Getting Ready for the School Year

I don't think many people realize just how hard a primary school teacher works to get ready for the new school year.  At our school, every year we have to pack EVERYTHING in the classroom away so that the custodians can wax our floors.  That means that all that stuff you see in the room has to be boxed up and stacked on the countertop near our kitchen sink.  All bookshelves and the teacher desks have to be emptied so they can be moved out of the room.  Then, when the floor waxing is done, it all has to come back out and be set up again.  The process takes a lot of time - and can be cause for a lot of stress (especially if you're slightly OCD, like me!).  I know that I probably worked about a week's worth of time (completely unpaid) this summer just trying to get everything set up.  And then there's the stuff we do just because we love to surprise our new kids - like making cute little goody bags.  Here are a few photos of the room the night before Open House.

Our brand new class rug - so bright, colorful, and clean!