With all the graduation hoopla surrounding Elle, we can’t skim over Claire’s graduation from elementary school.

Because that’s kind of big deal too, don’t you think?  
This girl is headed to junior high next year and whenever she thinks about it she claims she gets butterflies in her stomach.  But she has a big smile across her face as well so I think she’ll survive.
My parents flew into town on the last day of school and we went straight to the elementary school to be there for Claire’s last assembly.  
(I loved the look on Lucy’s face when my dad surprised her…she didn’t know he was coming…that girl adores her grandfather.)
The excitement was electric in that little cafeteria, all the kids were so dang excited!
They don’t do a big formal ceremony for the 6th graders (do any schools do that any more?), but I kind of like the low-key tradition they have had there ever since Max “graduated” years ago: a loud and exciting assembly to send them off, then all the kids line all the halls of the school and give them high-fives for their last school walk-through.
Also, I think it’s kind of fun because the “lower classmen” (kindergarten through 3rd grade) sit criss-cross-applesauce on the floor for assemblies and the upper grades have spots on the bleachers for each grade.  I love that in this last assembly the sixth graders move to the front:

 …and they make room for the other grades to each move up to the next “section” to take their places for the next year.

Oh boy moving up to the bleachers is an exciting thing for a third-going-to-fourth-grade kid I tell you!  Lucy had a pretty proud smile sitting in her new spot.

After the assembly all the kids head out to hold up their signs:

…and the graduating 6th graders weave their way through all the clapping, excited hallways.

I think the decorated bulletin boards along the way are an added detail this year.
There was one section that had all their pictures from when they were in kindergarten and things they wanted to be when they grew up.

 I still can’t believe all these kids are moving on up.

They got their certificates back in their classrooms, and just like that, they wrapped up their elementary school career.

 Congratulations Claire Bear!  We love you!

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3 Comments

  1. i love how lucy loves her grandfather! i love the idea of the kindergarten photos with what they want to be when they grow up! our school {that houses all 4th and 5th graders} does a clap out on the last day. the 4th graders line the halls and as the 5th graders leave there are thunderous applause! shawni, i adore you. thank you for sharing your precious life, your heart, your ideas, and your love for out Heavenly Father.

  2. I don't think it's fair to go in that morning and tape off all the good seats. People who work or have other things to do also want to have a good seat for their kid's graduation. It should be first come, first serve and the seats are all fair game until someone is actually sitting in them. It's only fair.

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