape, state mandates, and even poor discipline or disrespect come into play, I try to have a few of these memories pasted in the heart-spot of my mind.... I will miss the class of 2010.... 35 years of teaching down... and the dawn of a new year will bring I'm sure another vista... either in the classroom or remembering it... Teaching is a part of the heart of my life.