First Time....

Tomorrow.  Tomorrow is the first time in 13 years I won't be standing at the door of my classroom, eagerly awaiting the children as they race down the hallway, ready to meet their new teacher.  Tomorrow marks the first time I didn't set up a classroom, or decorate any bulletin boards.  It's the first time in 13 years I didn't have to send a "Welcome to Ms. Diem's class" email to the families that would be spending the next ten months with me.  No labeling of coat hooks or mailboxes, desks or folders.  Tomorrow is the first time in 13 years I won't be greeted with hugs from students, past and future.

Instead, I will be in a new school, with a community that doesn't know me.  I'll watch as 400 students stream through the doors in search of their classroom.  The younger students will flood the hallway with hugs in their arms as they approach their new classroom and their new teachers.  The older students will send high fives flying across the hallway as they check in at their lockers before heading to meet their new teachers.

The hallways will be full of energy.  The teachers will be smiling, hiding that tiny bit of first day anxiety that lingers no matter how many years you've been teaching.

And me?

I won't be standing at the door of my classroom waiting for my students.  Not this year.

Am I sad about that?  Yeah.  I am.
I miss my classroom.  I miss the families that I've known for years whose children were finally old enough to be in my class.  I miss my hallway pals and the conversations we had every morning while the kids streamed in.

But.

I am excited.  I am actually really excited.

Because this year?  This first day of school?

The whole building is my classroom.  And while I am not going to be greeting everyone by name (yet!) and I might not have my own class, this new adventure will have me exploring the world of educational technology with over 400 students and 100 staff members.  An easy transition from corner classroom to entire school?  Nope.  A scary one?  Kinda.  One I'm ready to take on?  Absolutely.

Let the technological adventures begin!

Transformation!

This summer has been quite the transformational summer for me, in so very many ways.  Biggest transformation?  New job.  We're talking huge.  Out of the safety and security of my classroom and into the whole school, a new one, at that.

Transformation.  My new school is undergoing a massive transformation - we're talking a multi-year transformative project for the entire school.  This summer has been the second summer of construction, and I am stoked that I was able to witness the transformation!  So you can enjoy a bit of this transformation too, I've got some videos that might interest you....  (I encourage you to watch with the mute button, unless you want to hear my aimless chatter and narration!)

First trip upstairs!  July 22, 2015.  At that point, I was uber curious as to what the end result would be, cause I sure couldn't tell from this view!!

Second visit to the second floor was on August 4, 2015.  Much progress to be noted!  Still quite an unfinished feel, obviously, but moving along!

One week later and WOW!  Getting closer!

August 20th. Carpeting, ceiling, painted.... almost done!  Can't wait!