Today a man making a delivery to Riverside School said, “I bet your teachers are happy about having a longer summer break.” My immediate response was no. Then I recommended that he not ask teachers that question.

Some people just don’t get teachers. Teachers are not jumping for joy about an extended summer break. In fact, most teachers use normal summer breaks to plan, attend education conferences and spend their own money to purchase classroom supplies.

Teachers miss their kids each and every day the school doors are closed. They worry about them and want them to be safe and healthy. They are working hard each day with distance learning to find innovative ways to teach or just to stay in touch with their kids.

It’s true that pictures can tell a thousand words. The picture of students’ belongings bagged up can tell over 40 years worth of words. Just as you can read everywhere on social media and hear nightly on the news, teachers truly miss their students, also known as “their kids.”

The relationship between teachers and their students is not easy to describe. Teachers bond with the students beyond their efforts to provide necessary instruction of required skills.

They build a relationship throughout the school year that ends with a hug, handshake or similar sentiment at the end of the year - have a wonderful summer break or we’ll see you next year. It’s a happy departure and many times a needed break.

But this year, the departure is not what it should be. All teachers miss their kids and would do anything to return to normal with those happy goodbyes at the end of the year.

Which brings me to the picture that is included with this article.

At Riverside, just as with all schools in Oklahoma, there was no time to say proper goodbyes or even make sure students had all their belongings on the final day of school on Friday, March 13.

We did not know at that time it was the final day of school. Yes, we knew spring break had been extended, but everyone hoped that extension would be all that was necessary.

But for one teacher, Brenda Weeks, it wasn’t only the end of her school year, it was the end of a teaching career that spanned more than 40 years.

Most of those years were with students at Riverside.

This teacher is a master of routine and consistency. Her expectation is that every child do their best on every assignment, and they lived up to her expectation.

Then, at the end of each school year she took her class out on the school’s large playground and flew kites with them. This, her last year teaching before retirement, the pandemic robbed her of the end of year ritual to fly kites with her kids.

Rather, she placed the kites in the bags of belongings for all her students.

It’s just not right!

After more than 40 years of teaching, she deserves to end her career as she has ended so many other school years. Teachers walk by the bags on tables in the hallway and tear up when they see the kites.

They know how much the kids and the teacher enjoyed the end of year tradition.

The sadness is not about a teacher not getting to fly kites with her students. It’s about a very special teacher who has dedicated most of her life to caring for and teaching children, then ending her final year without the opportunity to share laughter and joy with her kids at the end of the school year.

Some teachers at Riverside go on the bus to deliver lunches just to see their kids and say hi or make sure they’re OK. Teachers from every school miss their students and evidence of those relationships are everywhere on social media.

All teachers touch the hearts and minds of many children. But for a teacher of over 40 years who’s retiring from Riverside, this is not how the school year and lengthy career should end.

The innovations our teachers are coming up with to attempt instruction that they know is not as effective are all a tribute to the true spirit of teachers. Like teaching, flying kites through distance learning is just not the same.

No, teachers are not enjoying an extended summer break.