Standing all day, Monday through Friday, for 10 hours a day is part of the job as a Fairfax County Public Schools teacher that Eileen Simpson is not going to miss during her two months off in the summer.
"I stand all day long," she said.
Christy Crawford is another teacher at Rolling Valley Elementary School. The tears on the last day aren't just out of relief.
"It's a very emotional job," she said.
Linda Aiken noted their dedication, similar among all the Fairfax County teachers.
"We do it because we love it. The rewards are not financial," Aiken, a Rolling Valley teacher, said.
They are among a bunch of teachers who will welcome the chance to relax, take a vacation, and be with their family without a pile of papers to grade. Cruises, Hawaiian vacations or spending the day by the pool with their children are some of the plans, while others opt to continue teaching summer school, tutor, or work other jobs outside the school system. They all agree it's not a 40-hour-a-week job for nine months a year like it's painted to be on the outside.
"I think it's a misconception of the public that it's an easy job with time off," said Aikin.
Every five years, Fairfax County does require teachers to take additional classes to get recertified. Although they have the option of taking these classes in the evening and weekends during the year, many take the classes over the two months in the summer, which goes from Monday, June 23, to Monday, Aug. 25.
"During that time, we're required to take classes," said Crawford, a veteran teacher.
For new teachers, who start at a salary of $35,813, the summer is a chance to earn some extra money. Many continue teaching on some level (e.g., summer school, tutoring). Others take jobs outside the school system. Hunt Valley kindergarten and first-grade teacher Megan Seefeldt and her assistant, Terri Downey, fit that description. Seefeldt is heading up to Pennsylvania to work in a summer camp where she's worked for the past six or seven years, since college.
"I'm going to work for the extra income. It's a college I went to, also," she said.
Downey is working part-time at a local day-care center. Crawford noticed the summer job status is an age-related thing with teachers. Typically, the younger ones do not have families.
"All the younger teachers get jobs, most of them tutor," she said.
"Before I had children, I taught in the summer," Rolling Valley teacher Carol Ray said.
THE END of the summer is a new beginning for Rachel Elliff, a teacher at Fairview Elementary in Burke. On Sept. 3, her daughter is due.
"Which is why I'm going to take a leave of absence," Elliff said.
Meanwhile, the strings teacher is planning a private music camp over the summer. She occasionally plays the violin at the Lord of Life Lutheran church and hopes her daughter will choose the violin as well. Her daughter will not get any pressure from mom, though.
"It would be great if she got involved with some sort of music," Elliff said.
Dawn Rihaly, the clinic aide at Garfield, is a Fairfax County Health Department employee, although she worked at the school and built friendships just like the teachers. She was paid on a 10-month scale and had no choice like the teachers did. The last day of school was just as emotional for Rihaly, though.
"I cried with a couple of them [students] today," she said.
Her first priority is the Fourth of July, when relatives, friends and fellow Garfield people will gather at her house for a backyard party. Horseshoes, crabs and fireworks will all be part of her party.
"I want it to start as a tradition. There's going to be a lot of people," she said.
After that, Rihaly is planning to attend her high-school, 20-year reunion. In Uniontown, Pa., she will attend the two-day festivities with white-water rafting and a pool party.
"It's a two-day party," she said.
Fairview Elementary third-grade teacher Ted Eldridge is not getting a summer vacation like the other teachers. This summer, he's transferring to Dogwood Elementary School, which has a year-round schedule, so he'll only get two weeks of vacation. It's all right with him though.
"When school is out, after about a month I get bored," he said.