The End is Near...

Although the last week of school is not my favorite time of year, it is certainly a favorite for the kids! There are so many fun things to do. On Monday Kindergartners were treated to a field day with nine outdoor centers - everything from throwing huge noodle arrows and 50 yard dashes to icee pops and dancing in the pavilion! It was an hour and a half of hot fun and the children loved every minute of it! We had help from one of the Mayport Naval units so the PE teachers were free to go around with their over sized water guns and cool everyone off!

It was a grilled hot dog lunch in the room and then in some classes, families enjoyed a talent show! Children showed their talents - everything from rock star singers and dancers to joke tellers! What a talented group! I hope parents took lots of videos so they will be able to show them at high school graduation! In many classes Room Mothers were honored with gifts for their service to the children. We simply couldn't do it without them!

The day ended with the last nine weeks Kindergarten Awards in each classroom. Each kindergarten room was full of parents. My favorite type Awards Ceremony is when the teacher pulls up each child individually, one at a time alphabetically, and presents all of the child's awards at once. It gives the parents time to really snap a good picture and they love hearing about and seeing their child in the spotlight. The kids really like it too! My favorite end of the year award is when the teacher assigns each child another child and they make an award for that child. You get things like "Best Table Washer" or "Best Jump Roper" or other non-academic awards that really make each child feel special. The parents really love this part too. It has become a highlight over the years because the awards made by the children are so full of truth. Most classes end with a slide show of the year with emotional music that ALWAYS brings me to tears - me and most of the parents! Many teachers also put the slide show on a CD as a parting gift for the families - what a gift!

All in all, it is a wild and wonderful day this last week that celebrates the high points of Kindergarten and makes many new memories of the year. I know I'm usually exhausted at the end of the day, but the kids are right back on Tuesday morning ready for more! Stay tuned for the rest of the end of the year fun!