School's Out!

Yesterday was the last day of school at the elementary schools in my area. The tradition lately has been to play "School's Out" by Alice Cooper on the P.A. system just before the final bell. It was originally the idea of a former principal, but teachers and students really enjoy it, so it seems to be a tradition that is sticking. :)

I wasn't crazy about it at first, particularly the line about school's out forever [because] "my school's been blown to pieces" seemed to be tempting fate!  But really it bothered me because the music was played SO LOUD over the intercom in the library that it was almost painful to the ears (my ears - as no one else was around). Then, of course, it had to be played over and over - until people actually started leaving the building - which drove me CRAZY! One year I actually complained (not that anyone cared - but I think they turned the music down a smidgeon).

This year I am at a new school, where the library is not situated in a far removed part of the building but is front and centre, right by the office and the staff room. :)  When they started the song at the end of the day I started to get my grumpy pants on. :(  But then a surprising thing happened -- I realized the music wasn't blasting in my ear, like in the "old school".  It was quite bearable actually.  Then I looked out in the hallway and saw all the students gleefully running down the hall, and hugging teachers and each other.  I smiled.  Then I got up from behind my desk, and left all the overdues and missing items reports (I forgot to mention how much I HATE this time of year).  I stepped out of the library and smiled at the last bunch of graduated grade 8 students still lingering around like over-sized baby birds, not quite ready to leave the nest.  Then two of the boys started hugging the secretary, principal and vice-principal.  I just happened to be there, and since I have only been at that school since December, and the previous librarian was much loved, and the grade 8s hadn't had very many classes in the library since their teacher was too busy to bring them most of the time.... I prepared to move out of the way. But one of the boys, with only a slight hesitation just opened his arms and gave me a hug too, which was followed closely by the second boy.
If I wasn't already sure that I was happier at my new school, that one moment illustrated for me everything I love about my new place of work. I have had many a hug from Kindergarten students, even up to grade 2s, but never before from a grade 8 student -- let alone a boy -- No TWO!

Here is a great illustration I have borrowed from teacher and blogger buddy Maria Grazia's blog @ Fly High!  I love her posts about her taste in books, television and film (and she is a fellow RA fan as well).

I have four more days of sorting out all the teachers' returned resources, storing everything for the summer and tying up a thousand loose ends.  That last picture is how I will look after I wake up from a long sleep on my first day of summer holiday.  Until then I will look more like this:

Warner Brothers Pictures