Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and hope that God won't let you fall.
I loved teaching this past year. Of course things weren't perfect at my school as many of you know, but I loved working at Liberty Academy. My students were the greatest and I loved a lot of the teachers and staff there. With Matt probably going to grad school in another year I was excited to teach one more year at Liberty and help the school keep growing stronger, but sadly things got pretty crazy at the end of the school year.
My principal who had come out of retirement to be the director at our school decided that he was going to retire once and for all after bringing our school up to such great heights over the past couple years. However, when he announced this the school board and some of the members of the parent council went a little crazy and decided to try and implement huge changes. To make a long story short, my school decided to be a new campus for American Preparatory Academy which is a very strict, direct instruction school that uses very scripted programs and teaching styles that I don't agree with. Without knowing if I would have another job for the following year, I decided that my first year would also be my last year at liberty. As hard as it was to say goodbye to my cute little kiddos knowing that I wouldn't see all of them again, I packed up my classroom and started searching for a new job in hopes of being blessed if I took this leap of faith.
Right before the school year ended, I was blessed with a few offers for different schools and chose to work at Freedom Elementary in Highland, UT. Freedom is an incredible school and it was at the very top of my list so I was sooooo happy when I got the call saying I got the job. I'll be teaching kindergarten again this next year, but things will be a little different. For one, I will be teaching two half day sessions of kindergarten instead of one full day session. I will also have at least 55 students instead of 19 which will be a big change, but I'm really excited about it. Freedom has great parent support and I'm hoping to even have a teacher's aid for a couple hours each day :). Oh, and did I mention that the school has an awesome closet that I'm in love with? Hellooo organization :) Anyway, I'm really excited. I will DEFINITELY miss Liberty, but I feel like I'll love this new opportunity even more.
Before I jump to the next school year too quickly... here are a couple cute pictures of my AWESOME class. I love these kids so much. I hope they all remember their nerdy kindergarten teacher :)
Kindergarten field trip to the zoo!
Kinder team
Field Day. Love these boys.
Final goodbyes. Love this girl.
Like I wasn't ever there. Crazy.
Later, Liberty. It's been real.
Best team & principal. So glad I got to work with Rick Clark.
Best class ever... including my sidekick of a sister. I already miss them so much!
Oh, and.... after school was over I got to go visit one of my students at her parents' nail salon. Love her forever. Isn't she adorable?!?
The other hard goodbye was with my sister. Sarah is happily serving in the Ventura California mission, but it has been pretty hard for me to not have my little sister and best friend here in Provo with me. Sarah and I went grocery shopping together every Tuesday and we went to Zumba together a couple times a week all year while she was up here so it's been a pretty big change for me. Luckily I get to write her and she seems really happy, but it's hard not having my only sister to call and talk to all the time. I posted a couple of these pictures on Facebook a while ago, but here are some cute pictures of the one, the only, Hermana Schmidt. I was lucky enough to be the one that brought her to the MTC. Sarah and I got to hang out around temple square for a little bit before going to lunch with Dave and heading off to the MTC. It will forever be one of my favorite memories. I love this girl. She will be one incredible missionary!
What a cute missionary.
Besties forever.
One final heel click... and she's off!
As hard as it has been for me to let my sister and my students go, I am really excited for the new adventures that are ahead of me. I am so blessed.
