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Kate Dusto's avatar

I love that index card idea! I've done something similar as a team-builder where we all write an anonymous "Something I wish people knew about me..." sentence and then share aloud (after I screen, of course!) But this seems like such a lovely and easy wrap-up. I also struggle with the end of the year. I watch my own kids have parties and huge goodbyes in elementary school, and meanwhile, I give my students a final or collect an essay and then...happy summer? It's so anticlimactic. I am bookmarking this post for next year.

Happy summer to you finally!!

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

Oh, that's a good idea too! I'll have to remember it for next year.

Skylar Renslow's avatar

I've actually had The Bolter stuck in my head for like a week now

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

It's a good one! I always listen to that album on airplanes because it's so long

LF's avatar

I hate wrapping up the school year because the energy is so manic and scattered. This is a nice idea! What day do you actually do it on? The real last day?

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

Most kids skip the last day, so I’ll probably do it the day before. That’s still 2.5 weeks out for me, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Marissa Gallerani's avatar

The title scared me for a second there!

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

Sorry! I think it was accidentally a little click-bait-y. No plans to leave Substack! I love it here.

Adrian Neibauer's avatar

I love your end-of-year index card activity! How did it go with students? And I’m definitely stealing the “Moment That Changed Me” chart! I hope the end of your year goes well.

I just had a great conversation with Marcus Luther about goodbyes and ending the school year. The idea of leaving, but not wanting to say goodbye is a very real thing!

Also, you read my mind with your road trip song suggestion! That’s the subject of tomorrow’s Top Five post. 😊 And, I recently drove through the Southwest. Your pictures are gorgeous! Unfortunately, I didn’t find any pie festivals during our road trip. That would have been great if we had!

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

I can't wait for your Top Five! You always have the best lists.

My last day of school is in mid-June, so I'll let you know how the activity goes in a few weeks.

Sara Love's avatar

I might try it with my kids next week. I’ll see if fourth graders can manage not writing a name.

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

About half the adults I was with did, lol. It still was a lovely activity

Diane Wahn Shotton's avatar

Glad you got custody of the camera! Great photos and the songs at the end are perfection.

Jenna Vandenberg's avatar

Me too :) It was a very friendly divorce

Amy Makechnie's avatar

Welp, that was a great read :)