Elementary Daze

While picking up The Kid from school today (his second to last day, woot!) I was struck by the thought of how fleeting childhood is.  I know, deep, right?  But seriously, it is.  Watching him get so excited about another school year ending made me think back to my own elementary school days and how impactful they were on my life.  So I decided to write a blog post about them (naturally) and list out what I can remember as the highlights from each year.

Here goes:

Kindergarten

School | Yacolt
Teacher | Miss Heart (if I remember correctly she was married the summer after I had her, but I have no idea what her married name would have been.)
Best Friends | Goodness, I wish I could remember!  I remember Quinton (see hilarious note below) but no one else.
Funny Memories | I remember being proposed to.  That's right, I was engaged in kindergarten.  That's how I roll.  One day during quiet time Quinton sat next to me and asked me if I would marry him.  I distinctly remember the stipulation being if he's not still living with his parents at age 30.  You still out there Quinton?  Living with mom and dad?  If not, hit me up!
I also remember spending a day at Miss Heart's farm for pioneer week.  We played in a barn and watched eggs in an incubator.  Having grown up on a chicken farm, I remember thinking it was boring but quaint.

First Grade

School | Maple Grove
Teacher | I can't remember!
Best Friends | I remember a girl named Tiffany
Funny Memories | Strangely this year is a blur, but I do remember it being the year of making plans with my girl friends of what to wear the next day to school so we were "cool" and matched.  I also remember my mom not letting me wear the chosen outfits a few times and feeling SO uncool.

Second Grade

School | Meadow Glade
Teacher | Mrs. Charbenou
Best Friends | Heather, Shinae, Tyler and Jayme
Funny Memories | I remember being yelled at by my teacher because I had interrupted her conversation with another teacher at recess.  Once she realized I had interrupted because a kid had fallen off the jungle gym and broken his arm she took off running, and never apologized.  I learned at an early age that adults are exempt from manners.

Third Grade

School | Meadow Glade
Teacher | Mr. Smith
Best Friends | Heather, Shinae, Tyler and Jayme
Funny Memories |  Ahh third grade, the year of learning cursive and my first male teacher.  I remember thinking he was soooo cool, and he was.  He read the Boxcar Children to us everyday.

Fourth Grade

School | Meadow Glade
Teacher | Mrs. Duncan
Best Friends | Heather, Shinae, Tyler and Jayme
Funny Memories |  I remember being in trouble constantly for talking (which wasn't necessarily new) and Mrs. Duncan got fed up one day and put my desk in a corner so I had no neighbors to talk to.  She was frustrated when she realized I'd still talk, just to myself, and put me back with the rest of the class the following day.

Fifth Grade

School | Meadow Glade / Immanuel Lutheran (we moved halfway through the year to Idaho)
Teacher | Mrs. Knight / Mr. Barenclau
Best Friends | Heather, Shinae, Tyler and Jayme / Jill
Funny Memories |  This was a TOUGH year for me.  My family moved to Idaho halfway through the year and I was just 11.  I thought my entire world had ended.  Jill (my cousin) moved with us a few months later and that made it better, but it was still tough.
Once in Idaho, I met my first full-fledged crush, my hot new teacher, James Barenclau.  (And by crush, I mean I was IN LOVE with the man.)  He read books to us, and my favorite was "There's a Boy in Girls Bathroom" by Louis Sachar.  There's a part where the boy in the book has a crush and is told the way to start a conversation with her is to talk about the weather.  The next morning he holds the door for her and asks, "Lovely weather we're having isn't it?"  and she responds, "yes, quite."
So the next morning as I enter the classroom, low-and-behold, James holds the door for me and says, "Lovely weather we're having isn't it?"  and I responded, "Yes quite."  This went on, every morning for the rest of the school year.
I was so in love.


Sixth Grade

School | Clover
Teacher | Mrs. Pearson
Best Friends | Darrelyn and Janelle
Funny Memories |  This school was TINY and I had only 6 kids in my class.  I remember loving Mrs. Pearson and feeling like I was going to fly away when on the swings.  (random!)


Seventh Grade

School | Castleford / Clover
Teacher | Various (at Castleford) / Mr. Boetcher
Best Friends | Darrelyn, Janelle, Amy and Eric
Funny Memories |  I started out at Castleford (a public school) and about half way through the year my grades began slipping and my parents decided to put me back in Clover.  I had been exposed to lockers, homeroom, football players, my first boyfriend and freedom... of course my grades were slipping!


Eighth  Grade

School | Clover
Teacher | Mr. Boetcher
Best Friends | Darrelyn and Janelle
Funny Memories | I remember yawning in the middle of math class one day (it was a LOUD, drawn out yawn) and I was sent to the principal's office for the rest of the afternoon.  8 years in school and I almost made it without any black marks.


So there you have it, my elementary days.  I'm impressed with my memory of most grades, but frustrated that I can't remember my first grade teacher's name!  What do you remember about your grade school days?