Whirlwind Changes: an East Side school

I just realized how long it's been since I've posted on this thing! A lot has happened since the end of last school year; I just finished long-term substituting at a school in Granite school district for a teacher on maternity leave. This upcoming Monday I start a new position (as a full-time fourth grade teacher this time) at a school called Oakridge in the same district. (It is a rather long story why I am no longer working in the Salt Lake City School District, albeit it was not my choice to leave SLCSD. But I am happy where I am now & am satisfied with my surroundings and the environment of Granite.)
To make a long story short, the school I was just subbing at was a Title I school (like those I have been teaching at previously.) My new adventure comes on Monday, when I start working at a non-Title I school, in an affluent neighborhood.....in short, an east side school! I have been lamenting having to leave the wonderful 4th graders at Wilson behind; they really made me feel needed & I had plenty of behavior difficulties to deal with between two young gentlemen mainly) to keep me reasonably occupied. I also had the standard issue of many students below grade level for reading, but now as I look at the kids' scores at my new school, I am going through a bit of culture shock; there are only two kids who do not appear to be on or above reading level! I have also already noticed how much more involved parents are at this school; when I went to meet my new class on Wednesday after my last day at Wilson, there were at least as many parents there as students, & they had plenty of questions for me.  It was a bit nerve-racking since in the past I have practically had to pull teeth just to have parents of students show up for a SEP conference. I was also overwhelmed with how many classroom volunteers this school has and the arts programs available to them; to be honest, my heart was aching for the underprivileged students and schools I have worked with & it made me sad. But nobody said change was easy.
On my last day at Wilson, a student composed a song for me about how I made them "shine like stars," & the full-time teacher Nikki was back, & she & the kids presented me with cards & gifts. I felt very loved & I know I will be missed there; I will certainly miss those kids! Even though they were only mine for about 2 months, we had really begun to understand & respect each other.  One of the troubled young men from my classroom kept hugging me and begging me not to leave. Another student claimed her world was "over" since the best sub was leaving. I hope to see those kids again in the future; I may get lucky & go back to Wilson for a job interview at the end of the year; the administration would seemingly like to see me back there as well. :)
I was glad that my last day with the kids could be celebrated with a Read-a-Thon. They all brought blankets or pillows from home & cuddled up with buddies on the carpet. I presented each child with a small bookmark I'd made the night prior; I felt like it was an appropriate "good-bye" present. They all really loved the bookmarks & were excited to use them! Youth & innocence is so refreshing & easily pleased.
I hope I can make an indelible impression at my new school the rest of the year; I have really been able to mark growth and make changes more readily, it seems, in Title I schools, but I am willing to accept the new challenge placed before me & see where it leads me.