Finish School Year 2024-2025

Wrapping up the School Year

It all seems like a whirlwind dream as the weeks rushed by at the end of the school year. 

I decided to end our year as it began with a camping theme.

Camp Learn-A-Lot

My trusty teachers assistant and I made up the classroom into a camp ground. Each student got their own desk tent and camping tool kit, complete with flashlight and colouring tools and clip board. It was such a fun way to create a memorable last teaching day with them. The next week we had field trips so I wanted to finish our last week of learning with something fun and memorable.

It was a lot of work preparing all the centres and activities but it was so much fun.

We loaded up the "bus" to camp and it was delightful to see their faces light up on the discovery of their little campground. We had a pretend campfire as well as a virtual one on the screen. We read stories by flashlight and did numerous camp related activities. We even made s'mores (in the oven as open flames in the classroom are prohibited).  

Activity Week - field trips

At the end of the year we do a series of field trips for the elementary during exam week. This gets the littles out of the building during exams and helps finish out the end of the school year.

This year we took the grades 1-3 to a Candle making place that has farm animals and then Gr 1-5 did a Scavenger hunt in a local park and we wrapped up with our big trip to Mirakulum a park full of activities where kids can climb, swing and jump on trampolines.

It was exhausting fun for everyone!

End of Year

It is hard to believe this school year is over. This was a fun group to teach and I was very sad to say goodbye to them. This year is harder than most as I wrapped things up as I was handing over my grade one class to another teacher. It is sad to let this labour of love go after teaching grade 1/2 for 14 years, but it is time to let someone else enjoy the adventure.

It's Tradition!

I culminated the school year with our elementary traditional paddleboat ride. We took out two boats this year and paddled our way around the river. It is always a relaxing time and a great way to finish out the year with my team. I was blessed with an amazing team of ladies this year and we had so much fun!

 

Dresses for a Walk

Another annual tradition started by one of my friends was taking our dresses out for a walk. It started one year when she had bought a fancy dress for a wedding and wanted an excuse to wear it out again and so she declared we are going to go get all dressed up and take our dresses out for a walk! So a tradition was born. Each year near the end of the school year the ladies get all dressed up and we walk through old town and take dessert at a fancy café.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It was quite surreal packing up for 6 months. My mom came to help load up my suitcases and shlep one of them home for me. We left for Amsterdam together and parted ways in the airport. She headed back to Canada and I left for Chicago to attend TeachBeyond New Members orientation.

Lots of people have asked how I felt about having to leave for 6 months and really honestly I had compartmentalized everything into little boxes to unpack one at a time. Finish teaching, finish field trips, finish school, finish packing, get on a plane, finish orientation, arrive back to Canada.

Each box has slowly been unpacked. The unknown is ahead and I look forward to unwrapping what God's plan will be next.

Springing Ahead

 Springing Forward

As the days slowly get longer we can see the light at the end of the tunnel brighten as the end of the school year grows nearer. We have had many events this spring including Staff retreat at a resort in Loučen, field trip to see butterflies, exploration of insects and all school field day.

Staff Retreat

Train ride adventures

One of our favourite games to play is like a version of hide and seek. We take a stroll in the woods and a caller calls for everyone to hide and everyone scatters to hide then the seeker names who they can see from the spot they are standing. We are quite the sight as we huddle together behind trees.

We stayed at a beautiful spa resort place in a small Czech town. It had a small palace and a large property with a variety of mazes to explore. It was a wonderful time to get away, spend some quality time with co-workers and find some time to rest in amongst the chaos of overseas teaching.

Teaching in the Spring

There are so many activities in the spring. Elementary spring concert, field trips and field day. 

Spirit Days

We have school spirit how 'bout you? These are fun days to take the dreary out of the day to day.

Anything but a backpack!

Rhyme with No Reason - Fox and Socks, rich witch, Santa Furtana

Crazy Hair Day - I dyed my hair red for this one!

Disney Day

Learning about Insects!

Field day was jam packed with fun activities. 12 teams and close to 150 children

I got to help lead the orange team. We were team 8 the Flaming Phoenix. They had a lot of heart and though we didn't win fun was had. 

Our school is growing! We are close to 160 students which is double the size when I started.

One-third of our school is made up of students from creative access countries such as India, Vietnam, and China. These countries do not always allow the Gospel to be freely shared, and we have the unique opportunity to reach these nations all in one place.

TeachBeyond Leadership Summit

In April I got to attend a leadership summit in the UK. Most of my time was spent in meetings (not something you really take pictures of.) However, we did go for an afternoon excursion to the Seven Sisters (often mistaken visually for the cliffs of Dover). Gorgeous weather! The summit was a wonderful time to connect with other team leaders. Hearing the stories of what God is doing throughout Europe in different schools and projects.

 

Outside the Classroom

As many will recall last spring I got the news that my landlord was selling my flat and so I moved in with a family who have a VERY large flat. They are currently back in the States for 6 months and I have been holding down the forte with a group of girls. The blessing of having such a large place is the opportunity to host various events and parties. Easter dinners, birthdays and team meetings.

What do you do for fun?

Prague is full of activities and things to do. Operas, hockey games and walks in the park.

One of my TeachBeyond teammates plays on a local league for fun and they set up a tournament against 6 different countries. Canada took a beating we cheered them on!

Got the chance to join a group of ladies to see Phantom of the Opera. Great performance and beautiful evening.

The flowers are now all in bloom and often I will borrow the neighbour's dog and take her for a stroll in the park. She is a bird dog and it is hilarious to watch her stalk the pigeons.

What is Next?

We have 4 weeks left of school! Some major praises to the Lord is that our elementary team is fully staffed already for next year! A miracle that I am very thankful for! Our TeachBeyond team continues to grow and we will be welcoming another 4 new members this fall. 

During the first week of June my mom will be coming to visit; as I will be packing up to return to Canada for 6 months for tax related reasons and she is going to help me get things packed up.

School ends with graduation on June 13th.
On June 15th I hop on a plane - Mom goes back to Canada with my suitcases and I take a detour to Chicago to attend our TeachBeyond new staff orientation. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our new team members and get a refresher course on all our mission's policies. It has been 14 years since I started this journey and lots changes in 14 years!

I return to Canada on June 21 and will be around until first week of January. I will be taking a 3 month sabbatical to rest and renew and then doing some travel to visit people and prepare for returning to the field.

What will you be doing when you go back?

Life is in limbo at the moment. My teaching position is filled for the unseeable future and so that opens doors for other opportunities. Right now what those are is unknown. Praying to see what God has in store!

My TeachBeyond Family - I am so thankful for this amazing group of people I get to walk along side with on this amazing journey of serving here in the CZ.