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It's the last day of school for the Wichita school district, a bittersweet day for those in schools that won't be opening their doors again.
“READY, SET, GO!!” one teacher shouts out to her students.
The energy was palpable at Lincoln Elementary. The last day of school is usually a joyous day as kids get ready for summer, but this day isn't a day like any other here or any other year for that matter. At 4:15 the bell will ring and students won't return.
“It's going to be shut down and I feel sad about it,” said 4th grader Thonia Tamia.
Lincoln Elementary is one of three school programs in the Wichita school district shutting down all together. More than 300 students here will disperse to various other schools in the district.
“Some of my friends are going to Washington or Harry or Lewis,” said Tamia.
Teachers do their best to hold it together for the students. In the class room they make green slime and play easing the transition for students.
“It's bittersweet, I know a lot of the kids are moving to schools where there's going to be some exciting things happening too,” said 4th grade teacher Kathy Vincent.
Vincent has taught fourth grade in this room for more than a decade. She's excited to move out of the old wing-- into a room with ventilation, but even she gets a little choked up.
“I've worked here for 15 years and I'll miss seeing the families and the kids who come back to see us when they're long since done with elementary school,” said Vincent.
Now she's left to packing 15 years worth of memories in boxes.
“It wasn't our choice to move. The district gave each teacher 20 boxes and labels and it's hard to decide what to pack in 20 boxes to take onto your next school,” said Vincent.
The district ships teachers boxes off to their new schools after Memorial Day weekend. The school usually filled with kids will soon be used as a storage facility.
“I think it'll really hit home come August when we come back to school and we're coming to a new staff and new kids and everything's different.
Emerson, Bryant, Lincoln are also closing their doors this year.