This is not a good-bye, this is a thank you

I am normally not a fan of tears in school. It breaks my heart to see our students sad or hurt. However, on this very last day of school, I do a little victory dance in my head every time a student sheds a few tears because school is ending.

When a student is upset about the end of the school year, I know we did our job. These students see school as a need-satisfying place. They had fun at school, they feel like they belong, they are empowered as learners and leaders, they had freedom to explore their curiosities and to grow as people.

Sometimes the tears speak to the chaos of their home lives and how much they appreciate the structure and consistency of school. Those are not the tears I like to see, we all want our students to feel secure and joyful in every part of their lives. These tears speak to the very important role school plays in the lives of these students.

So, bring on the eyes full of tears this last day of school. To be honest, my eyes will be filled with tears too. I will pack a few tissues in my pocket and celebrate this ending to an amazing school year.

This is not a goodbye, my darling, this is a thank you. Thank you for coming into my life and giving me joy, thank you for loving me and receiving my love in return. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever.

-Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle

Featured photo courtesy of bing.com