A Final Day at Peach Plains

When I got the call that I was placed in Grand Haven I have never imagined what an impact it would make on me. I had an amazing semester before I left for South Africa, and now I have amazing contacts to take with me. I have good memories and rough memories. I have good experiences and tragic ones. Through it I was loved by everyone of my students, parents, and my CT. I had an amazing CT! And while I knew it before I left for South Africa, it became more evident after I left and we stayed in contact overseas.

So today I took my final walk to Room 19 with my Fiore Flowers waiting to have an amazing afternoon at the year end celebration. And that it was. The class of 2020 (yes 2020, scary!) enjoyed a day all together as Peach Plains 4th graders one last time. As they move onto White Pines 5/6 Building next year it is bittersweet to see them go, but exciting to see what is head for them.

There was a Relay Race, Scavenger Hunt, Hot dog lunch, Dunk Tank and Tug-a-War for the kids to do, and by far the dunk tank was the favorite. My CT was a brave sport and got in for the kids. As she said, they will not remember me yelling at them or telling them to do this or that but they will remember me getting in the dunk tank. And that is for sure. Ten times she fell into the tank and the class erupted. It was a lot of fun.

I got to see a lot of the parents. Grand Haven is an awesome community, and the parent involvement at Peach Plains is amazing so I had meet a lot of the parents before and at conferences. They we just excited to see me and hear about my South African journey. Every time I would say hello and introduce myself again, a parent would respond oh yes Miss Hughes, we have heard a lot about you. So I would have to say that no matter what battles I fought with my students when I was there, they are not going to remember that but they will remember the stories and gifts I brought them back from South Africa. They learned so much from my 6 weeks away from them, and that is something that they will never forget.

I will miss Peach Plains a lot. But I am now fully ready for my next journey. I will always be a Fiore Flower as will all those students, but we are now all on a new journey of change.

My CT Nancy and I

Love her!

Nancy in the dunk tank. Kids loved it!

4th Grade Picture!