Last Day of 2nd Grade

We just sent Cruz off to his last day of 2nd grade!  What a good year it's been!  A new school, one fabulous teacher, and so much growing for this boy of ours.  

First day... 

Last day!

I sent him off in full celebration mode with a little beach ball breakfast party.  Lemonade and Icon Donuts, juice in popsicle form, and yogurt parfaits with strawberries and NERDS!  Blame Target dollar bins for the inspiration, but I only get so many years I can do this! ;)

One of our favorite parts of Aldrich Elementary is that we're close enough to walk to school.  Cruz would much prefer riding his bike, but Beau decided to go in to work late today and we all walked together.  And Mila looked like a walking summer postcard in her sweet hat and sunnies. ;)

This year is a hard one to say goodbye to!  It was a special year - getting to break in a new elementary school, getting to learn in such creative and innovative spaces, and being part of "Wither's Wonder Kids", led by a teacher who made every day an adventure!  I had the opportunity to work with Mrs. Withers for one year at Price Lab and not only remember how great of a teacher she was, but how much she loved her job and balanced it well with her family.  She cheered me on as a new mom to Cruz then, and it was pretty special he got to be a part of her class all these years later.  Favorite memories of his second grade year include watching him become Frog Prince for his reader's theater performance (he had the best frog face and hop), how excited he got for Mrs. Wither's read aloud of the book The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, our surprise lunches in the atrium together, listening to him read his weekly read aloud assignments, his research book about monster trucks, seeing him learn big kid things like telling time, doing a little multiplication, planting and watching seeds grow, and building pinball machines, and our "Dress for Success" program we instituted when he needed a little behavior redirect last semester! ;)  Mrs. Withers commended us and said it was one of her favorite parenting moves to date!

Every year since preschool, I ask Cruz's teachers if they would write a short note in his "Oh, the Places You'll Go" book.  I can't read Mrs. Withers' note without crying.  It sums her up perfectly - her creativity, her love for her students, and her way of teaching these sweet souls about far more than multiplication facts.  "Always remember WHO you are and WHOSE you are."  The best kind of advice.  

And because I try to keep everything in one place, I'm including the Gold Star nomination letter I wrote for her earlier this year.  She loved our boy well and he loves her right back!

My son and I would like to nominate his second grade teacher, Mrs. Linda Withers, for a 2019 Gold Star Award.  Cruz is a lucky member of “Mrs. Withers’ Wonder Kids” this year, one of the first official 2^nd grade classes at the new Aldrich Elementary in Cedar Falls.  From the first night we peeked in the windows of Mrs. Withers’ classroom just a week before the doors officially opened for the school year, we knew Cruz was in for not only a wonderful year growing in academics, but a year full of adventure and fun.  Mrs. Withers brings learning to life in ways that have exceeded our hopes in every way.  She has high expectations for all students to bring their best, yet does this in a safe, supported, and wonderfully fun way.  She uses her love for the arts to unlock imaginations, she sees every child as a unique gift with individual strengths and talents, and she has been a leader in building a sense of spirit and morale with staff and students in a brand new building this year.

There are so many examples I could share that reflect the kind of teacher Mrs. Withers is, but there is one that stands out.  Earlier this year, Mrs. Withers chose the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, as her class read aloud.  She shared with her students that this was a book near to her heart as she used to read it to her own kids when they were young.  She brought this book to life for her students through her animated voices and engaging questions.  She would send frequent emails home to parents with similar questions we could reinforce at home and every time I would ask Cruz, his eyes would light up in wonder as he went on (and on) about the book.  Around the holidays, Mrs. Withers excitedly shared that she was traveling to Iowa City to hear the author of the book, Kate Dicamillo.  Mrs. Withers created a window in her classroom to share with the students and Ms. DiCamillo about their experience with the book.  She took pictures of the students to share with the author, recorded questions the students wanted to share with her, and created an entire power point to share the experience with her students after the weekend.  Lastly, she wrapped up a brand new copy of the book for every student to have as a keepsake, along with a handwritten note to remember the experience.  It was a sweet memory I’m sure we won’t ever forget. 

Most recently, Mrs. Withers put a well-deserved McElroy Trust grant to great use and infused her love of the arts into the classroom.  She invited all second grade students to take part in a workshop that focused on both mime and story-telling, inviting two experts to share their craft with the students.  She invites parents in on the journey through apps such as Seesaw, and it is evident students are always exploring, always learning, and always enjoying the process of both.  Cruz has grown so much this year, as a reader, as a thinker, and as a friend, and I have no doubt it is thanks to a teacher who sees the beauty and importance of all three.