Yesterday the 9th April 2014 was my last day at school. I have been a LOVE (let older volunteers educate) volunteer at CQES for more than 15 years. Linda and I move to our new home next Tuesday, which is located just too far from the school to continue. I had to make the decision to say farewell to all my friends of many years. It was a very emotional morning and I fear I teared up more than once amid many hugs and well wishes. My grade one class all wrote cards to give to me during our last reading sessions. They were full of statements saying they would miss me and loved having me help them learn to read. In the teachers lounge it didn’t get any easier, all the teachers gathered to wish me well. Tara the Principle made a short speech thanking me and presented me with a lovely clock. It has been a wonderful journey working with the sweetest little ones any one could ever wish to know. I confess each new school year I fell in love all over again with with my new grade one little people. Watching them grow through the year and gradually master the art of reading was the inspiration that caused me to return year after year. I will miss this part of my life probably more than I realize, but who knows what awaits over the horizon? Linda graduated from Central Queens HS back in 1967 and I often looked at the 1967 class photo hanging in the hallway. Sometime in the Seventies the school was changed to an elementary school and a new block was added to include a gym and extra class rooms. Today Central Queens Elementary School is the heart beat of Hunter River.
Presently our house is a muddle with boxes and crates everywhere, I shall be glad when the move is completed and we can once more settle down. Maybe then I can look around for a new project or another exciting journey.
God Bless and keep reading.
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