Last Day

A cat-shaped truffle from a favorite fifth-grader sweetened my afternoon. Two fourth graders tried to sneak into our office to leave a surprise. Student brought yearbooks for my signature. Amidst the bustle of farewells, I weeded more books, fixed some computer problems, and helped teachers store or locate information.

At 3:20 p.m., students streamed from the building chanting, "Last Day of School!" Teachers (all clad in royal blue shirts proclaiming our school spirit) waited till their rooms were clear and streamed to the sidewalk to wave as 17 buses departed. Hands waved from half-open bus windows. Faces pressed against other windows. Voices yelled, "Goodbye!" and "Have a great summer!" Obliging bus drivers honked rhythmically. As the last bus turned from the playground gate, teachers clapped, wiped away tears, and hugged each other. Another school year is history.