End of Year lunch - June 16

Every year, on the last day of school, teachers and staff at Jersey go out to lunch. For the past 3 years we have gone to BJ's in Downey, we get a buffet just for us, with all the pizzas we can eat, plus salads, fettuccine Alfredo and dessert. We had like 8 different kinds of pizza, and they kept coming! The drinks are also very good.
This year, because of my retirement, the lunch was mostly about me, again :) I got free drinks too which is always nice.

To begin with, our principal read a book about starting a new path...It's a children's book but it really applied to me and my retirement. I really couldn't hear too well but I know she was pretty emotional about it, wiping away tears as she was reading. She gave me the book at the end and a big hug.
The pizzas started coming, and as the guest of honor, I started the line. The food was very good and there were tons of it, I didn't care much for the fettuccine, but the salad and pizza was very good. We had a very good time.
I was given a scrapbook, and a yearbook. I passed it around so everybody could sign it. The scrapbook is really super nice with lots of pictures and a letter or a note from each teacher.

Janice put the scrapbook together and she gave a speech with memories and anecdotes about when she first met me (her oldest boy started Kindergarten on my first year at Jersey, but he was not in my classroom). She got emotional too, and since I couldn't really hear what she was saying and I was drinking my mojito, I remained dry eyed :). In the picture, Monica is showing the scrapbook to Sonia, the secretary.

The classified staff (cooks, supervisors, etc) got together and made me a cool apron, hand painted by one of the supervisors. It said "Wann in a Million" and had one kid pulling my shirt, and cartoonish drawings of all the staff, and they all signed their names. It was really nice!!!!

And here is my mojito and a slice of pizza.

When we all had finished eating and drinking, and before we left. I was presented with a card and a $100.00 bill, earlier on I also got a Nikon digital camera. I thanked everybody and just had time to take one last picture with my Kindergarten team :)

Norma, me, Jessica and Gloria

...And that's it for my retirement festivities....I also got a card from Mary and Dewey, and a couple of cards from some District friends.

It's been a great 26 years. I never thought of it as work, I didn't care much for all the meetings sand rules and regulations, but I enjoyed all my classes, and all the kids I have taught through the years. . I will miss the kids, the hugs from the kids, the teachers, the parents, the gifts, and the school....and, darn it! I finally got emotional writing this.................