Back to School for the Last Time

First Post of the Day

(All pictures used with permission.)

For years, Lisa has had a reading incentive in her classroom - make your reading goal and you have earned yourself a Pepper Pass.

Which meant that Pepper and I would come to school one day and spend time with those children.

Every quarter since the pandemic restrictions were lifted, Pepper and I have gone to Lisa's school and spent part of the day with 4th graders.

Despite the wording on that Pepper Pass, not much reading gets done. We spend time talking about the books they've read (I am given a lot of "You need to read this book!" recommendations), 

and they share about their own pets, their families, and (in this case) their summer plans.

They groom Pepper, they play with her,

and each one gets to give her a tiny treat to enjoy. (Pepper's favorite part of the visits.)

I teach them about service dogs focusing on Seeing Eye dogs. Sometimes I share a little about Zeus, too, the black Lab that we had who had been a Police/Narcotics dog. (Just as Pepper is "my" dog, Zeus was Craig's.)

This time, Pepper was joined by another service dog. 

Leslie and Rick brought in Eddie who had recently passed his therapy dog tests. (For hospitals, nursing homes, and school visits.)

He was a big (both figuratively and in reality) hit with the kids. He's in that mass of kiddos somewhere.

It was Eddie's very first school visit, but he did very well.

And, each child got a sticker of him! Lisa said she kept hearing whispers the rest of the day along the lines of, "Where did you put your Eddie sticker?" "On my notebook. Where did you put yours?"

I hung around for a while after Eddie went home and let the kids enjoy Pepper Pepper enjoy the kids. And I, too, wanted to linger. It was the last time that this retired teacher and her retired Seeing Eye partner would be visiting Lisa's class.

Not only is it the last week of school,

but it's Lisa's last year in the classroom. She is moving on to a new career. 

This is a HUGE loss to Education. In the email announcement that she was leaving, her principal called Lisa "irreplaceable." He's right. 

I'm glad that she has a new opportunity, but the mom in me, the teacher in me, knows what an impact such an outstanding teacher makes with the children who come through her door year after year. And Lisa is certainly that.

Best of luck as you move on, Lis. I could not be prouder of you for all you have accomplished. You made a difference in hundreds of lives. xo

Stay 'tooned for a throwback post about a highlight from Lisa's teaching career.

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