New School

I will be moving to a new school this fall.  The last two years I taught Preschool (3 & 4 year olds) in a Middle School.  Crazy right?  It actually worked out great!  My principal helped out and really enjoyed the students and I used 6th graders as helpers!  Now I will be moving to the new school and the transitions are starting!  I am about to begin the process of finding a new aide (my aide from last year will be just down the hall now - teaching Kindergarten!!!!  So excited for her!).  I need to start planning how I want my room layout and start typing up paper work and class information!  

Here is what my classroom looked like when I went to see it for the first time!  (They hadn't put in the new carpet)

I loved my window!  Over the two years there we saw birds (I had a bird feeder set up), squirrels, deer, cows (angus farm next to us), and even a coyote!

Here is what it looked like ready to go for the first day of school... it didn't stay this pretty for long!

(dramatic play)

The art center

The writing center

The manipulatives

The large group/circle time

And the reading center

I really wish I would have taken pictures of these centers once they have been played in and had the students work, creations, and mess all over!  Well, fast forward two years and I was packing my room up:

My assistant and I disinfected the toys with bleach:

Re-sorted all the books (SO glad we did this - it will be nice to just unpack them once at the new school)

And stacked it all up to be moved over

And even had to use the hallway!

At this point, I felt sort of weird.  Sad to be leaving the classroom that seemed to be perfect for my layout.  Nervous how I would fit in to an elementary school.  And even overwhelmed at all the work that would be ahead. (unpacking, adjusting, working in a team, getting used to staff, students around us my students age, etc)

But that quickly changed when we toured the new school.  The pictures aren't going to show too much, this was its progress in May - but I will explain the best I can.

This is the front door to the new school.  We are walking up where the entrance side walk will be.

Each grade level is split into "pods" to make each grade have their own school feeling.  It will be nice to use this are for different centers, individualized small groups, etc  Our PreK pod has this large window (well the window isn't there yet).  If I remember right the play ground will be the view out this window.

Here is my classroom!  I am so excited how much natural light there will be!!!  I have a corner window, to windows to the right and one more to the left.  It may not look that exciting from the picture - but it is!  And the classroom has its own bathroom for the students!  (This is a HUGE change from 6th grade bathrooms halfway down the hall)

And here is the view from the corner window.  I know it's not exciting now, but it will be!  The view (as of now) isn't toward any houses and that makes me very happy!  I love having a bird feeder outside the window and seeing trees :)

Can't wait to show you more!

-Erica