Last Day Turned Snow Day

I am currently writing this will seated on my nice and cozy couch in my own home. Today should have been my last day of student teaching but around 8 o'clock this morning school was canceled due to snow. Our school district has a 90 minute late start every Friday as it is, so no students were at school yet but many teachers had already dared the roads and made the journey to school. My husband dropped me off at 7:25 this morning and took he car to work, so I was stranded at school when they announced the cancellation.

It wasn't all bad though because the principal and vice principal had planned a staff breakfast which we still got to enjoy.  Today also should've been pajama day so a majority of the staff, including myself, were dress up warm and cozy in our fleece jammies.

Lucky for me by mentor teachers were smart and threw me a surprise goodbye party yesterday afternoon. So the snow day didn't take away my time saying goodbye to my students. The party was the perfect way to end my student teaching. 

The students surprised me by giving me loads of books that they had purchased and/or had from their own collections. I could not believe how many books they gave me! Many of the students included special notes about why they picked the book for me. I even got a copy of The Gingerbread Man, which is basically likely gold at our school right now. Everyone has been trying to get their hands on the library's's copy of this book. 

A few of the student's parents also came to give me a book the students had put together with letters and pictures about their favorite memories with me. It was vanilla cake with vanilla frosting (because it's my favorite) and boxes of grape juice (also my favorite). Apparently my students have amazing memories and were very specific about the flavors that I would want. 

I almost wanted to share every single letter they wrote me because so many of them were extremely touching. I really was blessed with an amazing group of kids to work with. Remember early on in the school year when I wrote about one student in particular who is making my student teaching extremely rough?

He was one of those kiddos I was fighting so hard to help but kept getting so much backlash from and I just felt really beat up over the situation. It's true that the hardest ones to love are the ones that need love that most. I dug my heals in the grown and really worked with this kiddo. I am so impressed with the growth he has made this year and he is going to be one who stays in my thoughts for a long time.

 Here's the letter he wrote me and the picture he drew for my book. Hopeful it brings a smile to your day. In case you can't read the writing, the pink circles are "Love Flacks (Flakes)" and the pink long bubble is a "Love Clowd (Cloud)."  Honestly one of the most meaningful letters I have ever received.

I hope that your day (whether at school or at home) is cozy and warm!