School's Out Forever

 

I was volunteering teaching Sunday school one year when I got a call from a principal wanting me to come in for an interview. I had been searching for a new teaching job, so this was a miracle, and I jumped at the chance. I found out that I would teaching a combined fourth and fifth grade class. I was offered the job and took it. I had 4 fourth graders and 4 fifth graders. It was an amazing class, and I learned how to teach two grades at once. 

One of the best things about that school was the staff. They were wonderful and we all formed great friendships. But we all knew that the school was on its last legs. There were only 26 students in the whole school. It was a catholic school, and we knew that the diocese would not be keeping it open for too much longer. Sure enough, the announcement came right after Christmas vacation that the school would be closing at the end of the school year.

Since I had only been there for that year, I didn't feel the extreme sadness that some of the teachers felt. It was a sad few months, but we made the best of it. We had a barbeque and invited some alumni to come to the party. There were people there who had gone to the school and their great-grandparents had also attended. We went through old yearbooks dating back to the late 1800's. Talk about history! The last week of school, we said goodbye and packed up whatever we could. 

On the last day of school, there were tears, memories, and hugs. When the last bus arrived and the last student left, the doors were closed. The school remains closed and lonely to this day. What is surprising is that it was one of the best teaching years I ever had. I learned so much and made some wonderful friends. I even still speak to some of the students I had who are now in high school. There was something so special about that school. I do miss it.

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