Disclaimer: I own nothing of CSI
I'd like to thank Marymel for giving me this idea!
Kindergarten Graduation
"Thanks again for doing this Chelsea, I really appreciate it." Jackie told Chelsea Hanson as Jackie was getting ready to go to kindergarten graduation.
"It's no problem, and thanks for the coffee, you really didn't need to do that." Chelsea assured her.
Chelsea had been kind enough to come in on a volunteer basis for an hour or so, however long Jasmine's kindergarten graduation lasted to watch Jackie's class for her.
Jackie had told her she'd gladly take the morning off so Chelsea could get a half day pay but Chelsea assured her that that wasn't necessary, she'd be happy to come in and do it as a favor.
Jackie didn't want to take the whole day off because it was the last day of school and she wanted to spend at least some of the time with her students but there was no way in the world she'd miss Jasmine's graduation.
"It's no problem, it's the least I could do. Do you have any questions about anything?" Jackie asked.
"Nope, it looks pretty simple." Chelsea responded.
"If the kids get done with their math worksheet and both coloring worksheets then tell them they may have free time until I get back. Tell them though that they will get two reminders to use indoor voices and then after that they will have to do another worksheet, you shouldn't have to worry about that though, usually when I tell them that and then have to give them their first reminder they are nearly silent because they want to continue with free time, but in case you do need extra worksheets they are right here." Jackie told her.
"Ok." Chelsea assured her.
"Alright, I better get down to the gym to save seats since there are so many of us, thanks again." Jackie said before leaving the room.
She hustled down to the gym and to her surprise her family was already there, including a couple of people she didn't expect to see.
"Roger, Jill, when did you get here?" She asked as she gave each of them a hug.
"About five minutes after you left this morning." Nick answered her.
"Did you know they were coming?" Jackie asked Nick.
"No." He told her.
"We wanted it to be a surprise, but did you really think we would miss this?" Jill asked.
"Well no, and I'm so glad you're here and Jasmine will be thrilled to see you." Jackie told them.
Nick looked at his watch, it was only 7:45, and the graduation didn't even start until 8:30, school didn't even start until 8:15.
"Is Chelsea here already?" Nick asked, knowing that Jackie had left earlier for work then normal just so she could prepare things for Chelsea and go over them with her at 8:00 when Chelsea got there.
Subs technically didn't need to be at the school until 8 and they were aloud to leave at 3 unlike regular teachers who had to be there from 7:30 until 3:30 but Chelsea had always kept regular teacher hours because when she student taught at the school she was required to keep the hours of her mentor teacher and now as a sub she just kept doing that. "Yeah, she got here early so I could go over things with her and then get down to the gym by 8 so I could save us all a seat. Wasn't that nice?"
"Yeah. Especially because she's just a volunteer today, she's not even getting paid." Nick answered.
Eventually all the kindergarten classes came in and sat down, or at least their teachers tried to make them but the kids were more excited about seeing their family members than anything else, they waved frantically into the crowd, eventually though the teachers got them to sit down.
The little kids looked adorable in their graduation hats and their tiny gowns. Pretty soon the principle went up to the front of the room and addressed the crowd.
"I'd like to thank everyone for coming today. We are going to call one class at a time to come up and stand in a line up in front, students do you remember how we practiced yesterday, after you get your diploma, you are going to sit back down where you are sitting now, does everyone remember?" The principle asked.
"Yes." Came a bunch of little voices.
"Ok, good, and don't be nervous, this is going to be fun, and your teachers have a little treat for you but I'm going to ask that you don't eat it until the graduation is over alright?"
"Ok." The little kids answered sounding somewhat disappointed.
"Alright, we are going to start with Miss Pauley's class." The principle said.
Everyone clapped as Miss Pauley's class stood up and went to the front of the room.
"Which class is Jasmine in again, so I know when to get my video camera ready?" Jackie's uncle whispered to Nick.
"Mrs. Rice's class so not yet." Nick answered.
"Adaline Rose Bockel." Miss. Pauley said, calling the first little girl in her class.
The students were standing in line in alphabetical order to make it way less confusing, the teacher's also had the diploma's in alphabetical order to save time.
Adaline proudly walked over to her teacher, Miss Pauley gave her a hug and then said I'll miss you, I hope you have an awesome summer before giving the little girl her diploma and sucker and then Adaline went and sat down again.
