Camp Learn-a-Lot

Tyler's school has done the cutest thing the last week of school. All of the first graders have gone to camp - Camp Learn-a-Lot. They shuffled all of the first graders into new 'cabins' with a teacher as the camp counselor for each cabin. Each cabin got a matching tie-dyed shirt that the kids wore every day (don't think about the cleanliness of this decision). They also got wooden badges they wore every day along with bandannas. The kids got to pick a mascot (Tyler's cabin was the Wolverines). They were encouraged to wear camp clothes - hats, boots, etc. - the whole nine yards. They went to 'camp' every day for a week. I think this is such a great idea for the last week of school where the kids have got be restless in class. They did the cutest things every day - every morning started with the principal leading them in a flag raising ceremony and exercises. They had camp songs and stories before they broke into their own cabins. One day they wrote postcards home telling us what a great time they were having at camp. I'll admit, I loved getting it in the mail! Then I sent a care package to camp for Tyler full of goodies. One day all the campers rotated through stations. I was there helping in the Flubber station (and all the kids told me it was the coolest station too). It was so fun to see all the kids wear their shirts and badges. They ended the week with a BBQ for all the campers. Tyler had a great time going to camp.
I've said it before but here it is again - I love Tyler's school. I think they go above and beyond so much. Tyler's teacher this year had been so great. I've gone in on Mondays and have just loved being in her classroom. Her patience is endless - I've seen her tell the same boy to sit down 100 times and still be nice to him (I would have throttled him long before!). She brought in 20 eggs and an incubator and let the kids watch the eggs for 21 days until they hatched. Then she had a 'chick night' where families could come and see the chicks. She also brought in 20 cocoons that the kids got to see the butterflies come out of. One day when I went in to help she had a bag full of owl pellets (if you don't know what this is consider yourself lucky) and she had me dissect them for groups of kids and find mouse bones, and other delicacies. Not my favorite way to spend a Monday morning, but awesome for the kids. She has taught Tyler a ton of sign language which he loves - for a while there Tyler gave up talking and only signed (only problem, no one else signs in our house). She has been so awesome - I've just loved her. We were talking about her retiring and I told her I need her to stay until Logan has her - then feel free to retire! I'd love all of my kids to have her. We've had a great year in first grade.