BIG News - Part 2 (finally) & Five for SUNday

At the beginning of the month I said that I was "currently thinking about Tuesday." At that time, I wasn't able to share why. I have since posted several times about this NEWS that I wasn't able to share. It is finally time...

Next year I will be teaching a different grade, in a different school, in a different district! I am so, so, SO excited about this! When I graduated from college in 2007, I was very lucky to get a job teaching 3rd grade in a K-5 school. I have remained in the same grade, at the same school ever since (6 years). It was a great 6 years, I was offered some really amazing opportunities, met wonderful people who I will most definitely keep in touch with, and taught some great kiddos. I love my job, I love third grade...but I started feeling like it was time for a change. Long story short, after a couple of stressful weeks and 2 interviews, I am now a 4th grade teacher at a K-4 school in my hometown. This school is 5 minutes from my house! I am very excited about this very short commute. :o)

We have two and a half more days with our kiddos this week and I can already tell that this is going to be an emotional week (or half-week). It will be hard to say goodbye to my class, but it is going to kill me to say goodbye to some of the 2nd graders (siblings of kiddos I have taught) that would have been in my class next year.

This week I was able to meet with the other two 4th grade teachers that I will be working with next year and I got to see my classroom! I cannot wait to start decorating...I'm going to be wishing my summer away waiting to get in and decorate/rearrange in August. I have lots to do to get ready for a new grade though, so hopefully the summer doesn't go by too quickly!

So that's all for my news for now...I am now a 4th grade teacher! (If anyone has any 4th grade advice, please share! :o)

A quick Five for Friday on Sunday -

1. Monday was Junior Achievement Day at our school. Local business people come into our classrooms for the day and teach the students about business, government, the economy, etc. A local bank donated some "hard hats" that the kiddos were pretty excited about!

2. On Wednesday, we went on a whole-school field trip to a local park. The kiddos get to play on the playground and spray park, go miniature golfing, walk through the zoo, play some games with the P.E. teacher and have a cook-out. It was the nicest day of all the 6 years I have been going, the weather was beautiful!

3. After our field trip, I visited my new classroom. Here are some of the photos I took to begin thinking about my own arrangement/decorations. 

4. On Thursday we walked to our local Dairy Queen for a free ice cream cone and then had a small celebration in honor of my student teacher/para. 

5. Finally, on Friday we had Fun Day and spent the morning outside and the afternoon watching "Where the Wild Things Are."

Thanks so much for reading! :o)