Lulu Walker School

Here's Our Room!

~ Mrs. Powers' Kindergarten ~ Room 11 ~ Lulu Walker Elementary School ~ Tucson, Arizona ~

This is my "teacher chair".  Two lovely moms, Valerie and Veronica, gave it to me in 2007 and, in 2011, a teacher friend, Mrs. Graham, sewed a new (easy-to-clean) cover for it.  I keep lots of big books behind my chair which have big pictures and big print for lots of fun and learning.  I use the whiteboard next to the chair to hold those books while I read.  The Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree was made for me by Veronica - isn't it awesome?  There is a yellow door in the back that leads to another classroom.  The door is where I post classroom jobs like pet helper, line leader, door holder, flag holder, and many more.  Every child has a partner and a new job each week. 

Upstairs is a reading loft with big stuffed animals, a tiny couch, and tons of books.  Underneath the reading loft is La Casita for playing housekeeping. 

Here's me in 2011. No fair counting my gray hairs - and I have way more now!

On the first day of kindergarten, parents come to school with their children and stay for about 45 minutes. Then we give the parents some tissues and send them on their way so we can some fun!

I take family photos the first day - the munchkins grow so much over the year!

Kindergartners hard at work and hard at play!

Dressing up is a blast on Halloween!  The kids try on costume after costume, after costume!  Then see the tape on the floor?  The kids stand with their toes on the tape to sing songs and recite poems for our Fall Show.  These are an old photos from 2006 - there's now a SmartBoard where the big yellow board is. 

Look!  I got some kids to hold still for a photo!

With the help of parent volunteers, we make rodeo horses in February. Don't throw away any adult-sized, lonely-only, brightly colored socks because we will need them. Soccer socks are the best for our hobby horses!  Oh, and do you see the cubbies behind the horses? 

Nothing says Big Kid like being Bus Kid!  Kindergarten students wear nametags every day, sit near the driver, and must be met by a parent or designated person in order to be let off the bus at the end of the day.  Safety first, last, and always!

Every Spring we write a class book that gets published in hardcover!  Each child has a page, plus we add in a lot of memories from the year.

At the end of the year we have a promotional ceremony for the kindergartners.  This photo was taken right after the kids moved their tassels.  My class on the left and Gina Graham's on the right.  That' retired music teacher, Mary Kierzek, on the piano.  She's been accompanying our kindergarten promotion ceremonies for over 20 years - true dedication to excellence!

In this 2007 promotion picture, one of the students from my class, Payton, is holding hands with my daughter, Merry, who was in another K class. 

~ Big Kind Kids ~ 

These are the "old" kindergarten teachers at Lulu Walker Elementary School - Gina Graham, Rene Pierce, Lori LaRussa, me, and Monica Bermudez. 
Ms. LaRussa and Ms. Bermudez moved up to 2nd grade and Mrs. Pierce has retired. We're the best of friends forever, though!