Wrapping Up the School Year
by Theresa Carpine6/9/2008 2:30:22 PM
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The end of the school year can be a pretty hectic time for teachers, parents and students. With graduation and good-bye parties, award ceremonies for clubs and teams, and—oh, yes—a few more days of learning to complete, it can be hard to take time to appreciate everything your child has learned and all the friends they’ve made throughout the year. So when the last day of school arrives, make sure you’re prepared to make the memories last.
Make sure to capture the final days of school on camera. Your child will enjoy looking back on these photos throughout the years to come.Worth a Thousand Words
When you pick up your child from school, bring a camera so you can capture the last-minute goodbye hugs and smiles with friends and teachers. If they’re old enough (and their teacher approves), send them to school with a one-time-use disposable camera; they usually cost less than $10. While the quality of pictures might not be the best, your child will have fun snapping shots and posing with their friends during their last recess of the year.
Homemade Yearbook
Annuals and yearbooks usually hit the school scene in middle and high school. For the elementary crowd, give your child a small notebook for the last day of school so they can get farewell messages from friends. You can even make a quick book by folding a few sheets of paper in half (hamburger-style) and stapling on the fold. This is also a great way to collect addresses, phone numbers and emails so kids can send postcards to their friends during your vacation or invite friends over for dinner occasionally.
Plan a Reunion
How many times have you suggested getting together with a friend, but the reunion never really happens if you don’t make definite plans? If you’re really ambitious (and organized), plan out a class get-together for later this summer before the summer even starts. It can be a seemingly impossible chore to coordinate 20+ kids that have been scattered to the winds over the summer, so take the initiative to pick a day, time and location; you can even pass out “save the date” note cards on the last day of school. It's likely that not everyone will be able to attend, but at least they’ll have plenty of advance notice. Keep things easy by suggesting a casual picnic-style gathering on the school playground. Kids will have plenty of space to play and friends can stay for as long (or as little) as they like.
Don't forget to give a special thanks to your child's teacher for all their work this year.“Thanks, Teach.”
As a special thank you for your child’s teacher, pick out one of their art projects from the year that they can sign and frame to give to the teacher. Or have your child create a collage with drawings and words that relate to special activities and memories from throughout the year. A less sentimental (but just as appreciated) gift could be a certificate to their favorite coffee place or book store. You can also pool your funds with other parents to give their teacher a special night out at a fancy restaurant.
Now, if you can just make it through this week, you’ll really feel ready to enjoy a much deserved break with your kids this summer.