Saying Goodbye...

Another school year is ending, and I think I may be in denial. It seems that the older I get, the shorter the school year seems. It feels like only yesterday that I was introducing myself to my sophomores, and handing out the AP Chemistry syllabus to my upper-classmen. The year has flown by, and it has been a challenging one.

Like most teachers, I am not saddened to see the end of the year approach. Teachers work hard throughout the year, and we look forward to the change in routine (many of us work all summer as well, but it's nice to have that change). The year was full, and challenging, and it's time for a little break. But as a high school teacher, there are certain realities that I face every May. With the end of the school year comes the graduation of the senior class.

One of the greatest rewards that comes from being a high school teacher is the opportunity to get to know my students. I find them to be very interesting people, full of promise and bright futures. I look forward to meeting the sophomores, now no longer the new students, but not yet jaded upper-classmen. I also enjoy seeing how my former students have matured and grown over the summer. At the beginning of the year I help to run a leadership retreat for seniors, and I am very fortunate to be able to share a little something more than just academics. The seniors who choose to participate in this retreat are the best and brightest that our school has to offer, and I find them to be wonderful young men and women.

Then, every May, we have to say goodbye. You would think that this would get easier over the years, but it doesn't. As teachers, we are proud of our students' achievements, and we are excited with them for their futures, whether they are off to college or to work. We realize, throgh our own experiences, that their futures are full of opportunity and wonder. And we miss them when they are gone.

So, to all you graduates, may you have the best of luck. May your wishes all come true. And don't forget your teachers, who wish you happiness and success. You will be remembered.