A day of tears & smiles: Eula ISD celebrates last day of school

EULA, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – In most schools in the Big Country, May 23 marked the official last day of the school year. Some districts chose to send their students off to summer break in a memorable fashion. At Eula Elementary, the final day of classes was relaxed, with both teachers and students wearing pajamas to fit the end-of-year theme of “Catching Some ZZZs.”

On a school playground, children’s laughter and the sounds of their play are often heard. However, today, as the students at Eula Elementary stepped out onto the playground for the last time, they reflected on their favorite moments from the school year. Some expressed relief at finishing their homework, while others recalled the friends they made and the enjoyable experiences they shared with their teachers.

Eula Elementary School has a special tradition of creating a theme for the last day of school every year. This year’s theme was “Catching some ZZZ’s,” where both students and teachers dressed in their pajamas, with staff added to the fun by lounging on blow-up mattresses next to the school parking lot while parents picked up their students.

Dyslexia Instructor Jessica Farmer has worked as an educator with Eula ISD for some years and was the one who came up with the idea of having themes for the last day of school. Farmer says the themes are a great way to send students off with a fun memory, as well as having another way to connect to her students.

“For me, I’m not in the classroom anymore, so this is how I can fill my void of not being with the children and being able to connect with them, and them having those memories of things Mrs. Farmer was able to do for us. And even though I don’t see them every day, that I’m here for them, and just to have fun with them,” Farmer said.

However, the day wasn’t just filled with smiles and laughter. Kindergarten teacher for Eula Elementary, Kristy Coons, has been in education for the last 30 years and every year she reads a very special book to her students for their final day in her class. She says that whenever she reads the last words of the story to students, she always has trouble fighting back tears.

Coons read that last passage for us, saying, “We’ll always have our memories, even when our time is through. You’ve become a special part of me, and I hope I’m a special part of you.” Coons adds, “And just when you read that, it’s hard not to cry because I will love them forever. They’ll always be my babies.”