After every student in Miss Pauley's class had gotten their names called the principle addressed the room again.
"Great job Miss Pauley's class, and you all sat down so nice and quiet, you did awesome, let's all give Miss Pauley's class a round of applause."
All the audience cheered.
"Now let's have Mrs. Rice's class come up." The principle said.
Mrs. Rice's students went up to the front of the room.
"Now." Nick whispered to Jackie's uncle so he'd get the video camera ready.
He got the video camera rolling.
Mrs. Rice started handing out her class's diplomas. Jasmine was near the back of the line since her last name began with an S.
"Saige Danielle Stiles." Mrs. Rice called a little while later.
Nick and Jackie looked at each other and smiled. Jasmine was next in line.
"Jasmine Nicole Stokes." Mrs. Rice called.
Jasmine looked over at her family before beginning to walk towards her teacher.
"Grandma Dill, Grandpa Roger." The child exclaimed excitedly as she spotted her grandma and grandpa.
Suddenly she forgot all about Mrs. Rice and started making a beeline for her grandparents.
"Go see Mrs. Rice." Nick told her as he pointed towards her teacher with a laugh.
Audience members smiled and chuckled, what a cutie this little girl was.
Jasmine turned back towards Mrs. Rice.
"My Texas grandma and grandpa is over there." She told her teacher happily.
"They are? They came to see you graduate?" Mrs. Rice asked with a smile.
"Yeah." Jasmine said sounding utterly thrilled.
"That was so nice of them." Mrs. Rice told her.
Mrs. Rice then handed Jasmine her diploma and sucker before wrapping her in a hug.
"I'll miss you Jasmine." Mrs. Rice told her sincerely.
"Me miss you too Mrs. Rice but my mommy said that me can come back and visit you next year." The child said happily.
"Well I sure hope you do, I hope all of my students come back to visit me." Mrs. Rice told her.
Jasmine then turned, gave her family one last wave and then sat back down where she was suppose to.
After all the kids in Mrs. Rice's class had gotten their diploma it was Mrs. Watson's class's turn and once they were done the principle came up to the front of the room again.
"That concludes our kindergarten graduation, thank you again for coming. In order to take your child home we ask that you come pick them up at their classroom so we know that every child is safely with their families, once again, thank you."
The crowd gave all the kids one last ovation.
After that the families all went to their child's classroom to get them.
"Jasmine, mommy is so proud of you sweetheart and when I get home tonight we are all going for pizza and ice cream to celebrate your big day ok?" Jackie told her as she wrapped her in a hug.
"Ok, you come home mommy?" She asked excitedly, she wanted ice cream, that sounded delicious.
"I can't come home yet sweetie, I have to go back to my classroom but you are going to go home with daddy and everyone else and I'll be home in a little while ok?"
"Ok." She said sounding a little disappointed that she'd have to wait a bit for her ice cream.
"I love you and I'll see you when I get home." Jackie told her once again.
"Love you mommy." Jackie smiled at her.
Jackie said goodbye to her other children and the rest of her family before she headed back to her own classroom.
"Hi Mrs. Stokes." One little girl said as she stood up and went over and gave her a hug.
"Hi, you guys are so nice and quiet, good job." She told the kids.
"Yeah, we didn't even get one reminder." One little boy informed her.
"You didn't? Wow that is awesome!" Jackie said.
"They were really good Mrs. Stokes." Chelsea told her.
"Good job everyone. Come say goodbye to Miss Hanson." Jackie told the kids.
Every student lined up to give her a hug.
"I hope you all have an awesome summer." Chelsea told the kids once she had hugged all of them.
"Bye Miss Hanson, have a nice summer and thank you again." Jackie told her.
"You too, and it was my pleasure." Chelsea assured her before she left.
Later that night everyone was eating root beer floats at their favorite ice cream parlor.
Jackie looked at Jasmine, the child was having a blast being the center of attention and she was loving her root beer float and although seeing Jasmine so happy made Jackie's heart swell it took everything Jackie had not to cry, she couldn't believe how big Jasmine had gotten and how fast time had flown.
"A year from now we'll be doing this for Houston." She thought sadly to herself.
She wished she could stop time so her children would stay little but since she obviously couldn't do that she was going to savor every last second she had with them while they were still young.
The End!