Last Class Day

When everyone around me is going nuts, I get an e-mail like the one below from one of last year's geometry students:

Hey Mrs.POd,

I'm taking the Trig regents tomorrow in room XX and I just wanted you to wish me luck and brighten my day. I am not very confident that I will pass them and if I don't I fail the entire course. I hate the math policy =( I just wish I pass, this is the last year of math I am taking and I don't want anything to ruin it. Wish me luck please I think of you as a good luck charm =) cause last year you gave me the strength to take the regents and passed with a 85 !!

Love you.

Most of my classes left today with minimum goodbyes and I didn't feel the sorrow I usually feel at the end of the term. I did get a really nice tote bag from one of my calculus students. It was especially nice because she hand picked different messages with special meanings for each of the recipients and I got a gift card from my special love, my inclusion boy. Believe it or not, the highlight of my day came from my crazy ninth period class. Each kid hugged me goodbye, told me how much they were going to miss me, and even told me I was a good teacher, in spite of yelling at them all term. After a year of torture, I find out they actually liked me.

A few months ago, I was determined to leave in June. Now, I don't know. I'm not waiting for retirement to start my life. I already do lots of traveling and pretty much whatever else I want to do. I'm weak. I need these kids in my life.