The Beginning

Yesterday was my very last day as a teacher. It's amazing to say that. Eight years of my life and a career as a public school teacher came to an end when I turned in my keys and walked out of the band room for the last time. What an amazing ride it has been.

This week has been emotional for many reasons. Of course I didn't really stop to think about how my career was ending because I was so wrapped up in the moment with my students. First and foremost I miss my kids. I knew it was going to be difficult leaving, but it has been excruciating to say the least. I've never felt so loved by a group of people as I did in the last few days of school. We all came together to say our goodbyes to one another and I began to realize the depth of my affection for these wonderful people that I work with on a day-to-day basis. My life will be very different without them.

Monday was our last day with seniors. I had the final wind ensemble rehearsal of my career first thing in the morning. We practiced through Jupiter from The Planets in preparation for our graduation performance. The kids cleaned out their lockers and turned in music. The remainder of the day was spent cleaning, organizing, straightening, collecting, and talking. I had good talks with several of my students and things kept appearing on my desk: a note here, a card there. By the end of the day I took the freshman band outside so they could run around. I sat in an office chair at the top of the hill overlooking the athletic fields, eating a popsicle, helping a senior (who is going into music) study for a music theory entrance exam.

Tuesday was our last day with students. We had combined rehearsal for graduation with two bands in the gym at the beginning of the day. The rest of the day was spent putting away a year worth of uniforms, music, and equipment. My student teacher and I went out for Chinese food for lunch and reflected on the year and returned to school in an MSG induced coma. It was a quiet remainder to the day. A couple of kids stopped in and said their goodbyes. We finished cleaning.

Graduation was Tuesday night. The band played really well and the ceremony itself didn't take as long as years past. Perhaps it was the smaller senior class or maybe it was a streamlined process with less speakers. Either way it went relatively quickly. Before I knew it I was conducting the final bars of Fairest of the Fair and the seniors had recessed out. That's when it hit home and I broke down. Eight years of teaching. My favorite job. My students. I gave so many hugs that night and I must be in a bizillion pictures. It took me over an hour to get to my office and get ready to leave school after the ceremony.

This is Kaia and me leaving the house on our last day.

Yesterday was very low-key. I didn't go to the final all staff meeting in the commons. I didn't have it in me to listen to people talk about what a great year it has been. Have a great summer. See you next year. Instead I stayed in my room and finished cleaning everything up for the last time. There were some students that stopped by. One kid helped me for several hours clean and organize and then we had a beautiful heart-to-heart talk. My student teacher, now a band director in Amery, called me from his very first day of work (summer band) to check in. I went out for a last lunch with some of the music teachers in the district. After lunch there were some loose ends to tie up and then it was over.

It's been an incredible ride the last eight years and I am glad it ended at North High School. Now a new day is beginning. I've got my coffee, I've got my Brahms, and I'm ready to begin the next chapter of my life.