Lots Going on in There

What's going on in Fran's head...Thanks to his art teacher for the opportunity
 for so many projects and curriculum connections this year.

My head feels like this- but with all sorts of feelings spilling out.

Way too many feelings: excited with the successes of my students and progress at year's end,  inspired by my students' excitement about taking home some forever books, challenged by how much work is still to be done, tearful that the year is ending, and thrilled about starting summer with my kids and my library card. 

Right now, the Board is going through the Budget. Oh, Michigan...please fund your schools. Communities shouldn't be struggling like this.

What a Year

Tonight, as I am thinking about what to say at Commentary at Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, I am overwhelmed by the hard work and fabulous progress of my students. It has been a good year in Reading Intervention. I feel so blessed to have had the chance to collaborate with classroom teachers to facilitate such an effective intervention for young readers. It has been an honor to watch my students grow, change, and progress. I am so hopeful that next year's students will have the same opportunity for extra help.

Tomorrow, it's book day in Reading Intervention. I will send home the writing books, a bookmark, the check-in cards. But most importantly, the kids will pick a little stack of books to keep forever. Thank goodness for these donations. I know everyone will have a little stack of books until the "Bookmobile" starts its deliveries on July 2nd. I knew that minivan would be good for something...

Oh, yeah- that's my sweet ride...

End of Year Goodness

It's been an extra busy spring in Ann Arbor with advocacy for Reading Intervention, extra meetings for the AAPS budget crisis, and of course the pink slips...

It would have been busy enough ending the year with my readers, my daughter graduating from PreK, and my son moving on to 4th grade. Let alone the kid sports, DQ trips, hospital volunteering, grocery shopping, 10K training, gardening, and school events.

Tomorrow is our last day at Stone School: our littlest one is leaving. She made Annie, her teacher, a little card:

Dear Annie, I wish you could be my teacher forever. Your Student, Claudia

I was handling all the end of year stuff well until Claude wrote this note. I said the words slowly with her and she wrote the sounds. I started crying when she turned her tiny left thumb upside-down to make finger spaces between the words. Oh, my. Finger spaces. My baby is ready for Kindergarten.