All is Calm

I have been blessed to witness and participate in 'Day Before Christmas Break' activities for decades now. In fact, I can't think of a time in my life when I didn't either participate in or have a front row seat to this annual ritual. There is an excitement in the air that is unmatched during any other time of the school year. Even the last day of school isn't as exciting--and I mean that for students and teachers alike!

4th grade students hard at work the day before break

Yesterday was no different. I visited multiple classrooms in both the elementary and high school buildings and the atmosphere was, well delightful. That is not to say that a great deal of attention was being paid to the learning atmosphere, because there was certainly a lot of that going on as well. Students were finishing up letters to Santa, reading letters aloud from a favorite elf, or finishing up a project that would serve as a gift for a parent or grandparent. In one room, I took noticed students were reciting a popular seasonal poem in Readers Theatre format. These students were working to build fluency in advance of the FAST assessment that will be administered soon after they return to school in January. Many were eager to share with me their holiday plans and look forward to seeing grandparents and extended family over the break. Others longed for a little snow to really set the stage for some holiday spirit--although I would testify there was plenty of that to go around! 

Today however, our hallways are empty. Everyone has gone home and is enjoying that which they so looked forward to yesterday. I like these quiet days in the office, they provide an atmosphere where quiet reflection can occur and some of the projects that really need to be completed during a long uninterrupted block of time can be finished. That will be my afternoon!

Mrs. Schulz assists a student with her project

This will be my final post of the year. Next week, while I plan to be in the office during normal work hours, I have decided to take a very brief respite before starting fresh in 2016. Don't fret, we have much to discuss with the new year! The legislative session begins shortly after we return, and that always provides ample writing material! As a bit of a preview, I look forward to sharing with you the nationwide status of school funding since we have recovered from the 2008 recession. Also, you might be aware that the No Child Left Behind law has finally been left behind, replaced by the new Every Student Succeed Act. In the new year we will dive into that and discuss what it means for Hudson schools.

For now though, lets take a break. It's quiet in our school now. All is Calm, and you know what? 2016 looks very bright!

Merry Christmas!