To the Class of 2021,

You will forever be in my memories as my looped group.  When we first met in September of your third grade year, I knew you would be a group I’d never forget.  I was right, I will never forget you nor would I want to, but not for the reasons I originally thought.  I originally thought I would never forget the challenges we experienced in those first few weeks of getting to know each other.  You see, I had been out of the classroom for a year and you guys seemed to like to test me as I got my feet wet again in the teaching game.  Prior to teaching you, I had been serving as the Literacy Coach for our school.  I had never taught 3rd grade.  This was surely going to be a test.

As the year went one, we continued to challenge and push each other to be our best.  You all challenged me to research new ways of teaching and I challenged you to work harder then you thought you could.  I am so thankful that you pushed me to research, study, get creative, and work hard.  It is being with this class that reminded me I LOVE TEACHING!  Watching the successes you’ve all made has made my heart sing.  You have all come so far- and it’s just the beginning!

At the end of that first year, Dr. Cook told me that he needed me to teach fourth grade the following year.  There were too many third graders to fit in 2 classrooms.  He thought I would be upset and not want to try something different AGAIN, but he was wrong.  I said, “sure, but I want my kids again.”  At this point Dr. Cook and many others thought I was crazy.  We had a great, educational, wonderful, challenging, and at times rough year.  Didn’t I want to start fresh with new kids?  NO!  And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Starting this year, our second school year together, I knew I had to come up with some new tricks to keep things fresh and keep you from getting bored with me.  I found the Daily 5 which allowed us to move around more and get our hands on material rather than listen to me teach at you all day.  I found new technology to work with- Kidblog, edmodo, ipads, and SumDog to name a few.  We experimented, we researched, we wrote, we read, and we learned again together.  You have never ceased challenging me to work harder and I hope I returned the favor.

I am so proud of each and every one of you.  Our school motto is “Then, Now, Always Family” and our classroom has truly become like a family.  We have days when we annoy each other, days we love each other, days we joke, days we share sadness, and many, many days we laugh with each other.   I will miss each and everyone of you!  Yes, even those of you who were experts at pushing my buttons at times!  I have prepared a video surprise for you and your parents to enjoy as our time together ends.  I want you to know that I will be in the stands as you walk across that stage at graduation in June of 2021 cheering as each of your names are called.  I will probably shed tears as you leave tomorrow partially out of sadness to see you leave and partially out of awe and amazement for the people you have become in the last two years.  Keep moving, keep challenging yourselves, keep learning and you will truly be standing in the hall of fame.

With my love,

Carrie Sinone