Back to the 'Point

 Hi gang.

For the first time in over two years - since, oh, before Covid completely flipped the world upside-down - our school once again took our graduating class of 8th graders on an overnight, two-day trip down to Cedar Point.

I, for one, always love this trip because it's two days of walking around in the sun with other teachers, not working, and the only kids you have to worry about are the somewhat-decent students, since the major behavior problems lose the privilege to go if they get in trouble too many times.  At the end of the year, when all the teaching is just about wrapped up and you're just running out the clock until summer kicks off, this is just the sort of thing you want to fill your time.

Leaving bright and early around 7am on Thursday, we set off for our 4 1/2 hour trip down to the butthole of the country, Ohio. . . check it out. . .

We are pilgrims in an unholy land. . .

Just like in Disney, remember where you park, kids.

As always, the first stop on this first day in the parks, once getting all the students successfully through security and checked in, was dropping off the med bag containing students' meds to the First Aid Station.

A group of us teachers got lunch at this joint while waiting for the park to warm up a bit.

It was overcast when we got there, but was supposed to get sunnier and warm up as the day drew on.

The soon-to-be-retired Lisa makes a friend in the Frontier section of the park.

Making our rounds around the park - we ended up clocking way over 20,000 steps on this first day.

Sun's out.

That People Mover you see on the right was the only ride I ended up going on that first day in the park, we just walked around most of the time.

Nnnnnnnope.

Later that day, all the teachers went out for dinner at Famous Dave's, our usual destination for the annual teacher meal.

The restaurant is right on the marina, adjacent to the park itself.

Doing another lap of walking in the park.  We took a lot more pictures, but they had students in them, and, you know. . . FERPA.

At the end of the day, around 7pm, we started gathering up students at the rendezvous point at the front of the park (the Carousel.)  Once collected, we'd take them in groups out to the awaiting charter buses in order to drive them over to our hotel for the night, The Breakers.

En route to the hotel.

A complete clusterf*** getting nearly 400 students checked in to their rooms.  This always the worst part of the trip, and takes over an hour.

The room I shared with the only other male teacher that ended up chaperoning this year's trip.

More obligatory hotel room pics.

(We didn't end up using any of this.)

The next morning, looking out at scenic Lake Erie.

Another view from our hotel.

As we checked students out of the room, we escorted them in groups down to the awaiting charter buses to load up their overnight bags and coolers, than proceeded to walk them down to a pavilion for their complimentary breakfast.

The beach none of us went to.

Yours Truly along with my teammates, Rachel (ELA) and Lisa (Science), and Shelli (8-1's Science teacher.)

Back in the park, around 9:30am.  Once kids finished up with their breakfast, they were given their admission ticket and could head straight into the park.  Getting in an hour before general admission, they were able to get in line for the busies, more popular rides ahead of the masses.

We did a lap around the park again, but everyone was sore from the previous day's excursion.

I decided after the first lap that I was going to spend a few hours bronzing in one of these chairs reading a book, so I bid my farewells to my other teachers and took a huge chunk out of my book - Shogun - while chilling on this pavilion.

After a couple hours, a student texted me on our school's Remind app to let me know that his glasses had flown off on a roller coaster and we had to take him to Lost and Found, so, for the rest of the day, I was walking around solving student dilemmas as they surfaced.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

I ended up joining up with a group of eight students for a series of rides - the Mine Ride, Corkscrew, etc. - lesser ones that I could stomach without killing myself.  Between this and solving student issues as they arose, most of my day flew by pretty fast.

The team (with a student.)

Fort Something-or-Other.  I don't know, it's not a real fort.

Around 5pm, we had all our students once again rendezvous at the Carousel, and once again boarded them in groups onto their assigned charter buses.  By 6pm, we were back on the road heading back for Saginaw.

Reentering the Homeland after two days in the Shittiest of All States.

- Brian

ConGRADuations and the End of the Elementary Era

What's up, players.

Today marks the definitive end of the Houghs' Elementary School Era.  Abby graduated from 5th Grade today, and, in doing so, ended her tenure at Chestnut Hill Elementary, where she's attended since starting Kindergarten there back in 2015.

Kris took the day off in order to be able to attend this occasion, which, thanks to Covid-19 (again), was a stripped-bare affair held outdoors, one classroom at a time - a totally different experience than, say, the big production that Alayna got when she graduated from 5th grade two years ago.  She made sure to drive her to school this morning, too, in order to get the traditional picture in front of the school sign (see above.)

Kris also managed to snap a pic with Audrey (Mitch's youngest) and Jackson (Morgan's son.)

Anyway, the 'ceremony' (if you could even call it that) took place at 9:30am, about an hour into the school day, and the whole thing was super quick and pretty bittersweet (since the school had their hands tied with safety protocols, and there was only so much they could do for a graduation ceremony.)  Afterwards, students had the option of leaving for the day with their parents, but Abby - like several others - opted to stay at school and finish out the remainder of her school day so she could hang out with her friends and enjoy one, final day of elementary school.

So here you go, folks - the End of 5th Grade:

Mrs. Reinhardt's class marches out in front of the school.

You can see Abby, in a white-and-blue dress, half-way down the line.

Awaiting her turn to step forward and accept a 'graduation envelope.'

One thing that pissed me off about this whole process was no one announced the student walking forward to accept their graduation stuff - the students just walked forward after the kid in front of them walked away.  How f***ing hard is it to announce each student to the assembled crowd?  It's a graduation, for crying out loud. . .

Abby ends 5th Grade.

(As always, Kris films with her phone while I handle the SLR.)

After each student in her class received their diplomas, certificates, and whatever else was stuck in those envelopes, kids and parents ambled about taking pictures with various people and in front of various things.  Abby wanted a picture in front of the Chestnut Hill building with a couple of her friends, Abigail (left) and Isla (right.)

One with her teacher.

One with all the girls in her class.

One with Papa John and Grandma.

And one final one in front of the school sign out front, with Abigail and Isla.

Each student received, in their envelopes, a personalized class award.  Abby, as you can see here, is the class Bookworm.  She comes by it naturally.

- Brian