Today’s the second last day of school, and it’s my second last day at Ancaster Meadow. I’m not the only person leaving the school this year, and starting yesterday, the “goodbye emails” began. I wanted to write my own, but I just couldn’t do it. Maybe the Queen of the Internet would write a “goodbye card” instead, but then I couldn’t find a pen, so I decided against that idea. 🙂
And that’s when I decided that for me, a blog post would be the best way to say, “goodbye.” Blogging is what I do. It’s how I share what I think and feel. It’s how I reflect. And it’s how I connect with others — through the follow-up comments and the tweets.
Today, I blog to say “goodbye” to a staff that I’ve worked with for as many as nine years. Today, I also blog to say, “thanks.”
- Thanks for the laughs!Â
- Thanks for the support!
- Thanks for the “kid talk!”
- Thanks for the new ideas!
- Thanks for the inspiration!
- Thanks for the many games of “Challenge!”
- Thanks for the hard questions!
- Thanks for being you!
I’ve made many friends and formed many connections here at Ancaster Meadow, and I will miss this great school community! Thank you all, in each of your own ways, for making me a better teacher! I hope that next year brings many incredible changes and challenges for each of you. I know that I’m excited about what lies ahead … even if I’m a little scared and sad as well! 🙂
Here’s to a wonderful summer and a great new school year!
Aviva
You will be greatly missed. You are an inspiration to others and a tenacious advocate for kids. Thanks for all you have done to advance my thinking, to challenge our assumptions about teaching and learning, and to energize us with your passion. I believe that I can speak on behalf of the the Ancaster Community when I say that you have touched lives beyond what you will ever realize. All the best!
Paul
Thank you so much, Paul, for all of your kind words! You told me this morning to, “keep smiling,” and I was doing fairly well with that until I read your comment and the tears started. 🙂 I’m definitely going to miss Ancaster Meadow School: the students, the staff, and the community. This has been my “school home” for nine wonderful years, and it’s with many mixed emotions that I leave. Thanks for being such an important part of my nine years here. You are an amazing principal and someone that I’ve loved learning with and from. Keep in touch!
Aviva
Hi it’s Mariah! Miss. Dunsiger has been my SK, grade one, and grade 5 teacher. She taught me how to read tweet, blog, and learn without a pencil and paper. How do you thank a teacher who taught you so much!! Well here it goes THANK YOU!!! I will miss you a lot I will never forget you!! Hope we see each other soon!
From, Mariah
Mariah, thank you for such a lovely comment! You just made my night. I’ve really enjoyed teaching you over the years, and I hope that with the help of all of the tools you mentioned, I’ve also taught you how to think and question. Please keep sharing your thinking and letting your amazing personality shine through. THANK YOU for being such an awesome student and such a pleasure to work with in the classroom! Do keep in touch. I’m going to miss you next year.
Miss Dunsiger
Leaving a school is truly like leaving home. You can pack most of the material things but you’ll always have fond memories to top it up. The one thing you can’t pack in education are the students that you’ve touched and had success with. They’re off on their own tangent. Some you’ll stay in touch with but the majority of them will fade from memory until you just happen upon them. I’m sure that you’re leaving the school and a cadre of students all the better for your experience. As you start a new adventure, it’s truly an opportunity to start afresh and there’s a great deal to be said for that. Have a relaxing summer and get ready to go at it again in the fall.
Thanks for the comment, Doug! I completely agree. I’ve started afresh 5 times in the past, and I’m excited about another opportunity to do so (with different students, different parents, a different staff, and a different community). Change is good, even if it’s hard, and I can’t wait for next year’s changes and challenges!
Aviva
You are a great teacher, because everything you do comes from your heart.
You teach with passion, and give happily, more than you should. You taught us as parents as well that there is always that little thing, you can still give, and it will make a difference.
All the best to you, you will be missed.
The Sherry’s
Thank you so much, Ayman! I can’t imagine kinder words. I’ve loved working with you and all of your kids. I’m really going to miss teaching them next year. I hope that you’ll keep in touch.
Have a wonderful summer!
Aviva