The Story of Us...

I know I already posted a blog post for today, but when I am told to write, I write. The last day of school happened today. It's always such a bittersweet time in the school year. We, as teachers and staff and students, pour our blood, sweat, and tears into the work that we complete from September to June. The year goes by in a flash, and with many ups and downs, much like a roller coaster at the fair we will most likely visit over the summer break. There are twists and turns, corkscrews and upside down loop-the-loops, steep climbs and sudden free falls down the the bottom. And then, in the blink of an eye, the ride is over. You get off, wonder if you got your money's worth, and decide you'll get back in line and start the ride over again in the fall. 

I have come to learn that sometimes, cars fall off the track. Some get old and rusty and decide they just don't work anymore. Some decide to try a bigger or better or faster roller coaster somewhere else. Sometimes we send our baby cars up to the bigger track, even when they'd rather stay on our small, safe kiddie ride. 

This blog post isn't about roller coasters, although most of you can read between the lines and see what I was getting at. The story of us! The story that makes up John D. "Bud" Hawk Elementary at Jackson Park. The story of us...

Every year we write another chapter into the story. Every year, we, as a group, open the journal that is HEJP and begin to write our story. We have classrooms filled with fresh, eager faces. They come in wearing their best back to school outfits. There are tears and pictures and quick hugs from trying-not-to-cry mommas. The staff is back, eager to start the new year. Waiting to see which kids will be in their class. Oh I remember your big brother. This is my *insert numbers of years here* year here. That teacher is new to our story. Oh man...not THAT momma. And we begin to write. Back to school assemblies. New schedules. Changes in routine. Remembering how to be a student. Settling into the rhythm that will be your school year. The story of us...

The year flies by. The work gets harder. The teachers get more tired and more stressed. Kids are crazy at Christmas break. Crazier at Spring Break. Unbearable after standardized testing. There's paperwork demands and IEP meetings and angry parents and tired kids. There's new curriculum and not enough time and new contracts and inadequate resources. There's field trips and field day and assemblies and talent shows and So. Much. To. Cram. In. The story of us...

And then, just like a funnel cloud, when you think you can't bear one more thing you are sitting at the last day of school and the stress evaporates. And new emotions flood in. Sadness at losing your kids to the next year. Relief at surviving to the end. Elation that all of the things you were supposed to do got done. Anticipation for a new year as you look around a clean, packed up room and walk out of the front doors of the school until the coming fall. The story of us...

Who is this us? It is the people that make up HEJP. I've gushed about my job and my coworkers before but I truly am the luckiest speech therapist in the whole district. I joined the Jackson Park family almost fourteen years ago and have helped write many chapters in the story of us. There are kids and principals and teachers and staff and parents and so many people that make up the story of us. And it doesn't take much to see the story unfold before your eyes as you walk through the hallways and have conversations with the people there. 

Walking through the school today my heart was filled. Filled with students giving me last minute hugs. Parents singing my praises and giving me treasured thank you gifts. Staff and teachers hugging and crying and saying goodbyes to some of our favorites. A principal that has been with us for ten years walking through our doors for the last time. A beloved Kindergarten teacher moving on to a bigger roller coaster in the park. And friends that have retired coming back to celebrate our year's end. We are so blessed to be authors in this story. So blessed to be partners with such an amazing team of individuals, all working furiously to finish this year's chapter. And to prepare for the next one. The story of us...

When you walk the halls of HEJP, you are touched by the people contained in those walls. You know that you walk among greatness as you move from pod to pod, classroom to classroom, and witness the love and compassion and wisdom being shared with our students. You feel the presence of our retired authors. You understand the efforts of the authors still present. And if you leave after time in our hallowed halls, you leave a piece of yourself behind, and you take a piece of the rest of us with you. The story of us...

Our principal, our leader is moving on. There is fear and sadness and apprehension, but I am not worried! We have the best staff in the district. We have ups and downs but we ALWAYS pull together when we need to the most. And we have yet another opportunity to pull together again. We will only be stronger! We will only be greater! We will continue to add pages to the story of us!

And I firmly believe that anyone who walks into HEJP has been called to work there. Our school is special. Our kids need us. Our families need us. And we need those kids. Standing in my empty office for the last time this morning, I breathed deeply and tears flooded to my eyes. God brought me to that school. And He brought each and every one of you too! My life path has led me to the doors of that school. I am so blessed by my kids and their families and my coworkers. What a team! What a story!

The story of us! So far it's an amazing chapter by chapter account of the lives we have touched, individually and as the family we are! And with each chapter that each author turns in, I can guarantee we're writing a best-seller!

Wishing all of my co-authors an amazing, refreshing, rejuvenating summer! See you in the fall with fresh, crisp paper for chapter 2016-2017! The Story of Us...