A Sobering Memory

I have many happy memories from my twenty years of teaching, but there are a few that wipe the smile right off my face and make me realize how fragile life can be. One of those memories is wrapped around this student.

TM and me sharing a laugh on the last day of school.

TM's mother posted this comment with this picture on our classroom Facebook page last night, and immediately my mind went back to the events of just a year go and how very close TM came to losing his life.

TM had procrastinated some homework - big time. During the school day, I had sat down with him, gone over what was missing, and been quite stern about the importance of education and learning to be responsible, insisting that he complete his missing work and hand it in the next morning. I also emailed his mother and explained the problem, asking her to remind him about it.

That evening, a corvette driving too fast crashed through the wall of TM's home and into his living room, through the very wall where TM and his brother had their game system set up and where they played together each evening. (Go here to read a news account about the accident.) Had TM followed his usual after-dinner routine, he and his brother would have been in the path of the car and killed. The speed of the car was so great that the car went completely into the home, almost disappearing from outside view.

Why were the boys not there? Because TM was working on his procrastinated homework and sitting in a chair next to his mom (who was pinned by the car on the couch and hurt) instead of sitting in the car's path playing games like usual.

Amy has said ever since that my insistence that her son complete his homework saved his life. Perhaps it is better to say that TM's procrastination started a chain of events that led to him being out of harm's way.  Regardless, I am grateful that TM and his brother are alive, and I get chills every time I think of how close he and his brother came to losing their lives.

Many Posts to Come

I have so many things to blog about, but I am busy closing down my classroom, attending graduation parties, and wrapping up retirement parties and get togethers. I will blog more beginning tomorrow (especially about my wonderful family get together over Memorial Day weekend). In the meantime, here is a short and sweet entry about Jon Hillery, a former student who came to my surprise party two weeks ago.

 Jon, second from left in the back, has been named a Harrison valedictorian!

A better photo of Jon from my party.

Jon is a shy, quiet guy who is a percussionist and is attending UC Berkley to study Mathematics and Engineering. Congratulations, Jon!

A Surprise Bonus

A nice (and surprise) bonus of retirement is that former students have been dropping by or sending messages through social media.

 Katie Ridgway and Bailey Whitlock - finishing 8th grade this spring and moving on to high school.

Teja Kakani (I taught her for 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades) just completed her freshman year at John Hopkins University.

 Dr. Hanback, Superintendent of Schools, dropped by to thank me for my service and wish me well.

A photo and text from Ben Anthony, one of my three year students like Teja who just finished his freshman year at Purdue.

An Instagram message from Peter Ropp, who was in my class for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.

An old joke - for two years students would write "ham" under things  for me to find.  There was no rhyme or reason to it, but we would all laugh when I found the most recent hidden "ham." I found this one after my surprise party when I was cleaning out my classroom!

Jackson Schrage, who will be an 8th grader at East Tipp next August (and visits me once a quarter or so.)

My dear friend, Kathy Nimmer, who gifted me with what she called "a retirement lesson"...

... and a beautiful chain mail bracelet that she made using 300 links, some of which were orange and blue in honor of my Illini roots.

Emily Blanchard, Lexie Gebhardt, and Kamryn Robinson, all graduating from Harrison this spring.

I have taught some really nice people during my career and these visits, texts, etc. move me deeply.

Six Classics Presentations!

My students must do four presentations on classic books they have read during their two years with me. Those who really fall in love with classic literature sometimes ask to do an extra presentation (which always amazes me as the paper and project take a good deal of work.)

This girl chose to do TWO extras, one during her fourth grade year, and then the other this year. And it just so happened that this year's extra classic presentation was my last ever since I am retiring.

Her choice? Walter Farley's The Black Stallion.

She even dressed for the occasion.

 And made a really cool movie as her project.

It was a claymation/stop motion movie complete with sound and a blooper reel!

The classics presentations are my absolute favorite thing to do with my kids and is what I will miss most during retirement - having the kids discover that classics are not just "dusty old books on your grandmother's bookshelves" (as they are fond of saying in jest.)

To have my last classic be a student's second extra presentation was just the best for me. The fact that is was a horsey book was the cherry on top.

A Real Dog

"A real boy. It's my wish. It's come true. Figaro, look!" (Disney movie version of the book, Pinocchio.)

We think we may finally (after almost six months) be seeing the "real dog" that Molly is. She is finding some self confidence and relaxing enough to do this:

 Look closely at her mouth.

 Yep, that's a tennis ball she's got. Typical Lab behavior, but NOT typical Molly behavior.

 She actually did some picking and choosing from the toys in her basket.

These made the cut of what she wanted to play with.

She was still shy, but she did play some ball with us.

A real dog, indeed!

A Surprise Party

Thursday after our Chess Challenge with the 2/3 class, 

 I walked into my classroom...

 ... and was stunned to discover...

 ... that the classroom was already full.

Who were these people??

Former students from my years as a Hershey teacher!

Kathleen Loftus handed me a container of her mother's famous "Loftus Fudge...

 ... and then gave me a big hug.

 I was so stunned, I did not know what to do or say.

There were former students everywhere, mingling with my current class!

Tim Schnepp was with us (he was in on the surprise) and he ended up helping me get my current students out to the buses at dismissal so that I could stay with my formers. (Thanks, Tim!!)

There were so many people, I did not know who to talk to first.

So I just jumped in!

So many people who have been dear to me over the years.

When you spend two (and even three) years together,you become very close.

Caleb Biemfohr squeezed in his visit between school and a track meet.

Albert Quigley, Jessica Gregory, and Katy (Katybug) Olson.

 For old time's sake, they wanted to go out to the playground (even though some of them are college students!)

 This is one of my favorite photos from the day.

Mrs. Olson, who helped Katybug organize the party, had the idea to take photos by the year the students were with me.

 Fromt row: Katybug, Albert, Sophie Anthony, Jessica Gregory. Back row: Lilli Tordil, and Angelina Poznanski. They are finishing their sophomore year at Harrison.

 Nikki Campbell, Lauren Smith, and 6'3" Zach Kelly are freshmen in high school.

 Ben Anthony and Merry, Merry, Merry, Meredith, who were in the 2/3 class with me and so were with me three years,  just finished their freshman year at Purdue.

 Harrison seniors Emily Blanchard, Kathleenie Loftus, Grace Bowen, Ellen Bowen, and Jon Hillery.

Chris Page, Daniel Campbell, Jay Thoennes, and Erin Smith are juniors in high school.

Carobou (Caroline) Blanchard and Madeline Roberts will be juniors are Purdue this August and were part of the original 2/3 class and thus with me for three years.

After our "recess time," we went back inside. I saw Jon Hillery looking through my book collection and wondered what he was doing.

 Turns out he was looking for a book he had gifted me seven years ago!

 And he found it! (I cannot believe he remembered that gift all these years later.)

The party wound down and people began leaving around 5:00. Several of the kids asked to have one last picture together. I was happy to oblige.

 Carobou and Emily.

 Sophie and Ben.

 Albert (who told me that seeing me again was the highlight of his whole school year) and Katybug.

 Jon and Ben.

 Madeline and Merry Merry Merry Meredith.

Laura Hess, Katybug's mother, who helped put the party together.

 I am blessed.