This is always a bitter-sweet time of year. I am looking forward to resting my ankle and seeing my family, but I will miss working with your students. I am sending home a folder on Thursday, May 25th, with letters for your student. They are written by their peers, highlighting admiral traits and examples of when your student demonstrated these characteristics. They are very sweet and range from humorous to tear-jerking. Out of the mouths of babes... I ask the class to set them aside and read one from time to time, on a rainy day, or if they are having a hard day, to remember how wonderful and how loved they are. I hope you might enjoy reading them as well and hearing what you already know, but in other people's words. Your students truly are unique and wonderful. I also give the students a letter and I encourage them to keep in touch. I hope to hear from them this summer. I'm including a copy of my letter below.
We will have a fun Friday morning. Please note it is an early release and students will be dismissed following our clap out at 1:00. Students will not need backpacks on Friday. Our class parties will take place at 10:00. Thank you in advance to all of the families for planning and donating to this end of year celebration. Please see Mrs. Nolan's detailed parent email from last Friday for important end of year information.
I hope you have a wonderful, adventure filled summer. It has been a pleasure serving your student and you this year.
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Dear Friend,
It seems
like it was just last week that I was welcoming you to third grade and we are
now saying our summer goodbyes. Your third grade year is finished, but I hope
you will carry much of what we learned for many years to come. Of course, I
mean the reading, writing, mathematics and science, but more importantly, being
kind and being part of a community, something bigger than ourselves as
individuals.
As a
fraction of your life, this summer will be the fastest summer you’ve had. (It
always comes back to math doesn’t it?) Make the most of it! Read a lot. Then
read some more. Choose rainy day books, tree house books, vacation and pool
books, and lie on your lawn and read under the sky books. Make a plan to read a
specific number of pates each day. Read different genres. Try books on science
and other cultures. Soak up as much as you can, especially great vocabulary
words. Terrific words will never let you down.
When you
aren’t reading, I hope you’ll fill your time outside, even on rainy days. Climb
trees and crawl through the bushes. Swim in pools and, even better, lakes and
streams. Splash in puddles and chase fireflies. Take someone on a hike or even
on a walk around the block. Stay up late and watch the full moon. Get up early
and watch the sun rise. Camp in the woods or your back yard. Turn off the TV
and the computer. (You knew that was coming.) Play music: ukuleles, guitars,
banjos, pots and pans. Sing and dance. Play board games. Make up your own
games. You will never have this summer again. Make the most of it.
Write me a
note or a postcard and I’ll write you back. Let me know what you are reading
and exploring. I’ll share too. I’m already looking forward to staying up late
and playing music with my friends. Then I’ll grab another book from my summer
stack .
I’ll never
forget this year. You have grown so much, as a student and as a friend. I have
learned so much about you (and about myself ad I have tried to be the best
teacher I could for you). I will remember the break through moments in your
learning as well as the sing-alongs, film canister rockets, poetry and the
wonder of watching a young person eager to learn. Keep learning. I will close
with a few of my favorite quotes from Wonder, by R.J. Palacio.
“Kinder than is necessary.
Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”
“Courage. Kindness.
Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings,
and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”
“When given the choice between
being right or being kind, choose kind.”
With great admiration and optimism for your future
endeavors,
Mr. Hudson
2240 Pinebrook Rd
Upper Arlington, OH
43220
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