Kim's Retirement Reception

Kim's retirement reception at her school was May 19th. Her fellow Mary Martin teachers went above and beyond! It was a beautiful reception and so well thought out to reflect Kim's teaching career and her next journey.

I loved the safari and travel theme! The suitcase cake couldn't have been more perfect!
These mint containers said it all..

 I was so glad that the girls and I got to be there to celebrate her.

34 years! Wow. I can't even fathom the dedication it takes to make it 34 years in education. You must truly love what you do to make it that long. And to know Kim Jones Coddington is to know how much she loved teaching. She is the most dedicated educator I have ever known. She had a heart for every student that ever came into her classroom. She touched so many lives during her 34 years in the classroom. And even though I wasn't ever one of her many students, I was one of those lives that was touched. She was my first inspiration to become a teacher. I loved going to Aunt Kim's school on the weekends to help her. I am a master "cutter outer" of laminated posters, excellent bulletin board changer, and I was once pretty talented at using the mimeograph copier!
They just don't make teachers like Kim anymore. She put in countless hours working in her classroom to make sure that her students had the best possible experience they could have.
We are all so proud of you Aunt Kim! And we were honored to be there to celebrate you!

They showed a video of pictures at the end before we left. It brought me to tears. You could see the love for what she did in every photo. She always had a smile on her face. And the pride she had for teaching showed all over each picture. I hope each student that crossed into her room knew how lucky they were to have had her for a teacher. She loved what she did, and did what she loved. Not many people can say that about their career. It was also evident how much her fellow teachers thought of her by being at the reception. There were smiles, laughs, and of course tears. She is leaving some big shoes to fill. I don't even work at the same campus as her, and I know that I will feel the void next year at inservice when I can't scope her out, or complain to her about the new "thing" they have dreamed up for us to do, or get a hug at convocation. It just won't be the same. I loved getting to work at the same district as her. But as the sign on her cake table said "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." And I plan to do just that!