FOUR

 4...

Things I WON'T miss...

DIBELS assessments, 
Edulastic assessments,
ELPAC,
DRDP and Progress Reports for 4-5 year olds,
Submitting referrals in October
and again in April
and still not able to schedule a meeting
to get some support
for both your student
and the next teacher he will have.
And did I mention progress reports?

Things I WILL miss...

Having an ample supply of sprays, shower gels, candles, and lotions at my disposal,

Helping each child discover their gifts and nurturing them,
even when you had something else planned,

Being there to witness when they make new discoveries...
observing a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis,
feeling a snail leave a slime on their arm,
finding out that the only ripe strawberry on the plant 

was eaten by a special friend from the PALS class next door,
so you plant more strawberries,

and after a month's wait,
you come back from a weekend to discover...

  I will miss moments like these.