This week's post will be a whole lot of pictures! As the week before winter break, it was full of excitement. My homeroom also earned a reward for topping off their Community Jar, which is a whole class method of positive reinforcement. I put marbles into the jar for things like compliments in the hallway, quick and quiet transitions, and positive reports from specialist teachers. When those marbles reach the top of the jar, the class votes on a reward of some kind. The vote resulted in the majority of students opting for board game time. We ended up spending 40 minutes on Wednesday playing various board games together, both ones I've collected over the years and ones students brought in from home. I'm not going to lie, I love when this is the chosen reward. Why? Because I love board games, particularly Scrabble. A crew of us spent the time playing it, and overall, it was a fun mid-week break from schoolwork.

On Friday, we had our holiday party, and it was a blast. We did holiday/winter trivia, and the only stipulation for teams was that each team needed to include at least one adult. It was a lot of fun getting the families involved, so thanks to everyone who joined us! And thank you so much for all of the generous and thoughtful gifts given to me--I am one spoiled teacher.

With the craziness of the party on Friday, I didn't pull names for Bucket Filler. That being said, this week definitely goes out to Lila. Friday was actually her last day at the Kennedy. At her request, we didn't make a big deal about it at the party, but her family is moving to Charleston, South Carolina within the next week or so. (Sidenote: I'm obsessed with Charleston! Two of my close friends moved there a few years ago, and after visiting them a few times, I completely understand why...). Honestly, I can't say enough wonderful things about Lila. She is incredibly sweet and thoughtful, and she is the epitome of our classroom motto: "Kindness Matters". She has a heart of gold, and I feel lucky I got to be her teacher these past few months. Her new school in Charleston just gained a truly special girl. <3 We'll certainly miss her around her!

I hope everyone has a wonderful break and enjoys the holidays with their loved ones. See you in 2020!