Finally, finally, yesterday was the last day of school! (But not forever, Alice Cooper nothwithstanding.)
Julie "graduated" from elementary school amid the usual storm of silly string that marks the countdown of the last 10 seconds of fifth grade:
I was weeping like a baby, which is normal for me but even more intense than usual because this was also our last day ever at this beloved neighborhood school! For the past 11 years, I have walked back and forth to school two or sometimes three times a day, dropping off kids, picking up kids, having PTO meetings, volunteering in the library or the office or the classroom, going on field trips, and just generally being a part of the community. Next fall I'm going to have to invent a reason to get dressed every morning—otherwise I can imagine the kids coming home on the bus every afternoon to find Mom hard at work but still in her jammies!
Pete, meanwhile, had his own graduation: from middle school! They had an eighth grade "moving on" ceremony, but my photo of Pete receiving his certificate is too blurry to post here. (Yes, that does mean he'll be in high school next year—gulp!) Julie will be in middle school next year, so I don't have to say goodbye to the middle school yet. (Although even in three years that won't be a very emotional parting; as much as I love the school, I'm rarely there. The kids take the bus each way, and the only thing I do there is volunteer every other week in the library.)
Steph had the least momentous promotion, from tenth to eleventh grade, but she did manage an impressive achievement: She made the Honor Roll every term this year!
Steph lucked out that she had no finals the last three days of school, because she had to start her summer job on Monday! She's a junior counselor at a local day camp, and she's already loving it. Pete and Julie will go to a different day camp, but not until mid-July. As for the next few weeks, if the last 24 hours are any indication, Julie will be doing artsy-craftsy stuff every day and Pete will vanish. I've seen him for perhaps 15 minutes since he got out of school yesterday at 11:30—he's been off gallivanting with his friends, stopping home only for a sleeping bag last night at 7pm.
The silly string event was a perfect way to end the elementary school years. Perfect for 11 year olds who don't want to sit through a graduation ceremony or get a "certificate." They want fun and they want to yell and they want to be the center of attention. And every single kid in K-4 wants to be a FIFTH GRADER someday to do that same event.
BTW, I shed a tear or two at Angier, but none at CYJ. Once we got to his bunk a few boys from last year surrounded him and off he went to play ping pong. I didn't cry . . . . I couldn't believe it.
Posted by: Stephanie | June 27, 2013 at 02:29 PM