The Actual End of School

was listed as May 3oth.  However since Clearfield's graduation was set for Thursday morning, the end of the school assembly and yearbook signing was on Wednesday morning with school closing up by noon.  Since Memorial Day was on Monday, that left one day and a couple of hours!  That was kind of a waste of a week!!!  Oh, well, it was all fun times for Jena.

She still likes to give gifts to her teachers so the night before she made notes for those she had chosen and we got bags of chocolates.  She was very clear that chocolates was the gift she wanted to give.  I told her that I would bring the gifts to school by 10:45 as the functional skills staff had asked us to pick up all students by 11.  When I arrived, Jena was not in the classroom which wasn't a surprise.  I waited for while talking to the staff (who told me that they discuss chocolate a lot.  It is their go to break when things get tough in the classroom. So that is likely where Jena got the idea.)  Mr. Andreason had to head to a meeting so we went off to find her.  There she was sitting on the floor with about 12 other kids all signing each other's yearbooks.  Many of the people I recognize from our area including our neighborhood.  She had the biggest smile on her face. I wish I had taken a picture of that moment.  This is why we wrote all those emails, attended those long IEP meetings, and read and worked and talked--for these moments where she feels a part of typical life--completely and abundantly!  It's not perfect, but life isn't perfect for any of us.



2014 Yearbook

 It was great to visit with her teachers and friends as we walked around the campus.  Jena had a great year and not because of being Junior Prom Queen, but because of students and teachers who taught and mentored her and also allowed her to do the same for them.....

And her senior year is setting up  to be AWESOME!