Its Never Easy Saying Good bye
Friday was my last day at my Club. I had been dreading it since I turned in my letter of resignation. Ms. Lizanna (my boss) needed me to do it early because they couldn't officially list the position while I still technically had it. I agreed to work until the end of the school year so the new art teacher could start fresh in the beginning of summer. Plus I'd have some free time to make sure I do well in my last class and time to visit my family.
So all last week I would drag my heels at the end of the day, trying to stay as long as I could. Ms. Lizanna and I would often talk after work while we stood in the parking lot. Once we talked for an hour until we realized the sun was going down. So she humored me and hung out until we had to go to our respective homes. Usually we would just talk about the men in our lives and the kids at the Club. We are kind of an odd pair if you could see us. An athletic, vibrant, black woman in her late fifties and a round faced, wide eyed, white girl in her early twenties.
Long story short, Friday was my last day. We didn't have a regular club programing the last two days, so the teachers could have a break. We work all school year and then for 8 weeks all summer. The only "vacation" time the downtown office gives us is devoted to cleaning the club up and going to mandatory meetings. So instead of spending two days cleaning when it could be vacation, we cleaned up early. Plus our kids are wonderful and like to help out to make their club look nice. So the day before (Thursday) I got a brilliant idea to make the kids take their art home. Usually they leave it behind in their cubbies or in the art room. So I got a big stack of paper grocery bags and fruit snacks. I had some of my favorite helpers write everyone's names on a bag and we went through piles of artwork & sculpture and organized it all. With a snack inside I was guaranteed they would take it home. Only a few were left by Friday because they didn't attend the last days, but they'll still be able to get them during the summer.
Towards the end of the day, Ms. Lizanna called an assembly. Which she generally does at 4pm when we do programing. However we weren't, but I figure it was some last minute speech about what she expects from them during the summer as role models for new kids. Then Mrs. Hendrix, gym teacher, called me out to the bleachers. All the teachers were lined up, like we do, so I joined them. Then Ms. Lizanna called me forward. So I stepped up, like she was going to send me a group of kids. She kept beckoning me forward until I stood next to her. Then from behind me two kids, Ashley and Nathan, broguht a card and cake. Ashley is our resident artist. She's good and she knows shes good. I've been trying to teach her a little humility, but we'll see. Ashley designed the card and everyone signed it for me. Nathan is the oldest of a great family (he's 14), all three of them are close with me. Nathan baked me a cake; it was his own idea. It is some kind of pecan cake, a new recipe for him. After work when Ms. Lizanna and I talk she always gives me this look of, "man are we going to miss you. How are we going to replace you?" I told her to stop or I would cry. That friday at assembly I cried. I didn't want to in front of my kids, but I knew how attached I was and how much I'll miss them. When they got permission to leave the bleachers I got glomped by half the bleachers. I almost fell over with all of them trying to squeeze the breath from me. I was actually surprised by a few of them whom I thought were indifferent to me. So we all cried and hugged for a while until I could take a break and regain my composure.
I finished cleaning up my classroom and taking down the bulletin board displays. Nathan, Ms. Lizanna, and I snuck into the kitchen and had some cake at the end of work. As we got into our cars Ms. Lizanna invited me to have dinner with her sometime before I move- which I intend to do. I got home and cried some more. I'm really going to miss being around such warm, loving co-workers who truly care about the children they see every week. And I'll miss all my kids and the fun projects we would do together. I'll even miss the naughty ones who drove me up the wall. This was a great job that I hope to emulate in the future.
So all last week I would drag my heels at the end of the day, trying to stay as long as I could. Ms. Lizanna and I would often talk after work while we stood in the parking lot. Once we talked for an hour until we realized the sun was going down. So she humored me and hung out until we had to go to our respective homes. Usually we would just talk about the men in our lives and the kids at the Club. We are kind of an odd pair if you could see us. An athletic, vibrant, black woman in her late fifties and a round faced, wide eyed, white girl in her early twenties.
Long story short, Friday was my last day. We didn't have a regular club programing the last two days, so the teachers could have a break. We work all school year and then for 8 weeks all summer. The only "vacation" time the downtown office gives us is devoted to cleaning the club up and going to mandatory meetings. So instead of spending two days cleaning when it could be vacation, we cleaned up early. Plus our kids are wonderful and like to help out to make their club look nice. So the day before (Thursday) I got a brilliant idea to make the kids take their art home. Usually they leave it behind in their cubbies or in the art room. So I got a big stack of paper grocery bags and fruit snacks. I had some of my favorite helpers write everyone's names on a bag and we went through piles of artwork & sculpture and organized it all. With a snack inside I was guaranteed they would take it home. Only a few were left by Friday because they didn't attend the last days, but they'll still be able to get them during the summer.
Towards the end of the day, Ms. Lizanna called an assembly. Which she generally does at 4pm when we do programing. However we weren't, but I figure it was some last minute speech about what she expects from them during the summer as role models for new kids. Then Mrs. Hendrix, gym teacher, called me out to the bleachers. All the teachers were lined up, like we do, so I joined them. Then Ms. Lizanna called me forward. So I stepped up, like she was going to send me a group of kids. She kept beckoning me forward until I stood next to her. Then from behind me two kids, Ashley and Nathan, broguht a card and cake. Ashley is our resident artist. She's good and she knows shes good. I've been trying to teach her a little humility, but we'll see. Ashley designed the card and everyone signed it for me. Nathan is the oldest of a great family (he's 14), all three of them are close with me. Nathan baked me a cake; it was his own idea. It is some kind of pecan cake, a new recipe for him. After work when Ms. Lizanna and I talk she always gives me this look of, "man are we going to miss you. How are we going to replace you?" I told her to stop or I would cry. That friday at assembly I cried. I didn't want to in front of my kids, but I knew how attached I was and how much I'll miss them. When they got permission to leave the bleachers I got glomped by half the bleachers. I almost fell over with all of them trying to squeeze the breath from me. I was actually surprised by a few of them whom I thought were indifferent to me. So we all cried and hugged for a while until I could take a break and regain my composure.
I finished cleaning up my classroom and taking down the bulletin board displays. Nathan, Ms. Lizanna, and I snuck into the kitchen and had some cake at the end of work. As we got into our cars Ms. Lizanna invited me to have dinner with her sometime before I move- which I intend to do. I got home and cried some more. I'm really going to miss being around such warm, loving co-workers who truly care about the children they see every week. And I'll miss all my kids and the fun projects we would do together. I'll even miss the naughty ones who drove me up the wall. This was a great job that I hope to emulate in the future.