Thursday, June 7, 2012

Farewell Tanaka

Today is a historic day in the Turney family. Today Adam taught his last class at Tanaka.

When Adam graduated from BYU-Idaho he started substitute teaching to help support the two of us. I was working at Wells Fargo at the time, and Adam was working every day at a new school. At one school, he subbed for a few consecutive days. The Principal at the time, Karen Patton, approached Adam and asked if he wanted a  job. We couldn't have been happier.

Adam started at Tanaka as an intervention specialist, which means he basically tested kids of all grades. He started in March 2007. By the 2007-2008 school year he had his own class room. He would be teaching 3rd grade.

If you do the math, you will see that today Adam was graduating with the 5th graders, who were Kindergartners when he was first hired at Tanaka.

Tanaka has been a wonderful family to us. Along with Adam teaching there I have substituted (for Adam actually, among others), volunteered,  and completed a semester practicum at Tanaka. We have made many great friends along the way. Adam has made it through two principals, and 5 vice principals, 5 grade changes (3rd, to 4th, to 3rd,to 1st, back to 3rd again...) and touched the lives of countless students who in turn touched our lives and our hearts. There were stories of success and heart ache. In the end, it was time for Adam to move on and try something new. He is going to be a fantastic forbuss Falcon, and will actually be there for Hannah's first day of school in two years so that will be really special!

 First day of Tanaka
Last day of Tanaka
I won't say anything more, I do want Adam to write a post on how he's feeling about leaving Tanaka once it's sunk in...but hey, It's 9:30PM on the last day of school....And Adam's been asleep since 7PM.

1 comment:

Georgia said...

Congratulations, Adam on graduating from one elementary school to another. Change can be difficult, but it is also a necessary part of life. I hope this change is fabulous and talk about looking ahead and thinking about Hannah's first day of school in two years! Wow!! How time flies!